Jump directly to the content
real life

I was a star of one of the biggest TV shows of the 90s but was forced to get a job in retail when it ended

A TOP TV actress has revealed she took up a career in luxury retail after her on-screen work dried up.

American Danielle Fishel, now 42, played Topanga Lawrence in the cast of ABC drama Boy Meets World.

A top ABC TV star has revealed they took a job in luxury retail after Boy Meets World wrapped
6
A top ABC TV star has revealed they took a job in luxury retail after Boy Meets World wrappedCredit: Getty
Danielle Fishel, left, played Topanga Lawrence in the Nineties show
6
Danielle Fishel, left, played Topanga Lawrence in the Nineties showCredit: Getty
Danielle played protagonist Cory Matthew's on-screen girlfriend
6
Danielle played protagonist Cory Matthew's on-screen girlfriendCredit: Getty

The show followed the life of Cory Matthews, his friends and his family and aired on ABC for seven seasons.

Danielle's character Topanga was Cory’s girlfriend in the series.

After its success, the programme was then granted a spinoff that aired from 2014 to 2017.

Following her Boy Meets World fame, Danielle starred in a few other projects including hosting The Dish on the Style Network from August 2008 to March 2011. 

read more tv star

She has also directed Disney Channel shows including Sydney to the Max and Raven's Home.

She, too, reprised her role in the Girl Meets World spinoff series. 

Yet after the flurry of TV work things dried up.

Danielle told her podcast she bagged at job at plush US department store Bloomingdales.

She worked at the gift wrap section of the Newport Beach store and said: "I liked to wrap presents."

She then revealed she simply greeted customers with a "yes" when they told her she looked like a star of Boy Meets World.

She also admitted she was "really good" at her job - which came when she was forced to gift wrap an item herself after being told that the wrap option would not be available that day.

Danielle told the podcast she undertook her task as she "sat down on the floor in the Bloomingdale's customer service department."

Talking of the reaction of the store manager, she added: "He looks at me and he goes, 'that's actually really good'."

Meanwhile, the subsequent career of her co-star Rider Strong, who played Shawn Hunter - Cory's best friend - was also recently revealed.

After Boy Meets World ended, Rider enrolled in Columbia University, where he pursued a degree in education,

Meanwhile, this week we reported how a top Nickelodeon star was forced to return to normal life when acting work dried up.

Child star Devon Werkheiser, 32, was the protagonist in hit Nickelodeon series Ned's Declassified.

The US programme premiered in 2004 and ran for three seasons.

The plotline followed main character Ned Bigby, played by Devon, who gave tips and tricks to the viewers about surviving middle schools, while still figuring it out himself.

READ MORE SUN STORIES

Yet he revealed after his initial flurry of fame aged 12, things didn't exactly go to plan when the show wrapped in 2007.

Despite seeking the help of an acting coach he picked up ad hoc roles on other Nickelodeon series yet felt his career never accelerated.

She revealed she took a job at luxury store Bloomingdales after acting work dried up
6
She revealed she took a job at luxury store Bloomingdales after acting work dried upCredit: Getty
The TV star worked in the gift wrap department
6
The TV star worked in the gift wrap departmentCredit: Getty
This came despite Danielle returning for the show's spin-off series, Girl Meets World
6
This came despite Danielle returning for the show's spin-off series, Girl Meets WorldCredit: AFP
Topics