“Girl Meets World”: The Feud That Refuses to Die between Maitland Ward and Danielle Fishel
On the latest episode of the podcast “Pod Meets World,” hosted by fan favorites Danielle Fishel (Topanga), Will Friedle (Eric), and Rider Strong (Shawn), the longstanding feud between Maitland Ward (Rachel) and Danielle was reignited, showcasing how old drama never really fades away. The sparks flew as Maitland and Danielle cracked open their personal history, revealing unresolved tensions that stretch back to the ’90s and flaring up again during the spinoff series “Girl Meets World” that premiered in 2014.
Maitland claimed their rift ignited when she perceived Danielle was giving her the cold shoulder on set. “I think that you hate me because you wouldn’t speak to me,” she said, which prompted a fiery denial from Danielle, who insisted they had communicated. The bombshell moment came when Maitland accused Danielle of unfriending her on Facebook, to which Danielle replied with a defense that she’s “not a Facebook person.” Their attempt to mend fences in 2022 only surfaced more confusion, as it appears both actresses were navigating through a fog of misunderstandings.
Danielle shared that she found Maitland’s congratulatory message on Facebook buried among years of ignored messages, leading her to feel guilty about any perceived snub. Yet, the suspense intensified as they argued over whether the intentions behind Maitland’s podcast appearance were motivated by a thirst for ratings. Maitland’s defense was that she had genuinely planned to hash things out, but the timeline took longer than anticipated. Their tête-à-tête brought to light past invitations (including a wedding invite from Maitland) and a shared acknowledgment that both women had experienced the tension differently—Danielle felt ostracized while Maitland believed it was a jealousy issue over attention.
The discourse is emblematic of how former child stars are tasked with navigating public perception and personal history—sometimes clashing under the glare of nostalgia-fueled attention. As Danielle quipped, “I was on the cover of Maxim in 2014,” it became clear that the drama isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. All in all, the episode is a reminder that even when childhood co-stars reunite for a laugh, the ghosts of their past can still come back with a vengeance.
Sources: Celebrity Storm Wire and E! Online, Variety, People Magazine
