Boy Meets World: Cast & Character Guide

Here’s a guide to the cast and characters of 1990s teen sitcom Boy Meets World. Co-created by Michael Jacobs – the same mind behind My Two Dads and Dinosaurs – Boy Meets World ran for seven seasons on ABC between 1993 and 2000. It aired as part of the Disney-owned network’s Friday night TGIF block alongside fellow classic 1990s sitcoms like Sabrina The Teenage Witch, Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper and Sister, Sister.

Set in suburban Philadelphia, the show centers around a kid called Cory and follows the ups and downs faced by him, his friends and family and he navigates his way through middle school, high school and – eventually – his college years and young adulthood. The sitcom even spawned a sequel/spin-off series titled Girl Meets World that aired on the Disney Channel. Focusing on Riley Matthews – the teenage daughter of a grown-up Cory – the show saw many cast members reprise older versions of their original Boy Meets World roles.

While Girl Meets World didn’t have the staying power of its parent sitcom, running for just three seasons, Boy Meets World is still fondly remembered by many a millennial fan today. Here’s a quick recap of the main cast members of Boy Meets World and the characters they played.

Ben Savage – Cory Matthews

Cory Matthews is the main character of Boy Meets World and played by Ben Savage. The lovably neurotic Cory lives with his mom, dad, older brother and younger sister in suburban Philadelphia where he attends school with best pal Shawn and love interest Topanga.

Rider Strong – Shawn Hunter

Played by Rider Strong of Cabin Fever fame, Shawn Hunter is Cory’s lifelong best friend. In contrast to Cory, Shawn has more of a rebellious bad boy image but underneath he’s a sensitive soul who had a rocky upbringing and found a surrogate family unit in the Matthews brood.

Danielle Fishel – Topanga Lawrence

Witty and clever, Topanga Lawrence is Cory’s love interest and – later on – his high school sweetheart. She’s played by Danielle Fishel who, alongside Savage, reprised her Boy Meets World role in spin-off sitcom Girl Meets World.

William Daniels – Mr. Feeney

Mr. Feeney is Cory, Shawn and Topanga’s cranky but wise teacher and principal who acts as a mentor figure to his young students. If his voice sounds familiar that’s because he’s played by veteran TV actor William Daniels who also voiced David Hasselhoff’s talking car KITT in the 1980s show Knight Rider.

Will Friedle – Eric Matthews

Will Friedle plays Eric Matthews – Cory’s older and somewhat moronic brother who’s responsible for a lot of laughs on Boy Meets World. Today, Friedle is best known for his voice roles on animated shows like Guardians Of The Galaxy and Transformers: Robots In Disguise.