Boy Meets World Cast Still Hopes Ben Savage Will Come Back

It’s been years since Ben Savage stepped away from his Boy Meets World family, and the absence still stings — especially for Will Friedle and Danielle Fishel, who are now opening up about the ongoing silence.

Speaking to People on Wednesday, June 3, Friedle, 49, didn’t mince words about how difficult it’s been watching the gap widen. The actor, who played Savage’s onscreen brother throughout the show’s original run from 1993 to 2000, revealed that even day-to-day moments remind him of what’s missing. During a recent recording of their Pod Meets World podcast, a question came up that all three of them knew Savage would’ve answered brilliantly — the kind of story that would’ve landed perfectly. Instead, there was just empty air.

But Friedle hasn’t given up.“I’m shouting into the void, but I’m going to keep doing it. I haven’t given up on my friend,”he told the outlet, adding that he’s still hoping Savage will pick up the phone one day.“I’m hoping that he comes back into our lives at some point, and when he does, we’re going to have a lot to talk about.”

Fishel, 45, echoed that sentiment with a particularly poignant angle. She’s been thinking about Savage’s new chapter — his wife, Tessa Angermeier, and their daughter born in November 2025. Knowing how much he’d once talked about wanting to be a father, Fishel finds herself wishing she could be part of that joy.“I would love to just know, like,‘How’s it going? What’s happening now? What are the milestones that are being checked off?'”she said, her voice tinged with sadness at the distance between them.

The rift traces back to the Pod Meets World project, which Friedle, Fishel, and fellow costar Rider Strong launched in 2022. Savage was initially in talks to join as a cohost, but ultimately stepped away. By 2023, the trio confirmed he’d essentially disappeared from their lives. When Friedle addressed it publicly that year, he was careful to note there was no fight, no falling out, no animosity — just silence. Yet Fishel has found some peace in understanding his position.“Not everybody wants to talk about uncomfortable truths,”she acknowledged, recognizing that while the three of them were willing to explore their shared history, Savage simply wasn’t.

The message is clear: the door remains open. Friedle and Fishel aren’t angry; they’re just waiting, and hoping that one day, their former brother will find his way back home.