With Boy Meets World nostalgia now hotter than ever — Disney Channel’s spin-off, Girl Meets World, films its pilot this month — Entertainment Weekly sat down with stars Ben Savage and Danielle Fishel to find out what’s next for the TV couple that defined a generation. (Warning: You’re about to read many beautiful statements about love and friendship.)

Though Danielle, 31, admits she was nervous to step back into Topanga’s shoes after 13 years, Ben was quickly able to calm her nerves.

“The minute Ben started speaking, and he was Cory, I was instantly Topanga, and we were right there together as a team as husband and wife, and it was like visiting an old friend that you haven’t seen in a long time,” she told the mag.

And as if more fuel needed to be added to the fire, Ben brought up the possibility of several characters — including Shawn (Rider Strong) and Eric (Will Friedle) — making guest appearances.

“I think at least initially we’re going to concentrate on developing [Rowan Blanchard's] character and our family, and of course, everyone would love to see Uncle Shawn or Uncle Eric or some of the other characters,” Ben said. “Nothing would make me happier than to see them as part of the show.”

More Beautiful Quotes From Ben Savage & Danielle Fishel:

“There is definitely a part of me that feels like Ben will always be my first husband.” — Danielle

“Danielle’s the best. She’s the best co-pilot you could ask for. She’s a sweetheart.” — Ben

“We know each other so incredibly well and we love each other and it’s just the best.” — Danielle

“I think Cory and Topanga are just a nice reminder that that kind of love is out there and you just have to be steadfast in finding it and when you have it you can never let it go.” — Danielle

Once you’re done crying, drop a comment with your thoughts on the Boy Meets World spin-off. Will you tune in, even though you’re probably way too old to be watching Disney Channel? Which classic BMW characters would you like to return? Go on, start commenting!

— Andy Swift

Follow @AndySwift

EW.com

More Girl Meets World coverage on HollywoodLife.com:

1. ‘Girl Meets World’: There’s A ‘Strong Chance’ Old Characters Will Return
2. ‘Girl Meets World’ Casts Sabrina Carpenter As Riley’s Best Friend Maya
3. ‘Girl Meets World’: Rowan Blanchard Cast As Cory & Topanga’s Daughter

Though Danielle Fishel insists that Girl Meets World starts filming in February, we’re still not sure how long it’ll be before we get our first look at Cory (Ben Savage) and Topanga as all-grown-up parents — and that’s why we freaked out when the Boy Meets World stars tweeted pictures of each other this weekend as “hubby” and “wife!”

The former and future TV couple grabbed dinner at Sugarfish in LA on Jan. 25, and because they love us just as much as we love them, they documented the experience.

“Great dinner with the wife,” Ben tweeted, along with a pic of Danielle mastering a pair of chopsticks.

Danielle also chimed in, tweeting a dark shot of Ben — we lightened it for your pleasure — and the tweet, “Had the best night with the most wonderful ‘hubby.’”

What We Know About ‘Girl Meets World’ So Far

HollywoodLife.com‘s sister site TVLine first reported in Nov. 2012 that Disney Channel was planning to revive the Boy Meets World universe, and ever since then, new details have flooded in fast. Here’s a rundown of what we know:

1. The show will focus on Cory & Topanga’s 13-year-old daughter, Riley.

2. Riley has an older brother, 14, named Elliot.

3. Riley also has an “edgy” best friend named Maya.

4. Cory is now a history teacher, just like his mentor, Mr. George Feeny.

5. Though Rider Strong says he has “no official involvement” with the spin-off, he also doesn’t rule out the possibility of Shawn Hunter making an appearance on the show.

6. Danielle confirms that the pilot will be filmed in Feb. 2013.

Are you as pumped for Girl Meets World as we are? Drop a comment and tell us which original characters you’d like to see on the spin-off!

— Andy Swift

Follow @AndySwift

Ben’s Twitter
Danielle’s Twitter

More Girl Meets World on HollywoodLife.com:

1. ‘Girl Meets World’: Ben Savage Says The Hunt Is On For The ‘Perfect’ Riley
2. Danielle Fishel Talks ‘Girl Meets World’: Who Else Is Coming Back?
3. ‘Girl Meets World’: Ben Savage & Danielle Fishel Officially Returning

It’s almost happening, people. Former Boy Meets World stars Ben Savage and Danielle Fishel are hard at work on the spin-off series, Girl Meets World, and Danielle says we might be getting our first look earlier than expected! “The hope and the plan is that we start filming at the beginning of next month,” Danielle tells OK! Magazine. “We’re all ready to see it. We’re ready to get started on it.”

“I don’t know what the plan is for when it might air, but fingers crossed!” she adds. “We’re still in the early stages of the pilot, but it’s going to be here before we know it.”

Here’s hoping!

Who Will Play Cory & Topanga’s Daughter, Riley?

Danielle says they’re “still in the casting process,” trying to find the perfect girl to play Cory and Topanga’s daughter.

“It’s been overwhelming a little bit, actually,” she admits. “What’s really cool about it is that I was their age when I started Boy Meets World. So I feel like I’m about to embark on a journey with them that’s exactly like my own, but now I get to do it from the perspective of being the wise adult, if you will. I’m excited to walk through that process.”

And while the cast and crew are having fun with rehearsals and auditions, Danielle admits they’re also working the kids “pretty hard.”

“We’ll have plenty of time for socializing,” she says. “But first, we want to make sure they’re really prepared for this.”

How Ben & Danielle Became Cory & Topanga Again

“I was nervous about it, actually” Danielle says of stepping back into Topanga’s shoes. “On the first day when we did the rehearsal, I was like, ‘Am I going to remember what this is?’ And then the minute Ben started talking, and he was Cory, I was instantly Topanga. We were instantly Cory and Topanga together.”

HollywoodLifers, are you pumped for Girl Meets World? Drop a comment with your thoughts, including which former Boy Meets World stars you’d love to see back!

OK! Magazine

— Andy Swift

Follow @AndySwift

More Girl Meets World on HollywoodLife.com:

1. Will Shawn Hunter Appear On ‘Girl Meets World?’ Rider Strong Speaks
2. Ben Savage On ‘Girl Meets World’ Start Date: ‘We’re Almost There’
3. ‘Girl Meets World’: Ben Savage Says The Hunt Is On For The ‘Perfect’ Riley

Now that Ben Savage and Danielle Fishel have agreed to reprise the roles of Cory and Topanga on Disney Channel’s Boy Meets World reboot, appropriately titled Girl Meets World, fans are anxiously awaiting a premiere date announcement! Thanks to Ben, we have all the details on when to expect Cory and Topanga back in our living rooms!

When one fan said, “Hurry up and start your new series so I can fall asleep better at night,” Ben personally responded with, ”We’re almost there!”

Eh, so it may not be an exact date, but we like the sound of almost. And when the series does premiere, we have a feeling it’ll be a huge hit!

Furthermore, fans of the original series can breathe a sigh of relief, as Ben assures us that Girl Meets World won’t sully its good name.

“Everyone associated with the show wanted to make sure that if we were to come back, that we weren’t going to do it in a way that was going to be a disservice to the show,” Ben tells Rolling Stone. “No one wanted to really cash in, if you will, too early, or no one really wanted to do something that was going to be cheesy. … We want to do justice to the characters, and we want to make sure we respect people’s memories of the show.”

What do YOU think, HollywoodLifers? Which classic Boy Meets World characters would you like to see on the new series? Drop a comment!

— Chris Rogers

Follow
@ChrisRogers86

Ben’s Twitter
Rolling Stone

More Girl Meets World on HollywoodLife.com:

1. Will Shawn Hunter Appear On ‘Girl Meets World?’ Rider Strong Speaks
2. ‘Girl Meets World’ Scoop: Is Cory Matthews The New Mr. Feeny?
3. ‘Girl Meets World’: Cory & Topanga’s Daughter’s Name Revealed

Somewhere, Angela Moore is weeping. Rider Strong, who played the eternally perfect-haired Shawn Hunter on Boy Meets World, is officially engaged. Toofab confirms that Rider, 33, proposed to girlfriend Alexandra Barreto on Dec. 26 — with a ring he designed himself! (Now that’s something Shawn Hunter would never do… mostly because he was way too poor.)

According to the site, Alexandra’s custom engagement ring consists of three diamonds and a gold band.

Congrats to the happy couple!

What Rider Strong Has Done Since ‘Boy Meets World’:

Rider may be best known for playing Shawn on the classic ABC sitcom, but even though he retired that role in 2000, he’s far from retired in his own career. Along with a slew of movies, Rider also had several high-profile TV roles.

In 2006, he starred on The WB’s short-lived drama series Pepper Dennis, which is actually where he met Alexandra! On the show, Rider played Chick Dirka, the cameraman for Rebecca Romijn‘s titular newswoman.

In Dec. 2009, Rider guest starred on an episode of ABC’s Castle as Rocco, the former assistant of an art gallery owner who had been mysteriously shot to death.

He also voiced a recurring character on Disney Channel’s Kim Possible, and actually, there’s a chance we might see him back on that network in the near future…

Will Rider Strong Appear On ‘Girl Meets World’?

Good question!

While Rider’s Boy Meets World co-stars Ben Savage and Danielle Fishel have both signed on to do the Disney Channel spin-off Girl Meets World, Rider is far less committed.

“At this point, I have no official involvement,” Rider wrote on his official website last month. “There might be a chance to see some of the BMW cast in a guest spot, and I think it would be nice to find out where our characters have been all these years. But Girl Meets World will be, and I think it should be, it’s own show.”

toofab

— Andy Swift

Follow @AndySwift

More on the cast of Boy Meets World:

1. Will Shawn Hunter Appear On ‘Girl Meets World?’ Rider Strong Speaks
2. ‘Girl Meets World’: Ben Savage Says The Hunt Is On For The ‘Perfect’ Riley
3. Danielle Fishel Talks ‘Girl Meets World’: Who Else Is Coming Back?

Now that Ben Savage and Danielle Fishel have agreed to reprise the roles of Cory and Topanga on Disney Channel’s Boy Meets World reboot, the next major casting decision lies with their 13-year-old daughter, Riley — and it sounds like the process is picking up steam! “There have been a few names tossed around,” Ben tells Rolling Stone. “We’re meeting with girls and auditioning and that whole process. … We’re slowly trying to find the perfect girl.”

As for the potential return of other classic Boy Meets World characters, Ben’s answer is pretty much the same as Danielle’s.

“We’re going to wait and see what happens,” he says. “There’s definitely been discussions about some of everyone’s favorite characters popping up in the show and making appearances.”

And fans of the original series can breathe a sigh of relief, as Ben assures us that Girl Meets World won’t sully its good name.

“Everyone associated with the show wanted to make sure that if we were to come back, that we weren’t going to do it in a way that was going to be a disservice to the show,” he explains. “No one wanted to really cash in, if you will, too early, or no one really wanted to do something that was going to be cheesy. … We want to do justice to the characters, and we want to make sure we respect people’s memories of the show.”

What say you, HollywoodLifers? Do you have any young actresses in mind to tackle the role of Cory and Topanga’s daughter, Riley? And which classic Boy Meets World characters would you like to see on the new series? Drop a comment with your personal casting choices!

— Andy Swift

Follow @AndySwift

Rolling Stone

More Girl Meets World on HollywoodLife.com:

1. Will Shawn Hunter Appear On ‘Girl Meets World?’ Rider Strong Speaks
2. ‘Girl Meets World’ Scoop: Is Cory Matthews The New Mr. Feeny?
3. ‘Girl Meets World’: Cory & Topanga’s Daughter’s Name Revealed

Ever since Ben Savage and Danielle Fishel signed on to reprise the roles of Cory and Topanga on Disney Channel’s Girl Meets World, die-hard fans have speculated which other Boy Meets World alumni might join the reboot — and it sounds like Rider Strong might be one of them!

Rider, who played Cory’s perfect-haired best friend Shawn, released an official statement Nov. 28 that gave hope for a “Shory” reunion. (And yes, I just gave them a couple name. Want to fight about it?)

“At this point, I have no official involvement,” Rider says. “There might be a chance to see some of the BMW cast in a guest spot, and I think it would be nice to find out where our characters have been all these years. But Girl Meets World will be, and I think it should be, it’s own show. It will be about Cory and Topanga, their daughter, and a new set of characters … And I, for one, can’t wait to see it evolve.”

Now that that‘s out of the way, can we talk about one of Shawn’s finest moments in all of Boy Meets World history? I’m, of course, referring to the time he dressed up like a girl — a gorgeous girl named Veronica — and drove all the boys at John Adams High wild. Here’s a photo to jog your memory:

If Rider doesn’t end up appearing on Girl Meets World, he’d make an incredible guest judge on the next season of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Just saying.

HollywoodLifers, do YOU want to see Shawn and Cory reunite on the new Disney Channel series? Vote below, then drop a comment with your favorite Shawn memory. (And it can’t be the time he dressed up like Veronica. You get your own favorite moment!)

Rider’s official site

— Andy Swift

Follow @AndySwift

More Girl Meets World news:

1. Danielle Fishel Talks ‘Girl Meets World’: Who Else Is Coming Back?
2. ‘Girl Meets World’: Ben Savage & Danielle Fishel Officially Returning
3. Ben Savage: I ‘Can’t Talk About’ New ‘Boy Meets World’ Series

Danielle Fishel has remained fairly silent on the topic of Girl Meets World, but now that she and Ben Savage have officially signed on to star on the Boy Meets World sequel series, she’s got a lot to get off her chest — including what long-time fans can expect from the new Disney Channel series.

“I do not know how many BMW cast members will be returning for GMW, or how often they may appear if and/or when they do appear,” she writes in a new Tumblr post. “I am going to do my best to not speak for others … but because I have known Michael Jacobs, Ben Savage, Rider Strong, Will Friedle, and Bill Daniels for 19 years, I know we share many of the same feelings regarding the 7 wonderful years we spent making BMW. … I promise with the entirety of my heart that we will make GMW with the same honesty, innocence, and intelligence that you learned to expect from BMW.”

She also wants to clarify that Girl Meets World isn’t merely going to pick up where Boy Meets World left off. Fans need to understand that it’s a new series, starting essentially from scratch.

“It will have familiar faces, familiar themes, and familiar messages,” Danielle writes. “It will also have new faces, new themes, and new messages. BMW never spoke down to the audience and we are going to do our best to never do that with GMW. But please keep in mind that this there will be episode 1, of season 1, of a brand new show. We started at the same place with BMW but we evolved and we evolved quickly. For those of you who knew and loved BMW, please allow this show to evolve as well. Stick with us. Give us a chance.”

I think I speak for Boy Meets World fans everywhere when I say this new series can’t start soon enough, and we’ll all give it a chance! Even though it’s on Disney Channel, I have high hopes that it will be enjoyable for fans of all ages.

Which classic Boy Meets World characters do YOU hope to see on the new series? Drop me a comment with your thoughts on Girl Meets World.

— Andy Swift

Follow @AndySwift

More Girl Meets World on HollywoodLife.com:

1. ‘Girl Meets World’: Ben Savage & Danielle Fishel Officially Returning
2. ‘Girl Meets World’ Scoop: Is Cory Matthews The New Mr. Feeny
3. ‘Girl Meets World’: Cory & Topanga’s Daughter’s Name Revealed