Inside Danielle Fishel's Relationship History

Danielle Fishel made a name for herself by starring as Topanga Lawrence on the beloved sitcom "Boy Meets World." Fishel impressed the world with her natural beauty, winning smile, and accomplished acting skills. She soon became a favorite among the teen stars who were a part of the iconic "TGIF" programming lineup on ABC in the 1990s. 

While Fishel's career blossomed in front of the camera, her personal life also became a topic of interest. She became a young starlet when she was just a teenager and some of Hollywood's most swoon-worthy boys were eager to get her attention. While she does not often speak publicly about her personal life, Fishel managed to date some of the biggest A-listers of her day. From movie stars to pop princes, she definitely caught the eye of some big names. Since "Boy Meets World" came to an end, Fishel has often returned to the role that made her famous. She reprised her role as Topanga in the spin-off "Girl Meets World" which aired on Disney Channel from 2014 until 2017. She currently hosts the podcast "Pod Meets World" alongside her "Boy Meets World" co-stars, Rider Strong and Will Friedle.

Fishel is now happily married and has two young sons. She also chooses to stay behind the scenes and direct television instead of appearing on it, but when she was in front of the camera, Fishel definitely had an impressive track record of handsome young men to accompany her.

Danielle Fishel was struck by young love — and any girl her age would've been jealous of her first boyfriend. Fishel admitted that he was none other than "Home Improvement" star Jonathan Taylor Thomas. Thomas — or JTT as he was famously known — worked on the same studio lot where Fishel filmed the early seasons of "Boy Meets World." On a 2022 episode of "Pod Meets World," Fishel gave listeners some insight into her early love life. "I already had the crush on Jonathan, and then yes, Jonathan was my first boyfriend, when I was like 12," she admitted.

She also recalled a moment when Thomas was set to appear on the TV show that was hosted by her celebrity crush, "The Late Show with David Letterman." However, Thomas didn't appear to be jealous. "He came home with a signed Letterman headshot from David Letterman to me, and it said, 'Dear Danielle, be nice to Jonathan,'" she related. 

Sadly, the young lovebirds didn't last and the relationship ended. It is unknown exactly when they called it quits, but it is estimated that they broke up prior to Thomas leaving "Home Improvement" and stepping away from acting in 1998. The two former actors appear to be on good terms, as JTT attended Fishel's first wedding in 2013.

Years before he publicly came out, NSYNC member Lance Bass dated Danielle Fishel. The pair met when NSYNC performed live during a "TGIF" programming block that was co-hosted by Fishel. Apparently, Bass's fellow NSYNC bandmate Justin Timberlake was the one to make the first move. Timberlake asked Fishel for her phone number, saying that Bass thought she was cute. Fishel and Bass started dating in 1999 and continued dating for one year when Fishel was a senior in high school. During their time together, NSYNC was at the height of their fame and Bass was constantly traveling for work. But Fishel accompanied him to many of NSYNC's concerts and the pair spent time off at each other's homes.

When Bass appeared on a 2022 episode of "Pod Meets World," Fishel said of their relationship, "Lance and I had a very wonderful, very warm, loving relationship, but it was completely lacking of intimacy." She remembered how their relationship came to an end, saying Bass broke up with her shortly after they went to her senior prom together and she was heartbroken. "I had envisioned our future, and when he broke up with me, I couldn't escape it and I held onto hope for way too long that Lance and I were going to get back together, get married, and have a family." Today, the two are good friends and even shared that they were developing a movie based on the relationship they shared.

During her time on "Boy Meets World," Danielle Fishel dated one of her co-stars, but not a co-star with whom she shared any steamy scenes. Soon after he joined the cast of "Boy Meets World" in 1997, Fishel started dating the dreamy Matthew Lawrence (one of the famous Lawrence brothers that dominated television in the 1990s.) They tried to keep their relationship a secret at the time so it didn't interfere with their work. In an August 2022 episode of "Pod Meets World," Fishel confessed, "We did not want it to be a big deal on set. [But] I went to his prom. Our moms were friends. It was cute."

The relationship was brief but Lawrence did admit that his crush on Fishel ruffled some feathers when Justin Timberlake made an appearance on set. While the exact dates of Fishel and Lawrence's relationship are unknown, the two remained friends after their breakup and are still friends to this day.

Keeping up her tradition of dating '90s heartthrobs, Danielle Fishel later dated Canadian actor Devon Sawa. They reportedly started dating in 2000, around the time Fishel wrapped filming "Boy Meets World," and dated until the following year. They frequently attended Hollywood premieres and red carpets together, looking cute by flashing big smiles and walking hand in hand. 

Years later, the internet began to speculate that Sawa was abusive to Fishel during their relationship. During a 2008 radio appearance, Fishel admitted that she was planning to get a tattoo of hers removed that she got when she was 19 years old after she broke up with a "famous" boyfriend of hers that used to "beat the cr*p out of me." While it was never confirmed who Fishel was referring to, listeners realized that Sawa was the most likely suspect as Fishel was dating him when she was around the age of 19.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

Danielle Fishel's first walk down the aisle was with Tim Belusko in 2013. Fishel met Belusko when she took a break from acting and returned to school. Fishel offered to tutor Belusko in math and the two struck up a relationship which she detailed in her 2016 autobiography "Normally, This Would be Cause for Concern: Tales of Calamity and Unrelenting Awkwardness." A stranger to the world of show business, Belusko has a degree in business administration. He worked as a craft beer salesman when he and Fishel wed and later founded his own consultancy. The couple filed for divorce in 2015.

The union included some tragic details that Fishel had to deal with, including defending herself against online haters. First, Fishel was criticized for the age difference between her and Belusko. "I was hesitant because he's seven years younger," Fishel told People. "But he's so mature." She was also criticized for her appearance at her wedding with many commenters pointing out her weight. But Fishel was having none of it. She posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), "Ppl saying I was FAT @ my wedding: u r the worst kind of ppl on the PLANET. I weigh 107 pounds & am 5'1". YOU are the reason anorexia exists."

Danielle Fishel has found her happily ever after with Jensen Karp. Karp has had many jobs in show business including writer, podcaster, radio voice, business owner, and was even a rapper under the name Hot Karl. The two originally met in high school but did not date until they reconnected years later after Fishel separated from her first husband. Fishel and Karp married in 2018, and Fishel couldn't hold back her excitement. She told UsWeekly, "I am [on] cloud nine. He is the most amazing partner anybody could ever hope for. And so I'm just thrilled. I'm really looking forward to building a life with him."

The couple welcomed their first son Adler in 2018. Their second son Keaton was born in 2021. Karp serves as producer on his wife's podcast, "Pod Meets World." Unfortunately in 2021, Karp had the internet going after him when he was the subject of a controversy involving Cinnamon Toast Crunch. He called out cereal maker General Mills after posting an image of shrimp tails which he had allegedly found in a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. When General Mills said he had simply found cinnamon coating, Karp angrily accused the company of gaslighting him. He found online fame following the incident but was quickly also hit with several allegations as people from his past, personally and professionally, accused Karp of toxic behavior. Neither Karp nor Fishel responded to the allegations.