Like an oasis in the Arizona desert, Danielle Christine Fishel was born in Mesa, Arizona on May 5th, 1981. While in elementary school, Fishel had the opportunity to appear in several small-time commercials and of course, she immediately jumped on the chance. Before she knew it, she had loads of TV commitments thanks to a highly marketable smile and cute face.
Fishel's first noteworthy project was as Mattel's trademark Barbie girl. Danielle did several commercials for the popular doll and soon, her parents realized that she possessed a special talent. Substantial television work followed, as she landed two guest spots on Full House, as well as one on Harry and the Hendersons.
In 1993, the directors of a new ABC show called Boy Meets World cast Fishel as Topanga Lawrence, a character destined for the occasional appearance. After Fishel appeared as Topanga a few times, the creators realized that her personality fit in well with the plot and gave her a full-time spot on the cast. Topanga became an integral part of Boy Meets World and part of the reason fans tuned in on Friday nights.
For seven years, Fishel grew with the show, riding the wave through her high school days. In 2000, the creators decided to end its run, but not before Topanga and Cory Matthews (star Ben Savage) tied the knot. Though Fishel experienced success as a result of this one sitcom, she realized the future was bright. She had just finished her high school studies yet already had almost a decade's worth of acting under her belt.
Before returning to acting, Fishel was grabbing news for other reasons. She attended her prom with 'N Sync member Lance Bass, and kept busy with a popular column in 16 magazine (called "Danielle's Dairy"). Refocusing on her career, she landed roles in the made-for-TV movie Rocket's Red Glare and the little-known film Longshot (both in 2000).
After being named one of Teen People's 21 Hottest Stars Under 21, Fishel focused her efforts on more popular projects. She showed her wild side in the movie National Lampoon Presents Dorm Daze and then moved on to host Say What? Karaoke on MTV in 2003. Most recently, she appeared on an episode of Yes, Dear on CBS, and can next be heard in the animated film The Chosen One. Now legally a woman, Fishel has plenty of time to carve herself an even more successful career.
