William Russ is looking back fondly on his years with the cast of “Boy Meets World.”
During the June 16 episode of the “Hey Dude…The ’90s Called!” podcast, the actor, who played family patriarch Alan Matthews on the beloved sitcom, reflected on the environment behind the scenes and credited creator Michael Jacobs for helping build a supportive workplace for the show’s young stars.
His comments arrive as former cast members continue to discuss their current estrangement from series lead Ben Savage.
William Russ Says Michael Jacobs Protected the Young Cast
Russ described working on “Boy Meets World” as one of the highlights of his career.
“The show was a great gift,” he said. “I will be forever grateful to the universe for Michael Jacobs and all the wonderful writers and, you know, the kids: Ben and Ryder and Eric and Danielle.”
The actor was referring to Ben Savage, Rider Strong, Will Friedle and Danielle Fishel, who became household names during the show’s seven-season run.
Russ also praised the cast’s continued success, including Strong, Friedle and Fishel’s popular rewatch podcast, “Pod Meets World.”
“I’m just really proud of them. They found their own ways and I got to owe that a lot to Michael Jacobs and how he approached shows,” Russ said.
According to Russ, Jacobs made protecting the show’s young actors a priority from the very beginning.
“And the first thing he said was, ‘I’m taking care of these kids. I’m not going to let them get wasted, right?'” Russ recalled.
“And I don’t mean that figuratively, but he’s not going to, you know, exploit them to get his show done, you know?”
Russ said the supportive culture extended throughout the entire production.
“He always made sure they were true and healthy and strong and they learned a lot from him and all the writers, too,” he said. “Everyone took care of everyone. We didn’t put up with any (expletive).”
‘Boy Meets World’ Cast Has Reunited Multiple Times in Recent Years
Premiering in 1993, “Boy Meets World” followed Cory Matthews and his family as they navigated childhood, adolescence and adulthood.
The series starred Savage as Cory alongside Fishel as Topanga Lawrence, Strong as Shawn Hunter, Friedle as Eric Matthews, Betsy Randle as Amy Matthews and Russ as Alan Matthews.
Over seven seasons, the show became one of the defining family sitcoms of the 1990s.
The cast has reunited several times in recent years. In 2024, multiple stars participated in a panel at ’90s Con in Connecticut. Russ also reunited with several former castmates in October 2025 when Fishel dedicated a performance on “Dancing with the Stars” to William Daniels, who played beloved teacher Mr. Feeny.
Ben Savage’s Absence Continues to Draw Attention
While many former cast members remain close, Savage has largely distanced himself from the group.
The situation became a major topic in the documentary “Doc Meets World,” which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 6.
In the documentary, Strong discussed how communication with Savage changed after the launch of the “Pod Meets World” podcast.
“Ben refused to do the podcast, but we still communicated with him, [were] still on friendly terms, we thought,” Strong said. “He unfollowed us on Instagram and blocked our phone numbers. I feel sorry that he’s missing out on the experience that Danielle and Will and I are having.”
Friedle also spoke candidly about the situation in the documentary.
“I really do miss him. He’s arguably one of the funniest people I’ve ever met in my life,” Friedle said.
The actor revealed he still attempts to contact Savage regularly.
“He tries to text Savage probably at least once a month,” according to the documentary, despite not receiving responses.
Danielle Fishel Previously Left the Door Open for Ben Savage
The discussion surrounding Savage’s absence dates back to the launch of “Pod Meets World” in 2022.
At the time, Fishel explained that the trio had explored different ways to involve their former co-star before he ultimately declined.
“We talked about all the different ways we could do it,” Fishel told Us Weekly in July 2022.
“And at the end of our conversations, Ben said, ‘I just don’t think it’s for me.’ And we get it. So we’re respecting his decision.”
She added, “And if he eventually wants to come on, we’ll leave that door open.”
Fans can stream “Boy Meets World” on Disney+.
