Ben Savage refused to take part in the new Boy Meets World book, even though the authors made repeated attempts to involve him. Book Meets World: The Definitive Inside Story of the Hit Sitcom Boy Meets World was released on Tuesday, November 10, written by Danielle Fishel, Will Friedle and Rider Strong with journalist Emily Longeretta — and the show’s leading man had nothing to do with it.
Speaking on the trio’s Pod Meets World podcast in November, Longeretta revealed the extent of the effort to reach Savage. “We reached out for the book, we made many asks. We received no response,” she said. The silence was total: Savage did not even offer the team a “no” — he simply did not respond to requests at all.
A silence that started years ago
Savage’s absence from the book is part of a much longer estrangement from his former castmates. He has refused to participate in their rewatch podcast, and he took no part in their 2026 documentary Doc Meets World, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in June. According to Friedle, who played Cory’s older brother Eric, Savage has not answered his texts since April 2020, and the three co-hosts have described the state of the relationship as sad.
The book gathers stories from the hit podcast alongside exclusive behind-the-scenes material and photos from the sitcom, which ran for 158 episodes over seven seasons from 1993 to 2000, with Savage playing Cory Matthews throughout and reprising the role in Disney Channel’s Girl Meets World. Fishel, Friedle and Strong have been open about how much the estrangement has hurt them, particularly Friedle, who has said he cannot stand that Savage simply stopped talking to them after decades of friendship.
Life away from the spotlight
Savage, 45, has stepped back from acting in recent years and moved into politics and behind-the-scenes work. He ran for West Hollywood City Council in 2022 and for California’s 30th congressional district in 2023, losing in the primary, and his website says he now focuses on producing and developing inspirational stories alongside philanthropic work. He married Tessa Angermeier in 2023, and the couple welcomed a baby girl in November 2025. The reason for his break with his former castmates remains unknown — Savage has stayed silent on the subject, and the book’s authors say they have stopped expecting an answer. The Rings of Power season 3 premiered today to divided reviews, while The Body premiered today on Netflix with Sofia Wylie leading.
