One of the most beloved funnymen of 1990s television looked almost unrecognizable as he stepped out for a workout in Los Angeles last Sunday. The actor, now 49, shot to fame playing dim-witted Eric Matthews on the hit sitcom Boy Meets World from 1993 to 2000.
Dressed casually in a dark long-sleeved shirt, cargo shorts and sneakers, the former sitcom star was spotted hiking through a sunny LA neighborhood while wearing a weighted vest. Though he was once a staple of teen television, the actor has largely stepped away from on-screen roles in recent years in favor of a successful voice acting career.
Fans may recognize his voice from animated series including Teen Titans Go! and Guardians of the Galaxy, though longtime viewers still best remember him for his breakout role alongside married Hollywood legends William Daniels and Bonnie Bartlett. The real-life couple, who will celebrate their 75th wedding anniversary on June 20 and are considered one of Hollywood's longest-lasting marriages, appeared together on Boy Meets World as beloved teacher Mr. Feeny and Dean Lila Bolander.
If you guessed Will Friedle, you'd be right! Born in Hartford, Connecticut, the actor was raised alongside his two older brothers by parents Patricia and Gary Friedle, both attorneys. Long before finding fame in Hollywood, he regularly traveled from his hometown of Avon to New York City for auditions while still attending school.
The former sitcom star first broke into television as the energetic co-host of Nickelodeon's Don't Just Sit There!, appearing on the teen variety series from 1988 until 1991 before landing his career-defining role on Boy Meets World.
After the hit ABC sitcom wrapped in 2000, he largely stepped away from traditional on-camera acting and instead built an impressive second career in voiceover work. His first major animated role came as Terry McGinnis in Batman Beyond, where he voiced the futuristic version of Batman in the cult-favorite superhero series. He later became one of the most recognizable voices in animation, appearing in projects including Kim Possible, Ben 10: Alien Force and Guardians of the Galaxy, where he voiced Star-Lord between 2015 and 2019. He also lent his voice to popular video games including Kingdom Hearts II and Rogue Galaxy.
Despite mostly staying out of the spotlight in recent years, the Boy Meets World alum has continued to embrace his sitcom roots. Since 2022, he has co-hosted the nostalgia-fueled rewatch podcast Pod Meets World alongside former castmates Danielle Fishel and Rider Strong, where the trio revisit episodes of the beloved series and share behind-the-scenes stories from their years on set.
Away from Hollywood, the former teen idol has kept much of his personal life relatively private over the years. He briefly dated actress Jennifer Love Hewitt in the late 1990s after the pair appeared together in the teen comedy Trojan War. In 2016, he married longtime partner Susan Martens during a private ceremony in Connecticut. The couple have largely stayed out of the spotlight, though he has occasionally referenced their relationship during podcast appearances and fan conventions.
The actor has also spoken candidly in recent interviews about having limited contact with former Boy Meets World co-star Ben Savage, who played younger brother Cory Matthews on the sitcom. In 2024, he revealed the once-close cast had been 'ghosted' by Savage, though he insisted there was no bad blood between them. Speaking to The Post, he said of Savage: 'I hope he's just happy and healthy and enjoying his life,' while noting the actor has been focused on his political ambitions in recent years.
He also remains close friends with fellow actor and voice star Jason Marsden, with the pair having collaborated on numerous animated projects throughout the years, including Kim Possible and Batman Beyond.
