You remember the hair. That thick, 90s mane that basically had its own zip code. For a generation of us, Danielle Fishel was Topanga Lawrence—the quirky, hyper-intelligent soulmate who made Cory Matthews (and the rest of us) believe in love. But if you haven't checked in on Danielle Fishel now, you're missing a career pivot that is honestly more impressive than anything that happened at John Adams High.
She isn't just a former child star living off residuals. Far from it.
As of early 2026, Fishel has transformed into a bona fide media mogul. She’s directing, she’s producing, and she’s currently dominating the podcast charts. If you feel like you’re seeing her everywhere lately, it’s because she is. Between a high-energy run on Dancing with the Stars and a massive new deal with iHeartMedia, she’s busier at 44 than she was at 14.
The Health Update Everyone Is Talking About
Let’s address the big one first because it’s what fans are most worried about. In August 2024, Danielle dropped some heavy news on her podcast, Pod Meets World. She had been diagnosed with DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ), which is essentially "stage zero" breast cancer.
It was a shock. Honestly, it was a wake-up call for a lot of women her age.
But here is the good news: the "Danielle Fishel now" update is incredibly positive. By December 2025, she was officially "all clear." She told People magazine at the Jingle Ball in Los Angeles that she’s in a "really good headspace." She finished her last round of radiation in January 2025 and is currently in the monitoring phase.
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She doesn't even need another mammogram until June 2026.
She’s been super transparent about the physical toll—the 20 rounds of radiation weren't exactly a walk in the park. She’s talked about the pain and the exhaustion. But she’s also used that platform to scream from the rooftops about early detection. She caught it early because she actually went to her appointments. There's a lesson in there for all of us.
"I Am the New Ryan Seacrest"
That’s a direct quote.
Okay, she said it jokingly while walking the halls of iHeartMedia, but she’s not actually kidding. Fishel has built a literal podcast empire with her husband, Jensen Karp. It started with Pod Meets World, where she, Will Friedle, and Rider Strong rewatched every episode of the show that made them famous. It became a monster hit, racking up nearly 50 million downloads.
But she didn't stop there.
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She’s executive producing How Rude, Tanneritos! (the Full House rewatch) and Magical Rewind. In January 2026, she launched her newest project: Teen Beat.
The vibe of Teen Beat is kinda genius. Instead of talking about what celebrities are doing today, she makes them dig up their old diaries. She wants the "untelevised" stuff—the embarrassing fashion choices, the middle school crushes, the cringey social drama. Her first guest was Mark Hoppus from Blink-182. It’s nostalgic, it’s funny, and it’s very human.
The Ballroom and the 2026 Tour
If you watched Dancing with the Stars Season 34 in late 2025, you saw a different side of her. She was paired with Pasha Pashkov.
She wasn't just "the girl from that 90s show." She was a fighter.
Even though the judges were sometimes a little tough on her—her co-stars Will and Rider actually complained publicly that the judges had a "personal vendetta"—she made it deep into the competition, eventually finishing in eighth place. But the journey didn't end when she was eliminated.
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Right now, in January 2026, she is literally on the road. She joined the Dancing with the Stars Live 2026 tour.
- January 22: Akron, OH
- January 24-25: Boston, MA
- February 15: Radio City Music Hall, NYC
She’s performing alongside people like Robert Irwin and Jordan Chiles. It’s a grueling schedule, but she’s mentioned in interviews that after the cancer scare, she realized she wasn't "experiencing enough joy." The ballroom was her way of reclaiming that.
What’s Actually Next for Topanga?
Beyond the podcasts and the dancing, Fishel has quietly become one of the most reliable directors in multi-cam sitcoms. She’s directed everything from Raven's Home to Girl Meets World.
But she has a new goal: Hallmark.
She’s been very vocal about wanting to star in or direct a Hallmark rom-com. She says she’s "manifesting" it. Given her track record of turning every project she touches into a success, I wouldn't bet against her. She’s already pitching several kid-friendly projects to networks and has a seven-figure deal to keep her podcasting for years to come.
Actionable Takeaways from Danielle’s Journey:
- Don't skip the screenings: DCIS is treatable because it’s caught early. If you’re over 40 (or have a family history), get the mammogram.
- Pivot with purpose: You don't have to be the person you were at 19. Danielle moved from acting to psychology to directing to hosting. It’s okay to change your "Plan B" into your "Plan A."
- Nostalgia has power: Whether it's a podcast or a live tour, there is real value in reconnecting with the things that made us happy as kids.
- Find the joy: If you’re just "performing tasks" every day, take a page out of Danielle’s book and find your own version of a ballroom dance.
The story of Danielle Fishel now isn't a "where are they now" tragedy. It’s a masterclass in longevity. She took the fame she had as a teenager and used it as a foundation, not a cage. Whether she’s talking into a microphone or dancing on a stage in Philadelphia, she’s proving that the best chapters usually come after the "happily ever after" of the series finale.