Boy Meets Girl Meets World

Corey Fogelmanis has been a performer for as long as he can remember.

He started out early, at age six, and naturally took to performing for the stage and television. Now 16, Fogelmanis has most recently enjoyed success as Farkle Minkus, the second-generation Minkus and resident genius on the Disney Channel’s multi-generational hit, Girl Meets World.

Now airing its second season and preparing to shoot its third, Girl Meets World shares much of its tone and its supporting cast from its predecessor, the 90s hit, Boy Meets World. Girl closely follows the lives of Riley Matthews (Rowan Blanchard), and her friends, Maya (Sabrina Carpenter), Lucas (Peyton Meyer), and Farkle, as they traverse the simultaneously awkward and thrilling years of adolescence.

Riley’s parents, Cory (Ben Savage) and Topanga (Danielle Fishel), were the central characters in Boy Meets World, and are a now a part of the Girl Meets World cast.

According to the Internet Movie Database, you received your first acting credit at only 12 years old. When did you first start acting? When did you decide when this was something you wanted to do?

CF: From a really young age I was super into musicals. I just loved movie musicals and I’d walk around the house singing and dancing to everything. So, my mom put me into this musical program in my community and I just loved it. That’s how I got started in musicals and performing.

I started [acting] on the stage when I was six, with community theater and little cabarets here and there. I loved that.

And then I started doing television and film when I was about 12.  I did a few pilots and a short film. I started Girl Meets World when I was 13. We shot the pilot in 2013 and we got picked up later that year. We shot season one and then it didn’t air for about a year.

Coming into this, what did you think of Boy Meets World?

CF: I was not familiar with it at all as it was off the air by the time I was born. Once I booked the show, I went back and watched all of the episodes, and I loved it! It’s pretty obvious why it did so well. The show’s so great and it taught so many great morals and lessons to families.

So many of Girl Meets World adult cast and guest stars were child actors themselves. Do they offer an advice on being a child actor?

CF: It’s amazing that we get to work with most of the people from Boy Meets World. They do offer some advice and if we have problems or questions we can always go to them.

It’s great to have them as a resource because they got their start as children and made the successful transition from child actor to adult actor. So it’s been really great to be able to go to them for help if we need it.

Before our live tapings we would meet in Ben’s dressing room and have a discussion about the episode and about how the week went.

What do you think of your character, Farkle Minkus?

CF: I think he’s very interesting. I like that he is a loyal friend.

How is it maturing into adulthood at the same time your character does? Is that challenging as an actor, since what is happening to your character is happening in parallel to your real life?

CF: No, it is not difficult. When I started the show with this character, I think I was pretty similar to the way Farkle was, so it wasn’t too much like acting. He was an exaggerated version of my personality.

As I started maturing the writers came up with a way to have him grow up too so that he’s still [the same] character. And he’s still weird and quirky and fun, but he’s a little more mature.

A way we did that was through a wardrobe change, for example I don’t wear the turtlenecks anymore. And they gave me a little freedom with my hair. I don’t have to keep it in that long haircut anymore. I’m grateful that we were able to do all of that because it makes the character a lot more complex.

Do you have a favorite moment or scene from the show?

CF: A couple of my favorite moments have come up in the last few of episodes. We have this whole love triangle going on with Riley, Maya, and Lucas. Farkle gets involved and while I don’t agree with what he did, I really enjoyed doing those scenes with Rowan.

Do you have a favorite episode?

CF: I have a couple of favorite episodes. Acting-wise, it’s probably “Girl Meets 1961.” We were able to play our great ancestors from the 60’s. We were able to do some really fun things with that.

Do you think we’ll be able to see some of your singing and dancing abilities in the show?

CF: We’re trying not to do that. We’re trying to make the show as realistic as possible. Sabrina sings a little, but for the most part, we’re not going to see too much singing or dancing on the show. I don't think the writers would like to do that too much.

But I think it’d be cool [for me] to do some sort of singing show, something like a Glee or Smash, in the future.

Girl Meets World is great because it’s straddles two generations of characters. Where do you think Farkle will be 20 years from now?

CF: I think that based on Minkus’ success, he’d be a CEO of a huge corporation. He’d follow in his father’s footsteps. Hopefully, he’d get married.

What would you like do in the future? Have you thought about moving into directing and writing?

CF: I hadn’t thought too much about directing. I think it might be cool, but I don’t know if that’s what I’d want to pursue. I really love the acting side of it, so I’d like to continue that and maybe branch out into films do and more theater.

But I’d also like to be on the creative side of it, as well.

You’re in a very unique position growing up publicly in front of the camera. What’s it like to see yourself grow up?

CF: I’ve seen pictures and stills from the earlier episodes. I don’t go back and watch the older episodes, though. But it is kind of crazy to see how much I’ve grown in the last few years.

If you had your choice of choosing any role to play, what would it be?

CF: Right now, probably my number one role would be the lead role in Pippin. I saw the show last year on Broadway and it was incredible. I love the story. It had a really good message and I loved all it’s songs. I’d really love to do that.

What advice would you give to someone starting out so young? Was there any advice you wish you had received?

CF: My advice for anybody at any age would be start taking as many [acting] classes as they can — scene studies, improv, dance lessons, voice. No matter where you are in your career, you can always benefit from learning more and keeping your skills sharp. 

If there was something I wish I had been told, it’s probably not to worry so much about what people think of you. Especially in comedy, it’s totally fine to be silly and not worry what people think.