If you grew up in the late 1990s, you’ll be familiar with the hit Disney show Boy Meets World, while younger viewers will probably think of its spin-off, Girl Meets World, which helped to launch Sabrina Carpenter’s career.
Years after the former show’s final season in 2000, one of its main actors has enjoyed a fruitful new career – in the adult industry.
The actor played Rachel McGuire in season six and seven, and it served as her breakout role, appearing in titles such as Dish Dogs and White Chicks.
It’s none other than Maitland Ward, who has been part of the R-rated industry since the 2010s.
After venturing away from traditional media, the 48-year-old began to feature in pornographic videos and post explicit photos of herself on social media.
Reflecting on her transition away from TV, Ward claimed she didn’t hear much from many of her old cast mates, though she has praised the select few who were on her side.
One of these was actor Will Friedle, who played Eric Matthews, in Boy Meets World, protagonist Cory’s older brother.
Speaking to The Sun back in 2023, Ward recalled: “Will Friedle was saying how supportive he was of me, but he won’t watch anything.
“I actually ran into Will at a Comic Con right after my first film was released.
“And he was like, ‘OK, I don’t want to see anything. I won’t see anything that you do, but I’m happy [that] you’re happy.'”
She has been reaping the rewards since then, having won numerous awards in the industry, such as AVN Best Lead Actress.
A former Boy Meets World star was very supportive of her career path (Instagram/maitlandward)
Ward has also reportedly been benefitting financially, with her net worth believed to be around $4 million.
She’s spoken about the stigmas around the porn industry, claiming that those on set see it as a regular job.
The actress said: “Most of the guys are so bored with it, they’ve seen it all a million times.
“They’re probably thinking about what to have for lunch or picking up the kids from school.
“Honestly no one is staring at you drooling, there are no seedy guys jerking off in the corner. It’s a job. We enjoy it, but it’s a job.”
She even revealed that every position carried out has ‘to be agreed on, written down, in black and white’, dispelling the belief that the industry has no structure and a lack of safety measures for performers.
“It’s like a dance routine – like for ice skaters, for example, it’s a routine, you’re performing to the cameras,” she explained.
