Rider Strong

Rider King Strong (born December 11, 1979) is an American actor and director. He is best known for starring as Shawn Hunter on the ABC sitcom Boy Meets World (1993–2000), which he reprised in its sequel series Girl Meets World (2014–2017). He also headlined the film Cabin Fever and co-wrote and directed the independent film Irish Twins (2008) with his brother Shiloh. He provided the voices of Brick Flagg in Kim Possible (2002–2004) and Kim Possible Movie: So the Drama (2005), and Tom Lucitor in Star vs. the Forces of Evil (2015–2019). In 2015, Strong was honored with the Young Artist Former Child Star Lifetime Achievement Award.

Early life Strong was born in San Francisco, California, the second of two boys born to Lin (née Warner), a teacher and nutritionist, and King Arthur Strong, a firefighter, who are both originally from Pennsylvania. He has English and Irish ancestry. He graduated from Nonesuch School in Sebastopol, California in 1998. His elder brother is Shiloh Strong, an actor and photographer.

Strong attended morning classes at Occidental College while still filming for Boy Meets World, accumulating a year's worth of credit before the series ended. After the stage production, he appeared in small screen roles on television.

In 1992, Strong received his first regular television series role as Adam MacGuire on Julie. When the series was canceled, Strong made his debut on film, in 1993, as Amy Irving's son in Benefit of the Doubt. It was not until he was chosen for the role of Shawn Hunter in the ABC series Boy Meets World that he received widespread recognition. During the seven-year run, he was nominated twice for the Young Artist Award and nominated once for The Hollywood Reporter YoungStar Award. He found it difficult coping with his newfound fame, citing at least one breakdown at 15 when he was on a "Sail With the Stars" charity cruise.

In 2010, Strong starred in the science fiction-thriller film Darkening Sky alongside Ezra Buzzington, Charley Rossman, Sally Berman, Daniel Kirschner, and LaShan Anderson under the direction of Victor Bornia. He also appeared in Your Lucky Day which premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival that same year. Rider along with former co-stars and podcast co-hosts, Will Friedle and Danielle Fishel in 2023. In late 2012, Strong declined an offer to reprise his role as Shawn Hunter in the spinoff, Girl Meets World. However, during production of the pilot in March 2013, Strong along with other cast members, who were also unconfirmed to return, appeared on the set sparking rumors of a cameo or return to the new series. Creator Michael Jacobs stated "I think there's more than a chance, I think there's a strong chance" when commenting on Strong and other original series cast members returning. Other current cast members commented on Strong's return indicating that his return might be a secret not ready to be revealed. In June 2013, a Boy Meets World reunion was held with Strong attending along with many of his former cast members. On March 19, 2014, it was confirmed that Strong would reprise his role as Shawn Hunter, the first being a holiday-themed episode along with former cast members Betsy Randle and William Russ. He managed to leverage his reprisal of Shawn on the condition that he and his brother would get to direct a few episodes. In September 2019, Strong debuted Never Ever Land, his play inspired by the 1993 child sexual abuse accusations against Michael Jackson, in Los Angeles.

Since 2022, Strong has hosted the Boy Meets World rewatch podcast Pod Meets World with Danielle Fishel and Will Friedle.

Personal life Strong began dating actress Alexandra Barreto after they met while filming the 2006 television series Pepper Dennis. They became engaged in December 2012, The couple have one son, Indigo "Indy" Barreto Strong, born in December 2014.

In April 2008, Strong, along with Barreto and his brother Shiloh, co-created a 30-second television ad in support of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama titled, "It Could Happen to You". The ad, submitted to MoveOn, became one of 15 finalists from a pool of over 1,100 submitted ads, and was chosen as the funniest ad in May 2008. In August, MoveOn raised $200,000 to air the ad on MTV and Comedy Central; it was the first political commercial to ever appear on Comedy Central. In early 2009, Strong narrated the audiobook of The Obama Revolution by Alan Kennedy-Shaffer. In 2018 and 2019, he was seen attending the Women's March, March for Public Education in Los Angeles, and March for Our Lives. 1999–2000 Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles Pvt. Carl Jenkins Voice, main role 2002 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Ethan Edwards Episode: "The Pilgrim" 2002–04 Kim Possible Brick Flagg Voice, 5 episodes 2005 Kim Possible Movie: So the Drama Brick Flagg Voice, television film

Crumbs Dennis Episode: "Six Feet Blunder" Pepper Dennis Chick Dirka Main role Veronica Mars Rafe Episode: "My Big Fat Greek Rush Week" 2007 Bones Gregg Liscombe Episode: "Mummy in the Maze" 2009 Castle Rocco Jones Episode: "The Fifth Bullet" 2010 100 Questions Alan Episode: "Wayne?" 2012 Paulilu Mixtape Sam Paxton Episode: "Hooker Lawyer" 2014 Chosen Ross Episode: "Redemption" 2014–17 Girl Meets World Shawn Hunter Recurring role; also directed 18 episodes 2015–19 Star vs. the Forces of Evil Tom Lucitor Voice, recurring role 2017–18 Mighty Magiswords Familiar, Glori's Monster, Bite Beasts Voice, 6 episodes 2025 Love, Death & Robots Man #1 Episode: "The Screaming of the Tyrannosaur"

Awards and nominations