Girl Meets World – Girl Meets Hollyworld

By: Kim Olson

Girl Meets Hollyworld sees Maya (Sabrina Carpenter) kidnap/borrow/steal movie star, Anastasia Boulangerie (Stephanie Lemelin), handcuff her to her radiator, lock the door and not tell anybody (except Riley) because she “really needed to be kidnapped.” Anastasia is up for the same role as her mom, Katy Hunter (Cheryl Texiera). They’re competing for the role of Katy Hunter, a struggling waitress/actress/mother from New York City. Yes, literally the role of Katy herself. The screenplay that is being made into a movie was written by Maya’s classmate, Sarah (Sarah Carpenter), and it’s about Katy’s struggles as well as Maya and her friends – Banana, Smiley, Ducas, Zed, and Farkle Poppypants McStupidHead. Katy really wants this role and Maya doesn’t see why she shouldn’t have it. Her mother’s pretty and says stuff just as well as Anastasia Boulangerie.

It turns out that Anastasia is actually Katy’s childhood best friend from Possum Trot, Arkansas, Bobbie Jo Thibodeaux. Growing up, Katy Grace Clutterbucket and Bobbie Jo were both performers who worked the fair together. They even had an embarrasing “best friend song and dance.” They promised each other if either of them ever got famous they’d be happy for the other one. Bobbie Jo managed to get out of Arkansas and as soon as she did she invented a new identity for herself – French Anastasia Boulangerie – and left everything and everyone else behind. Katy kept her promise and was always happy for Bobbie Jo. Meanwhile, Katy grew up to be a struggling waitress/actress in New York City, a mom to Maya and a wife to Shawn Hunter (Rider Strong). Bobbie Jo was always happy for Katy too, keeping tabs on her and Maya from afar.

Seeing how Katy is with her childhood best friend, Maya is afraid she and Riley (Rowan Blanchard) will grow apart. That is the last thing she ever wants. Riley is Maya’s essential person. She doesn’t know who she would be without her and she doesn’t want to ever find out, not even in an alternate universe. In her goal life, Maya has Riley by her side every day, even when she’s her mom’s age.

Best Lines:

• Maya: Would you give me your kidney? Riley: I’d give you my left one. Maya: I want your right one. Riley: But that’s Nicole Kidney.
• Riley: How good of a lawyer are you? Topanga: Never lost a case. Riley: Oh, well that’s over.
• Riley: What on earth is my father going to put on the board for this one? Cory: Police!
• Sarah: You sit on the side and don’t talk. Riley: That seems fair.
• Katy: A true friend is the best thing that life has to offer.
• Maya: When I grow up I want to be my mother’s daughter, Riley’s friend and for us all to know how important we are to each other.