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Gossip Girl
‘Gossip Girl‘ returned to Netflix in July 2023, sparking rewatches amongst fans. The show revolves around the exploits of Manhattan’s elite teenagers who attend a prestigious high school.
The teen drama on CW had a successful run for six seasons, from September 2007 to December 2012. Fans became instantly obsessed with the lives of the elite youth, played by Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Penn Badgley, Ed Westwick, Chace Crawford, and Taylor Momsen.
Since the series came to an end, the stars have moved onto bigger projects. Here’s what they have been up to:
Blake Lively (Serena van der Woodsen)
Lively continued her acting career after ‘Gossip Girl’, starring in films such as ‘The Age of Adaline’ (2015), ‘The Shallows’ (2016), ‘Café Society’ (2016), ‘A Simple Favor’ (2018), and ‘Rhythm Section’ (2020). She was set to star as Lily Bloom in the movie adaption of best-selling novel It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover, before production was put on hold due to the ongoing WGA strike.
Lively made her directorial debut with Taylor Swift’s music video for ‘I Bet You Think About Me (Taylor’s Version)’ in 2021, and is set to direct her first feature film — the Edgar Wright-written adaptation of the graphic novel Seconds.
She married Ryan Reynolds in 2012, and the two have gone on to have four children together. Lively also causes a frenzy online every year because of her Met Gala looks.
Leighton Meester (Blair Waldorf)
While the actress is best known for her role of Blair, Meester has also featured in projects such as ‘The Roommate’ (2011), ‘Monte Carlo’ (2011), and ‘The Weekend Away’ (2022). She also has a recurring role as Meredith on the reboot ‘How I Met Your Father’.
Meester is also a well-known singer. She released her debut album in 2014, which made it on Billboards top 200 the same year. She married ‘The O.C’ star Adam Brody in 2014, and the couple welcomed one daughter in 2015 and one son in 2020.
Meester and Brody are set to star in ‘River Wild‘ together in 2023, an American adventure-thriller film.
Penn Badgley (Dan Humphrey)
Since his role as Dan, the actor has appeared in many films, such as ‘Easy A’ (2010), and ‘The Birthday Cake’ (2021). Badgley stayed off TV until 2019, when he began playing the infamous stalker and serial killer Joe Goldberg on the hit Netflix series ‘You’. The show has been renewed for a fifth and final season.
Like Meester, Badgley also dipped his toe in the music industry. He was the lead singer of the indie band MOTHXR. He also married Domino Kirke in 2017, and the couple welcomed their son, James, in 2020.
Podcrushed, a podcast hosted by Badgley was launched in 2022. The podcast delves into the experiences of adolescence, including awkwardness, anxiety, and self-discovery, by featuring guest speakers who share their middle school stories. Featured guests have included Jenna Ortega, Sebastian Stan, Leighton Meester, and Chace Crawford.
Ed Westwick (Chuck Bass)
While he isn’t Chuck Bass anymore, Westwick has still kept himself busy. He starred in crime series ‘Snatch’ alongside ‘Harry Potter’ star Rupert Grint. In addition to ‘Snatch’, he played a leading role in the BBC sitcom ‘White Gold’, portraying a self-assured window salesman. The show first aired on Netflix in 2017.
He continues to act and model, and most recently starred in ‘Wolves of War’ (2022), after featuring in films ‘Enemy Lines’ (2020) and ‘Me You Madness’ (2021).
Chace Crawford (Nate Archibald)
Chace Crawford continued his acting career after Gossip Girl, having starred in the ABC series ‘Blood & Oil’ in 2015. He also appeared in films such as ‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting’ (2012), ‘I Do… Until I Don’t’ (2017), ‘Nighthawks’ (2019), and ‘Inheritance’ (2020).
He has most recently gained popularity for his main role on Amazon Prime’s Emmy nominated ‘The Boys’ as Kevin Moskowitz, or, the Deep.
Taylor Momsen (Jenny Humphrey)
After her most famous role of Cindy Lou Who in ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas!’ (2000), Momsen took on the role of Dan’s little sister, Jenny. After leaving Gossip Girl as a main character in 2010, Momsen focused more on building her music career.
She has since retired acting. Momsen has lead the rock band “the Pretty Reckless” since 2009. The band released their fourth studio album, Death by Rock and Roll, in February 2021.
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