What The Cast Of Gossip Girl Looks Like Today
Hey there Upper East Siders and online streamers! Who else has been binging "Gossip Girl" on-and-off for the past decade? For those of you that need the rundown, "Gossip Girl" follows a group of privileged teens in the Upper East Side of New York. From their secret romances to catfights, we see it all. And so does Gossip Girl, the blogger who's somehow able to find out everything and post it for the world to see (via IMDb). From 2007 to 2012, you couldn't go anywhere without seeing the stars of the show on the cover of a magazine or billboard. And for good reason. The show ended up winning a bunch of awards, and is still a cult favorite to this day (via IMDb). Now a new reboot is coming out soon, and fans can hardly wait.
It's been nearly a decade since "Gossip Girl" ended, and fan have been wondering, "What the heck have those kids been up to now?" From parenthood to rock bands, here's what your favorite stars have been up to.
Blake Lively has become a huge movie star
Looks like Blake Lively was only getting started on her time with "Gossip Girl." Lively soon became one of Hollywood's leading ladies and started starring in blockbuster hit films like "Age of Adeline," "The Shallows," and "A Simple Favor." Her two most recent projects are ones that she was just attached to, "Lady Killer" and "The Husband's Secret," which will both be coming out in a few years (via IMDb). Along with being an acting icon, Lively fans have been obsessed with her red carpet looks for years, most notably her Met Gala looks (via IWM Looks). Like many of her former co-stars, Lively has been very active with advocacy and has helped with encouraging voting rights (via PEOPLE), raising awareness for exploited children, and even women's issues (via VOGUE).
As for her personal life, Lively has been making headlines for years with her Hollywood star of a husband, Ryan Reynolds. From their hilarious tweets to adorable red carpet interactions, people can't get enough of them. They married in 2012 and now have three beautiful daughters together (via Glamour). In an interview for "The Shallows," Lively shared how protective she feels toward her children. "Before kids, when my husband and I would take a walk at night, and I would see a shadowy figure, I would [hide behind him] ... But now, I stand in front and go towards the shadow. It's very primal, that momma-bear thing."
Leighton Meester has two children with another heartthrob
Leighton Meester, also known as Blair Waldorf, has had a pretty exciting life after her time on "Gossip Girl." Almost instantly after the show ended, Meester starred in films such as "Life Partners," "The Judge," and "Like Sunday, Like Rain," which premiered all in the same year. She made her return back to television in the short-lived series, "Making History" in 2017. One year later, she starred alongside Taran Killam and Kimrie Lewis in the ABC series "Single Parents" until its end in 2020 (via IMDb). In an interview with BUILD Series, Meester discussed growing up, saying, "The difference between 20 and 30 is giant ... [I feel] very lucky to be surrounded by amazing people."
"Gossip Girl" watchers might have forgotten, but Meester had a pretty solid music career in the early 2010s. She got to sing with Cobra Starship, Robin Thicke, and Dana Williams in her short time in music (via Refinery29).
Between her time filming, Meester has worked with multiple charities over the years. In 2019, she worked with food banks to help people in need, according to her Instagram. Most recently, she's been working to encourage donations to help people with Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome, according to her Instagram. She married her long-term boyfriend, heartthrob Adam Brody, in 2014. They now have two beautiful children together (via PEOPLE).
Penn Badgley went back to his TV roots
Who could resist Dan Humphrey and his voice of reason? Just like we did, Hollywood fell in love with Penn Badgley. Soon after the show's end, he was cast in leading roles in projects like "Parts per Billion," "Cymbeline," and "The Paper Store" (via IMDb). In 2014, his band MOTHXR started to hit the ground running as some of their songs went viral on multiple platforms (via VICE). Less than year after, they released their only studio album to date, "Centerfold" (via Concord).
Badgley's most popular role to date has been playing the sociopathic killer, Joe Goldberg, in the hit Netflix series, "You," which is currently filming its third season (via Deadline). Fans have been falling for his character, Joe, for years now, despite Badgley telling them to stop in multiple tweets, considering the character's tendency for, well, murder. He said of the isolating nature of playing Joe, "Yeah, at times it's exhausting and isolating, just inherently. Because I spend a lot of time — even when I'm in scenes with other people — I'm alone" (via Indie Wire).
As for his personal life, Badgley has been married to fellow singer, Domino Kirke, since 2017 and in August 2020, they gave birth to their first child (via PEOPLE).
Ed Westwick has had legal trouble
Chuck Bass was every girl's dream man in the height of the "Gossip Girl" days, with his doting love and affection towards Blair Waldorf. That made Ed Westwick one of the biggest sex symbols on the 2000s, but Westwick thinks he's much different from Chuck Bass. In an interview with POPSUGAR, Westwick said "I wouldn't chase a girl for that long." After the shows end, he starred in films like "Romeo & Juliet," "Bone in the Throat," and "The Crash." He spent some time going back to the TV world by playing characters in "Snatch," "White Gold," and "Wicked City" (via IMDb).
In 2017, Westwick made headlines when three women claimed he sexually assaulted them. He claimed that the allegations were false, and in 2018, the cases were overturned due to "insufficient evidence" (via BBC).
As of 2021, he's been dating model Tamara Francesconi, and the two frequently post photos from traveling together (via The Tab).
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Chace Crawford has been getting steady work in Hollywood
In the late 2000s, plenty of fans had a poster of Chace Crawford over their beds. Since the show's end in 2012, he's been getting steady work in Hollywood with projects like "What to Expect When You're Expecting," "Charlie Says," and "All About Nina." However, his second wave came when he became one of the main characters in the hit superhero series, "The Boys" (via IMDb).
Crawford plays Kevin, also known as "The Deep," an aquatic superhero. In an interview with The Face, Crawford says he wasn't initially drawn to the show for the superhero theme. "I wasn't interested in playing or being in a show where the superhero themes and tropes were sort of on the nose," he said. "I wasn't really interested in playing the 'good guy.' 'The Boys' was weird and a bizarre show and very dark, very dark comedy."
Along with the latest season of "The Boys," Crawford has been attached in a new drama, "Riptide," that's set to release in a few years. And as for his personal life, he keeps it as private as possible.
Taylor Momsen is the lead singer in a heavy metal band
Fans fell in love with Taylor Momsen's fashion-obsessed character, Jenny Humphrey, and were heartbroken when she left the series after the fourth season. Before her iconic role, Momsen nearly played the role of Hannah Montana, and starred as Cindy Lou Who in "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" (via IMDb). However, in 2011, Momsen announced that while she would return for the finale, she had decided to retire from acting at 18 years old. She told Parade that she wanted to focus on her budding musical career, saying, "Music is where I can be me. I mean, it's my only goal ... Acting is easy. I've been doing it for so long and I totally love it. But you're playing a character instead of yourself. Music is more personal because you're writing it and you're involved in every step of it" (via Digital Spy).
In 2010, Momsen became the frontwoman for the heavy metal/rock band, The Pretty Reckless. Since their debut in 2010, they've released four studio albums. The latest released in 2021, called "Death by Rock and Roll." The group has gained a massive cult following, touring with bands all over the world (via Discogs). As for her personal life, she keeps it pretty low key. Being on "Gossip Girl" for five years can definitely make someone want to stay out of the headlines.