Years before social media had this much power over society, Gossip Girl had already warned us about the dangers of it, even though the characters in the series were not really paying attention. This teen drama show based on the novels by Cecily von Ziegesar, adapted by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, aired from 2007 to 2012 on The CW network. It follows the exclusive and drama-filled lives of the Upper East Side's high-class teens, who happen to be closely scrutinized by Gossip Girl, an anonymous blogger that thrives on chit-chat and seems to know everything. The show is a clear demonstration of the influence that social media has if it is not properly managed, going so far as to run people's lives. Even though Manhattan teenagers knew how unhealthy this blog was and all the effects it had on people and relationships, they kept on reading it, effectively expanding its audience day by day.
The question of who was hiding behind Gossip Girl kept the audience on their toes up until the end of the series, which was one of the reasons why the show was so popular, along with its characters' storylines that pulled viewers in. This production was wildly acclaimed, catapulting its stars' careers worldwide and inspiring many adaptations in different countries. In 2021, a reboot sequel featuring another group of teenagers haunted by Gossip Girl was released, although it was not as well received as its predecessor (via Rotten Tomatoes). The lead actors from the 2007 series did not return to reprise their roles, but Kristen Bell, the show's narrator, did. Here's a look at the Gossip Girl cast today.
Leighton Meester
Leighton Meester's best known role is probably Blair Waldorf, Constance Billiard's Queen Bee and star of Gossip Girl. However, this actress and singer has been involved in many successful projects in both film and television, most notably in recent years. She kicked off 2022 by appearing in How I Met Your Father, the spin-off of the popular sitcom How I Met Your Mother. At the same time, she starred in the Netflix thriller film The Weekend Away as Beth, a young woman whose best friend disappears while they are away on a trip. She is also part of the cast of My Father's Dragon, a children's film starring Jacob Tremblay and Gaten Matarazzo that is set to premiere later this month on Netflix.
Ed Westwick
Only a young man with Chuck Bass' attitude and determination could keep up with Blair Waldorf. This is one of Ed Westwick's best-known characters, as well as Vincent Swan, whom he plays in the British sitcom White Gold. Even though the actor has not been featured in that many projects recently since his days as part of the Gossip Girl cast, he can be seen in the movie Me You Madness, in which he stars alongside Louise Linton, who also served as writer, director, and producer.
Blake Lively
Blake Lively stars in Gossip Girl as Serena van der Woodsen, the Upper East Side's it girl. These last few years brought many changes to this artist's career, and in addition to starring in films, she moved on to other roles. Her most recent films are A Simple Favor, in which she starred alongside Anna Kendrick, and The Rhythm Section, a 2020 thriller film. She also made her directorial debut and co-wrote Taylor Swift's "I Bet You Think About Me" music video, and earlier this year (per The Hollywood Reporter), she announced her feature directorial debut with the adaptation of Bryan Lee O'Malley's graphic novel Seconds for the silver screen.
Penn Badgley
Penn Badgley portrays one of Gossip Girl's greatest characters: Dan Humphrey, an aspiring writer based in Brooklyn who, upon falling in love with Serena, creates the infamous Gossip Girl blog. Dan is one of Badgley's most iconic characters, but in recent years, there is one that is even further acclaimed: Joe Goldberg, a bookstore manager who turns into an obsessive killer in the Netflix series You, released in 2018 and now producing its fourth season. Apart from that, Badgley has also appeared in Here Today, the 2021 film starring Billy Crystal and Tiffany Haddish.
Chace Crawford
On Gossip Girl, Chace Crawford is Nate Archibal, the Upper East Side golden boy. In recent years, Crawford has kept himself very active in the industry, starring in both film and television productions. Among his most notable ones is the popular Amazon series The Boys, inspired by the comic book by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, in which he stars as Kevin Moskowitz/The Deep. He has also been featured in films such as Charlie Says, Inheritance, Belle and Nighthawks, in which he starred alongside Kevin Zegers and Janet Montgomery.
Kelly Rutherford
Kelly Rutherford played Lily, Serena's mother and one of the most influential people in Manhattan. This was one of Kelly's most prominent roles, along with her appearances in the soap operas Generations and Melrose Place. Following Gossip Girl's wrap-up, Rutherford appeared in occasional projects, mostly on TV. In 2016, she made a few guest appearances in the series Quantico, and as of 2018, she joined the cast of Dynasty as Melissa Daniels. She also had a main role in Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists, I. Marlene King's show that got canceled after a season.
Matthew Settle
In the show, Matthew Settle plays Rufus, Dan and Jenny's father and Lily's eventual partner. And even though the actor picked up a few projects after Gossip Girl ended, he hasn't been actively involved in the industry for a few years now. His latest films so far include Ouija, The Faith of Anna Waters and Valentine: The Dark Avenger. He also appeared in an episode of Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders.
Jessica Szohr
Jessica Szohr joined Gossip Girl during its first season with a recurring role, but eventually became a lead due to the character's popularity. Over the past few years, the actress has become known for her character Talla Keyali in the series The Orville, which released its third season earlier this year. Meanwhile, Jessica spent some time working on All-Star Weekend, a film directed by Jamie Foxx that was supposed to premiere in 2018, but after several delays, it was eventually shelved.
Taylor Momsen
Taylor Momsen first gained worldwide acclaim for her role as Cindy Lou Who in the 2000 film How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and seven years later, for her interpretation of Jenny Humphrey in Gossip Girl. Midway through the project, Momsen opted to retire from acting in order to focus on her band, The Pretty Reckless, who released their first album in 2010. In February 2021, they released their fourth album, Death by Rock and Roll.