As a die-hard fan of both Gossip Girl and The O.C., I must say, the behind-the-scenes stories of these iconic shows are as captivating as the series themselves! It’s fascinating to learn about how Chuck Bass, one of the most beloved characters in television history, almost didn’t make it to our screens.
Noticed: We’ve merged with the comfort of our sofa, as the original series of “Gossip Girl” returns victoriously on Netflix, starting October 29.
Indeed, you can now enjoy the popular television show that propelled the careers of Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, and Penn Badgley, which was a huge success on The CW network.
Although Gossip Girl, the show that left us all exclaiming “OMFG,” has been analyzed countless times like Serena van der Woodsen changing boyfriends on the beloved teen drama, there’s always new ground to explore when it comes to Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage’s creation. This groundbreaking series first premiered in September 2007.
We’re not only referring to the scalding hot tea that Chace Crawford accidentally spilled during his June 2024 interview on “Call Her Daddy”. We also mean the intriguing revelation he made about having a romantic encounter with one of his co-stars.
He clarified that the secret to their romantic entanglements was simply the downtime they had. Working on the same show, they were often on set for around 12 to 14 hours each day. This allowed them to encounter a diverse array of intriguing individuals from various backgrounds.
About the people he interacted closely with, he would never reveal those secrets. However, when it comes to us, there are no vows of confidentiality.
We’re going to share some interesting facts behind the scenes that you may not be aware of, such as the Oscar-winning actor who nearly played Serena and why Ed Westwick was almost replaced just before production started.
By the way, did you know that there were two well-known figures from the ’90s who were initially thought to voice the witty texts of the title character before Kristen Bell eventually took on the role and sent shivers down the spines of every student living on the Upper East Side?
Before diving into your favorite drama set in the mid-2000s, let me be your go-to guide to uncover the controversial lives of New York City’s high society, or the actors who became famous by playing those roles.
You know you love it, XOXO.
Spotted: Leighton Meester and Ed Westwick delivering major chemistry.
Viewing the closing scene of the initial episode, where Ed’s rebellious character Chuck Bass and Leighton’s character Blair Waldorf saw their friend Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) depart a gathering with Dan (Penn Badgley) and Jenny Humphrey (Taylor Momsen), sparked the idea for co-creators Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage to develop the famous couple.
In his words, there was an undeniable, instant chemistry between them that felt both tangible and enjoyable. He described this moment as the place where their connection truly took root for the first time.
As I watched it unfold, I found myself struck by an unexpected epiphany – it reminded me of the captivating tale of “Dangerous Liaisons”. Just like Valmont and Merteuil, they seemed to be entangled in a complex web of love and hatred. They conspired together, making for a story that was irresistibly tantalizing to follow.
Yes, Ed was well aware that there was something there with Chair.
He enthusiastically shared with former costar Jessica Szohr on her podcast XOXO with Jessica Szohr in February 2022 that he thoroughly enjoyed working with Leighton. Many were captivated by their relationship, which holds a special place in people’s hearts, making it adorable and amusing.
Regarding his genuine relationship with Leighton, he shared with Jessica, who portrayed Dan’s childhood best friend turned something more than that (Vanessa Abrams), “She’s an exceptional actress. I deeply miss her. We had fantastic chemistry, and we often found ourselves laughing together. At times, I even felt the need to protect her. Yes, she likely brought out the best in me.
During the initial two years of filming, Ed and his television partner, Chace Crawford (portraying their on-screen best friend, the affluent Nate Archibald), became even closer as they resided together in real life.
According to what Ed shared on XOXO, Chace proposed that they share a living space from the start. He asked, “Would you like to share a room together?”, to which I replied, having never lived independently before, “Of course, why not?
The British actor shared that he received peculiar photos from someone who had inspected various locations, making it appear as though they were snapshots of a corner where ceiling and floor seemed to meet. Amused, Ed commented, “I guess I just shrugged and said, ‘Alright, sounds good! You’re the boss!’ So we cohabited for the initial two years.
None other than Jennifer Lawrence auditioned to play series lead Serena, the part that ultimately went to Blake.
Initially, we weren’t aware of it, but as Jennifer Lawrence had expressed her interest, she did indeed audition for the role of Serena. This bit of information reached us indirectly, but we were assured that she absolutely auditioned and felt disappointed upon not getting the part.
During his audition for the role of Brooklyn’s “Lonely Boy” Dan, Penn sported what Josh and Stephanie described as long hair reminiscent of a snowboarder. Interestingly, the actor decided to dramatically cut off most of his hair on his first day of shooting, leaving the film crew and network executives surprised.
Josh recounted, “Everyone exclaimed, ‘What’s going on? He shaved his head!’ But when they got a look at it, everyone concurred, ‘Wow, he definitely pulls off that style.’
It’s surprising to learn that Lily Collins, currently starring in Emily in Paris, nearly secured the role of Dan Humphrey’s eagerness-to-belong little sister in Gossip Girl. In an interview with Glamour, she expressed her deep desire for the part, stating, “I really wanted it.
David Rapaport, the casting director for ‘Gossip Girl’, shared some insights about the upcoming ‘Gossip Girl’ spinoff focusing on Lily van der Woodsen (played by Kelly Rutherford), revealing that an initial pilot featured Brittany Snow and Krysten Ritter.
He reminisced on XOXO about when Dakota Johnson and Rooney Mara, along with many other women who later became well-known, came in for a reading. At the time, they weren’t as famous as they are now. Among all the performances, he said, Nina Dobrev’s audition stood out the most to him – it was one of the best auditions he had ever witnessed, and it was particularly impressive for that specific role. Since you’re friends with Nina Dobrev, I thought you might find this interesting.
David said he called the network and told them, “She is a super star.”
In the podcast, it was pointed out that there was confusion, as she was meant to resemble a younger version of Kelly Rutherford, but instead, she did not bear much resemblance to her.
Still, she stressed to the network that they needed to keep the Degrassi: The Next Generation star on their radar, “‘and you guys need to find something for her,'” he recalled. “I just remember thinking, ‘I am going to think about this girl in a couple of years and be like, ‘Oh god, I missed that opportunity.’ She was so incredible!”
According to what Ed mentioned on the XOXO podcast in 2022, Chuck Bass was initially intended as a guest character who would appear in just a handful of episodes.
The actor expressed gratitude that the tycoon expanded his role within the program, mentioning his audition experience as follows: “I managed to bypass one of the screening stages since I didn’t need to audition like a regular series cast member. Instead, I participated in two auditions and a screen test, but I never had to go through a network-level audition.
Is this an instance where two people first meet in an adorably coincidental way, such as a chance encounter? The Gossip Girl showrunners Josh and Stephanie discovered that they had found their “Vanessa” when Adam Brody, whom they had collaborated with on The O.C., introduced her as a guest to their Fourth of July pool party.
In one episode of XOXO, Stephanie mentioned that she and Josh quickly rushed to a computer (since the iPhone wasn’t around yet) and searched for Jessica online to find out if she was an actress.
As stated by Josh, the process of hiring Ed was quite complex. Initially, the English actor tried out for the character of Nate, but interestingly enough, the role of Chuck almost ended up being given to someone else too.
In an episode of XOXO with Jessica Szohr, Josh reminisced about how he was chosen to play Chuck but couldn’t secure his visa for filming in the U.S. on time because he’s from the U.K., and the network urged him to replace the role instead.
As we approached the starting point of the pilot, they warned us, ‘You guys should decide who will step in for Chuck if things go awry, as we’re not confident this will succeed.’ But we replied, ‘There isn’t a stand-in for Chuck. It’s always been Ed.’
Waiting for Ed’s visa approval was a necessity, as Josh and Stephanie firmly believed that he should play the character of Chuck.
Initially, Kristen Bell was the preferred choice for the voice of Gossip Girl. However, Christina Ricci and Selma Blair were also considered strong contenders for the role, as suggested by Stephanie, who held an executive producer position.
Kristen landed the role following the cancellation of “Veronica Mars” – a show where she lent her voice to the main character over its three-season run.
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2024-10-29 10:18