What Happened to the Gossip Girl Cast? Where They Are Now

From Serena and Blair to Chuck, Nate and Lonely Boy, the stars of Gossip Girl have built very different lives and careers since leaving the Upper East Side.

August 10, 2026: More than a decade after Gossip Girl ended, it is still hard to think about New York City’s Upper East Side without remembering Serena van der Woodsen, Blair Waldorf, Chuck Bass, Nate Archibald and Dan Humphrey.

The CW drama premiered in 2007 and ran for six seasons before wrapping in December 2012. Based on Cecily von Ziegesar’s book series, the show followed a glamorous group of Manhattan teenagers whose secrets were constantly exposed by an anonymous online narrator known as Gossip Girl.

What happened after the final blast from Gossip Girl?

HOLR breaks down where some of the show’s most recognizable stars are now, from major Hollywood roles and new businesses to music careers, family life and unexpected reunions.

Blake Lively: From Serena van der Woodsen to Hollywood Star

Blake Lively’s Serena was the effortless “It Girl” at the center of the Gossip Girl universe. After the show ended, Lively successfully transitioned from television to major film roles.

Her post-Gossip Girl credits include The Age of Adaline, The Shallows, A Simple Favor, The Rhythm Section and It Ends With Us.

Away from acting, Lively married Ryan Reynolds in 2012, and the couple have four children. In August 2026, Lively shared a rare glimpse of their family life during a Wrexham AFC match at Yankee Stadium, offering fans another look at the more private side of her life.

Lively has also remained in the headlines because of her legal dispute with It Ends With Us costar Justin Baldoni. The case ultimately reached a settlement in May 2026.

Still, for many fans, Serena remains the role that first made Lively a household name.

Leighton Meester: Blair Waldorf’s Story Continues

If Serena represented effortless cool, Blair Waldorf represented ambition, fashion and determination.

Leighton Meester brought the character to life for six seasons, turning Blair into one of the most recognizable teen-TV characters of the 2000s.

Since the series ended, Meester has continued acting while also exploring music. She has appeared in projects including The Oranges, The Judge, Single Parents and Good Cop/Bad Cop.

Good Cop/Bad Cop, which premiered in 2025, was canceled after one season in 2026.

But Meester’s connection to Blair has never completely disappeared.

In 2026, she revealed that she had read the first chapters of an upcoming standalone Gossip Girl novel titled Blair. The book, written by original author Cecily von Ziegesar, is set 20 years after the original book series and is expected in 2027.

For longtime fans, the idea of Blair’s story continuing—even in novel form—is a particularly nostalgic full-circle moment.

Penn Badgley: From Dan Humphrey to Joe Goldberg

Penn Badgley played Dan Humphrey, the outsider from Brooklyn who eventually became one of the most shocking parts of the Gossip Girl finale.

Yes, Dan was revealed to be Gossip Girl.

After the series, Badgley continued acting and eventually landed another defining television role as Joe Goldberg in Netflix’s You. The series transformed his career again and introduced him to a completely different generation of viewers.

Badgley has also explored music and podcasting, while keeping much of his personal life relatively private.

He married singer and doula Domino Kirke in 2017, and the couple have children together. In 2025, they welcomed identical twin boys.

In August 2026, Kirke shared a rare photo of Badgley carrying both twins while out walking, giving fans a sweet glimpse of the actor’s life away from the screen.

Chace Crawford: Nate Archibald Finds a New Hit

Chace Crawford played Nate Archibald, the handsome and often conflicted member of Manhattan’s elite circle.

After Gossip Girl, Crawford took on a range of roles before landing another major television part as The Deep on Prime Video’s The Boys.

The superhero series became one of his biggest post-Gossip Girl projects, running for five seasons. Crawford’s run on the show ended in 2026 as The Boys concluded.

Crawford has also stepped into the business world. In recent years, he launched his fashion brand American Dream Clubhouse, adding another dimension to his career beyond acting.

His journey is a good example of how the original Gossip Girl cast has continued finding new ways to evolve.

Ed Westwick: Chuck Bass Beyond the Upper East Side

Chuck Bass was complicated, stylish and impossible to ignore, and Ed Westwick’s performance made him one of the show’s most memorable characters.

After Gossip Girl, Westwick continued working across film and television. His projects have included White Gold, Wicked City and Enemy Lines.

In his personal life, Westwick married model Amy Jackson in 2024.

Although Chuck remains one of his best-known roles, Westwick has continued building a career outside the Upper East Side world that first made him famous.

Taylor Momsen: Jenny Humphrey Left Acting Behind

Taylor Momsen’s Jenny Humphrey began as a sweet younger character before gradually developing a much darker style and storyline.

Momsen eventually stepped away from acting to focus on music. She became the lead vocalist of The Pretty Reckless, the rock band she founded while still a teenager.

The band has released multiple albums, with its most recent studio album, Death by Rock and Roll, arriving in 2021 and Other Worlds following in 2022.

For fans who remember Jenny’s transformation into “Little J,” Momsen’s real-life transition from teen actress to rock musician is one of the most interesting post-Gossip Girl stories.

Jessica Szohr: Vanessa Abrams Finds New Roles

Jessica Szohr played Vanessa Abrams, Dan’s longtime friend and one of the characters who frequently challenged the privileged world surrounding the Upper East Side.

After Gossip Girl, Szohr continued working in television and film. Her credits include Complications, Twin Peaks, The Orville and other projects.

While Vanessa may not have been part of the show’s final chapters in the same way as Serena, Blair, Dan, Chuck and Nate, Szohr remains an important part of the original cast’s legacy.

Kristen Bell: The Voice Behind Gossip Girl

Kristen Bell never needed to appear regularly on camera to become one of the show’s most important voices.

She famously provided the narration for Gossip Girl, delivering the iconic opening line that became synonymous with the series.

Bell went on to star in The Good Place, reprise Veronica Mars and voice Anna in Disney’s Frozen franchise. She was also the only principal cast member from the original series to return as Gossip Girl’s voice for the 2021 reboot.

Her career has continued to span television, film and voice acting, making her one of the show’s most successful alumni.

Michelle Trachtenberg: Remembering Georgina Sparks

Michelle Trachtenberg brought Georgina Sparks to life, one of the most unpredictable and memorable characters in the Gossip Girl universe.

Trachtenberg continued acting after the original series and later appeared in the 2021 Gossip Girl reboot.

Sadly, she died in February 2025 at the age of 39. Her death was met with an outpouring of tributes from her former costars, including Blake Lively and Chace Crawford.

Her performance as Georgina remains an unforgettable part of the show’s history.

The Gossip Girl Reboot Didn’t Bring Back the Original Cast

When Gossip Girl returned in 2021, fans naturally wondered whether Serena, Blair, Chuck, Nate or Dan might make appearances.

The reboot featured an entirely new generation of characters, although it referenced the original series and eventually included a cameo from Trachtenberg.

The revival was canceled after two seasons in January 2023.

While the original stars largely remained separate from the reboot, the franchise itself has continued to find ways back into pop culture.

The Gossip Girl Legacy Is Still Going Strong

Perhaps the most surprising thing about Gossip Girl is how little its influence has faded.

The clothes still inspire fashion conversations. The characters continue to circulate across social media. Quotes and scenes regularly resurface online. And new viewers continue discovering the show years after its finale.

The upcoming Blair novel adds another layer to that legacy, showing that interest in the world Cecily von Ziegesar created has not disappeared.

The original cast may have left the Upper East Side, but they certainly didn’t leave behind the cultural impact of the show.

Some became major film stars. Others found success on television, moved into music or launched businesses. And some simply chose quieter lives away from the spotlight.

That’s part of what makes revisiting Gossip Girl so much fun: the characters stayed frozen in their glamorous, complicated teenage years, while the actors who played them continued growing and changing.

HOLR has the latest entertainment stories, and one thing is clear: the Gossip Girl generation is still very much part of pop culture.

FAQs

What happened to the original Gossip Girl cast?

The original cast went on to pursue different careers after the series ended in 2012. Blake Lively moved into major film roles, Penn Badgley starred in You, Chace Crawford joined The Boys, Leighton Meester continued acting, Taylor Momsen focused on music and Ed Westwick continued working in television and film.

Where is Blake Lively now?

Blake Lively continues to work in film and is married to Ryan Reynolds. The couple have four children. In 2026, she also continued making occasional public appearances and sharing glimpses of her family life.

What is Penn Badgley doing now?

Penn Badgley is best known for starring as Joe Goldberg in Netflix’s You. He is also a musician and podcaster and is a father of three sons with wife Domino Kirke, including twin boys born in 2025.

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