“Gossip Girl” tells the story of a bunch of wealthy Upper East Siders (and a few Brooklynites) as they deal with drama, romance, and chaos in the Big Apple. The show, which ran from 2007 to 2012, also happened to make much of its young cast into huge stars. Blake Lively, of course, starred as Serena van der Woodsen on “Gossip Girl” and has since gone on to be a prominent A-lister. Penn Badgley, who played the seemingly innocuous Dan Humphrey, now stars as another seemingly harmless (but very murderous) character on the hit show “You.” Meanwhile, Taylor Momsen, who played Dan’s little sister Jenny Humphrey, transitioned from television into a successful music career after leaving “Gossip Girl”; she currently fronts the band The Pretty Reckless.
Not that much time has passed since “Gossip Girl,” though the show already received a reboot that ran from 2021 to 2023. Still, in the decade since the original “Gossip Girl”‘s shocking finale, many of the show’s stars have embarked on tons of different projects, and up next, Leighton Meester, who played Blair Waldorf, is set to star in “EXmas,” a romantic comedy out Nov. 17 that seems perfect for ushering in the winter season.
Ahead, check out photos of the “Gossip Girl” cast then and now, and learn what they’ve all been up to since they left the Upper East Side behind.