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Blake Lively pays tribute to Gossip Girl co-star Michelle Trachtenberg following her …
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Gossip Girl was undoubtably every 2008-2012 teenager's cult-favourite show and it's left a legacy behind that is yet to be filled - so much so that its most iconic moments resurge every once in a while, or a new related trend emerges from the ashes (go p*** girl, anyone?)
The generation-defining New York City-based drama followed the lives of socialites (AKA the Upper-East-Siders) causing havoc in their school and around the city with scandal aplenty, and has left everyone begging for more since the show ended 13 years ago.
Of course, HBO Max rebooted the show with an entirely new cast in 2021, but it was cancelled after two seasons, because to put it politely, you simply can't replace Chuck Bass, and you definitely can't emulate Little J's rebellion.
The OG cast included Blake Lively and Leighton Meester in the leading roles of Serena van der Woodsen and Blair Waldorf, closely joined by Ed Westwick as the infamous womanizer, Chuck Bass, Chace Crawford as Nate Archibald, and You's Penn Badgley as the elusive guy next door, Dan Humphrey - who as it would turn out - would be Gossip Girl all along.
Miss them? Us too. But it would turn out many have gone on to have incredible careers off the back of the show, and the The Empire Hotel wouldn't be the last place we'd see them.
Here's where the original cast of Gossip Girl are now, after the show...
Ed Westwick (Chuck Bass)
One of Ed Westwick's only major film appearances since Gossip Girl has been in 2013's Romeo and Juliet - since then, he's headed largely back into TV, starring in BBC comedy, White Gold between 2015 and 2019.
He largely disappeared for a while after sexual misconduct allegations were made against him in 2017 by three women, which Westwick blasted as "unverified and provably untrue". There was "insufficient evidence" for a prosecution to go ahead, the investigators said.
That doesn't mean interest in his life after Gossip Girl has slowed down however, with fans eagerly watching him document his relationship with model, Amy Jackson, whom he married in 2024.
Co-star Kelly Rutherford was even in attendance at the lavish Italian bash. “I truly feel like the most grateful for our friendship and to be able to work with you was such a gift,” she said in a speech at the nuptials.
To be able to watch you fall in love…I’m going to cry. No, truly it is the most beautiful thing in life and you are such a beautiful man.”
The couple are now expecting their first baby together.
Westwick has since maintained that he'd love for Chuck Bass to have his own spin-off show.
Chace Crawford (Nate Archibald)
Chace Crawford has largely stayed in TV since leaving Gossip Girl, with roles in the likes of Blood and Oil, and Casual. Most notably, he's been starring in The Boys since 2019 as Kevin Moskowitz.
He's also now an active entrepreneur, and was named Jiant Hard tea and kombucha brand Jiant's Chief Creative Officer at the end of 2024.
Crawford has since reunited with co-star Penn Badgley for interviews to discuss the show's infamous ending.
Blake Lively (Serena van der Woodsen)
Blake Lively has been super active in Hollywood since Gossip Girl, going on to star in The Age of Adaline, A Simple Favor, The Shallows and The Rhythm Section, to name but a few.
She also married fellow actor Ryan Reynolds in 2012, two years after her split from co-star, Penn Badgley. The pair have gone on to have four children: James, Inez, Betty and Olin - with Taylor Swift even naming a song after Betty in 2020.
Outside of acting, Lively is also the founder of Betty Booze, a "clean" alcohol brand and its non-alcohol counterpart, Betty Buzz. In 2023, she launched a cruelty-free haircare line called Blake Brown.
Most recently, the 37-year-old has been involved in a public lawsuit with It Ends With Us co-star, Justin Baldoni.
Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and launching a campaign to “destroy” her reputation, emerged in December, following speculation of a rift between the pair who did no press interviews for the film together - which he strongly denies.
Baldoni’s counter lawsuit for $400 million (£321m) includes allegations of civil extortion, defamation and false light invasion of privacy.
After a website was published sharing alleged texts between the two, Baldoni's lawyer said: “It is clear based on our own all-out willingness to provide all complete text messages, emails, video footage and other documentary evidence that was shared between the parties in real-time, that this is a battle she will not win and will certainly regret.”
Leighton Meester (Blair Waldorf)
Leighton Meester has had a varied career since leaving Gossip Girl, which has included appearing in sitcoms, Single Parents and Making History, appearing on broadway in Of Mice and Men in 2014, and releasing her own music in the form of her album, Heartstrings.
After marrying Adam Brody that same year, the couple went on to have two children together, and she's appeared alongside him at a number of red carpet events.
The couple's home burnt down during the Pacific Palisades fires. While the couple have not publicly spoken about the incident, fans streamed Meester's album to help her recoup funds lost from the property.
Most recently, Meester appeared at the SAG Awards in February 2025 for a Gossip Girl-inspired skit with Kristen Bell, who voiced Gossip Girl in the original show.
Bell could be seen crouched next to Meester's table, reading jokes off her phone.
"Leighton, none of this is gossip," she says. "It's just all about food."
She replied by joking to the award show host she's just "really hungry" as she nibbled at a bread roll.
Michelle Trachtenberg (Georgina Sparks)
Despite leaving the original Gossip Girl in 2012, Trachtenberg actually appeared in the HBO Max reboot in 2022.
In true Georgina Sparks fashion, her character hadn't changed at all, and had Constance Billard-St. Jude teacher Kate Keller (Tavi Gevinson) abducted in the episode.
It was announced on 26 February 2025 that Michelle Trachtenberg had died aged 39.
It's thought that Trachtenberg had been struggling with her health for a number of years, although no official cause of death has yet been released.
"It is with great sadness to confirm that Michelle Trachtenberg has passed away. The family requests privacy for their loss. There are no further details at this time," read a statement from Trachtenberg’s representative, Gary Mantoosh.
The NYPD confirmed they found Trachtenberg "unconscious and unresponsive" and was pronounced dead by emergency medical workers.
Her co-stars, including Blake Lively and Chace Crawford have shared their own tributes to the actor.
"Everything she did, she did 200%. She laughed the fullest at someone's joke, she faced authority head on when she felt something was wrong, she cared deeply about her work, she was proud to be a part of this community and industry as painful as it could be sometimes, she was fiercely loyal to her friends and brave for those she loved, she was big and bold and distinctly herself," Lively wrote.
"Time passes. You take for granted that you get the chance to see an old friend. To paraphrase, the real tragedies in life are the ones that blindside you on an idle Tuesday. Hold those you love and have loved dear."
She continued: "The world lost a deeply sensitive and good person in Michelle. May her work and her huge heart be remembered by those who were lucky enough to experience her fire."
Ed Westwick added: "So sad to hear the passing of @michelletrachtenberg sending prayers".
Penn Badgley (Dan Humphrey)
Since leaving the show that brought his name to the mainstream, Penn Badgley is undoubtedly best known for his role as serial killer, Joe Goldberg in Netflix's You.
He's also gone on to a launch a podcast, Podcrushed, which interviews other celebrities about their experiences as teenagers. He's had a number of major stars on its episodes, including Ariana Grande, and even his former GG co-star, Leighton Meester.
Of course though, he still talks about his Gossip Girl days in interviews regularly. Because what would the show ever have been without Dan Humphrey?
“I didn’t want to be in television,” he told Variety of the show's ending in 2023. “I was biding time a lot with Dan—I was not invested. And I’m not saying it’s a good thing! I’m saying it’s just what it was.”
He tied the knot with singer Domino Kirke in February 2017.
Taylor Momsen (Jenny Humphrey)
Taylor Momsen has checked out of acting for the time being, and since Gossip Girl, has been focused on her role as the leading lady in rock and roll band, The Pretty Reckless.
The band has undergone some huge successes - and are currently supporting AC/DC on tour - where fans might remember in 2024 she was bitten by a bat on stage. How very rock and roll.
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Michelle Trachtenberg death: Blake Lively leads tributes for Gossip Girl star who died age 39
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