Gossip Girl followed a group of Manhattan teenagers who were always mired in scandal(Image: ITV)
The death of Michelle Trachtenberg was sadly announced yesterday (February 26), aged just 39. Michelle is best remembered for her role as the cunning Georgina Sparks in Gossip Girl, a popular drama series that aired from 2007 to 2012.
Set against the backdrop of Manhattan’s chic Upper East Side, the series revolved around a group of teenagers attending an elite private school. Their lives were constantly under the scrutiny of an enigmatic blogger known as Gossip Girl, who reported on everything from their romantic entanglements to their battles for social supremacy.
Spanning six seasons, the show traced the characters’ journey through high school, college, and beyond. It was a massive hit with viewers and has a dedicated fanbase years after its finale aired.
A reboot of the show was launched in 2021 featuring appearances from a few of the original cast, but it failed to impress critics and was axed after just two seasons.
So, what became of the original cast once the show ended?
Leighton Meester played queen bee Blair(Image: FilmMagic)
Leighton played Blair Waldorf, the school’s reigning queen bee who was often ruthless yet had a vulnerable side. In addition to acting, Leighton has modelled and pursued a music career. After Gossip Girl, she released an album titled Heartstrings in 2014, for which she wrote all the songs.
Post-Gossip Girl, she has appeared in the Adam Sandler film That’s My Boy and the indie movie Like Sunday, Like Rain. She has also featured in numerous TV shows including Semper Fi and had a lead role in the sitcom Single Parents.
Off the screen, Leighton Meester is married to fellow teen drama star Adam Brody, better known as Seth Cohen from The O.C. The couple have a son and a daughter together. Leighton’s also shown her caring side, a far cry from her on-screen character Blair, by getting stuck into charity work and supporting causes like Feeding America.
Blake Lively, who played troubled socialite Serena van der Woodsen, is arguably the most famous face to emerge from the Gossip Girl cast. She’s married to actor Ryan Reynolds, making them a true A-list couple, and together they have four children.
Blake is often seen on the red carpet with husband Ryan Reynolds(Image: WireImage)
After Gossip Girl wrapped up, Blake turned her attention to the big screen, starring in films such as The Age of Adaline, The Shallows, and Café Society. But it’s her part in the 2024 drama It Ends with Us that’s had everyone talking recently.
Her feud with co-star and director Justin Baldoni has been splashed across the tabloids, with lawsuits being filed from both sides. Blake alleging sexual harassment during filming, while Justin is suing her for defamation.
The tragic news of Michelle Trachtenberg’s death had Gossip Girl fans reminiscing about her role as the notorious Georgina Sparks. Fans took to social media to express their grief, with one posting: “georgina sparks will always be the most iconic character ever”, and another saying: “rip michelle trachtenberg nobody else could’ve played georgina sparks this perfectly”.
Michelle Trachtenberg on the set of Gossip Girl in 2012(Image: Getty Images)
Before her stint on Gossip Girl, Michelle had already built a solid acting career, including roles as a child actor in the film adaptation of Harriet the Spy and a part in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. After Gossip Girl, she featured in an episode of anthology series Love Bites, made a guest appearance in Criminal Minds, and voiced an animated version of Harriet the Spy.
Michelle also returned to the Gossip Girl reboot, reprising her role as Georgina for two episodes. Tragically, after battling health issues and undergoing a liver transplant in recent months, she was found dead at just 39 years old.
British actor Ed Westwick portrayed the unforgettable Chuck Bass, a character with a very dark side, who had a rollercoaster relationship with Blair. Following the show, he took on the role of Tybalt in a film adaptation of Romeo & Juliet, and then starred in Bone in the Throat, a film based on a novel by the late chef Anthony Bourdain about a rising culinary star who tangles with East End gangsters.
Ed Westwick with wife Amy Jackson(Image: Corbis via Getty Images)
He also appeared in both seasons of BBC drama White Gold, playing a shady 1980s double glazing salesman. Last year, he starred in the movie DarkGame, which centres around a killer who livestreams his murders online. He’s married to fellow actor Amy Jackson, known for her roles in Indian films, and the couple are currently expecting their first child together.
Penn Badgley, who played Dan Humphrey – the group’s outsider with a shocking secret revealed in the series finale, has had quite a career post-Gossip Girl. He took the role of Joe Goldberg, a serial killer and obsessive stalker in Netflix’s hit series You, a few years after Gossip Girl wrapped up.
YOU: Season 5 official Netflix trailer
His acting credits also include roles in the film Easy A, music biopic Greetings from Tim Buckley where he played musician Jeff Buckley, and a recurring part in the gripping miniseries The Slap.
In addition to his acting career, Penn has ventured into podcasting with Podcrushed, where he chats with celebrities about their cringe-worthy middle school years. He is married to musician Domino Kirke, and they have a child together.
Taylor Momsen took on the role of Jenny Humphrey, Dan’s younger sister. Despite being one of the youngest cast members, Taylor was already accustomed to the spotlight, having played Cindy Lou Who in How the Grinch Stole Christmas as a child and boasting a successful modelling career.
Taylor Momsen has quit acting to focus on her successful music career(Image: PA)
Taylor left the show in its fourth season, although she made a brief appearance in the finale, to concentrate on her music career. She hasn’t had any acting credits since Gossip Girl, but has found success as the lead vocalist of her band The Pretty Reckless. They’ve released four studio albums and 14 singles, with several topping the US Mainstream Rock charts.
The band also supported Evanescence on a global tour and have graced the stage at several major music events, including a performance at the Download Festival in 2014.
Gossip Girl just wouldn’t have been the same without Kirsten Bell’s iconic voiceover, kicking off each episode with the tantalising line: “You know you love me. XOXO Gossip Girl”. Kristen’s face only appeared on screen in the show’s grand finale, where she had a cameo as herself. She also lent her voice to the series’ recent reboot.
Watch the trailer for Nobody Wants This
Kristen was already a household name thanks to her lead role in the cult teen detective series Veronica Mars before she became the voice of Gossip Girl. Since then, she’s had an array of TV and film gigs. She starred in House of Lies and The Good Place, and to the younger generation, she’s best known as voicing Anna from Disney’s Frozen.
She’s recently starred in the Netflix show Nobody Wants This, playing a relationship podcaster who unexpectedly falls for a rabbi. Season two is set to drop in 2025.
All episodes of Gossip Girl are free to stream on BBC iPlayer.
