‘Gossip Girl’: Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, & More — See Stars Of Sexy CW Show Then & Now – Jimmys Post

It’s been nearly eight years since fans of ‘Gossip Girl’ took a trip to the Upper East Side of New York to hangout with their favorite clique. We’re taking a look back at the original cast then and where they are now!

When Gossip Girl premiered on the CW in September 2007, it was a major shift in the world of 2000s pop culture. Audiences who were curious about the show, based on the young adult novel series by Cecily von Ziegesar, got an inside look at the drama, glamor, and mystery surrounding a group of privileged teens in New York City. As rumors continue to swirl whether or not the cast will come together for a reunion, or  better yet a reboot, we’re looking back on what the original cast looked like when they were on the show and how far they’ve come today!

After a number of small roles in series like Law & Order and House, Leighton Meester finally got her big break as Blair Waldorf on Gossip Girl. Leighton starred on the series for its entire run between 2007-2012. During that time, she was in over 120 episodes — making an appearance in every single one of the show’s episodes. During her time on the show, Gossip Girl also catapulted Leighton to the big screen. She starred in films like Date Night (2009), Country Strong (2010), and The Roommate (2011). Since her time on the show, Leighton has spoken out about the difficult atmosphere on the set of the series, but she has stayed working in TV with her latest show Single Parents!

Of course, one of the biggest stars to come out of Gossip Girl is undoubtedly Blake Lively. After starring in 2005’s The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and the 2006 film Accepted, Blake earned the role of Serena van der Woodsen on the iconic CW series. Blake gave fans a slew of great fashion moments, which eventually translated to her red carpet style as her star in Hollywood rose! Since Gossip Girl ended, Blake has become one of the most sought-after leading ladies of the big screen. She’s starred in films like The Age of Adeline (2015), The Shallows (2016), and 2018’s A Simple Favor. As for her personal life, Blake went on to marry her Green Lantern co-star Ryan Reynolds in 2012 and the pair have three daughters together — James, 5, Inez, 3, and a third daughter who was born in late 2019.

Beyond Leighton and Blake, Penn Badgley got his start as a child actor in the late ’90s and burst onto the scene when he landed the role of Dan Humphrey on the CW series. While he balanced his role on the show, Penn also appeared opposite Oscar-winner Emma Stone in 2010’s Easy A. By the time the series wrapped, however, Penn only earned small roles in film and TV before he resurfaced on the psychological thriller series You — one of Netflix’s most binge-worthy shows!

But there are more stars to see from this cast! To check out then and now photos of the cast of Gossip Girl, click through the gallery above!