The things you did not know about 'Gossip Girl' that will surprise you

Updated on July 27, 2022 11:49 AM by Emma Alice

New York City designated January 26 as "Gossip Girl Day

As a result of Bloomberg's 2012 declaration, January 26 has become "Gossip Girl Day" in the city. Celebrating the show's 100th episode, the announcement came on Wednesday.

'Serena' was Jennifer Lawrence's dream role

Jennifer Lawrence considered playing Serena van der Woodsen before Blake Lively was cast. Despite auditioning, Lawrence is disappointed not to be released, according to executive producer Josh Schwartz.

New York City was the location for "Gossip Girl

The Empire Hotel, which now serves "Gossip Girl"-inspired cocktails, was used as a backdrop for "Gossip Girl," which was shot in New York City. Fans can take a sightseeing tour that includes stops at Dylan's Candy Bar and Grand Central Terminal as part of the show's celebration of its 40th anniversary.

A famous movie is referenced in each episode's title

The episode titles of "Gossip Girl" are all spoofs of favorite movies. You've Got Mail" ("You've Got Yale") and "Blair Waldorf Must Pie!" ("John Tucker Must Die"), among other episodes.

While filming the show, Lively and Penn Badgley dated.

While filming "Gossip Girl," Lively and Penn Badgley dated like their on-screen personas. A report stated that they ended their relationship in 2010 after going public with their relationship in 2008. The breakup of the couple was not known to anyone on the set. As it turned out, Blake and Penn had broken up months before we shot the season two finale.

Executive producer Joshua Safran told Vanity Fair in 2017 that the breakup was kept a secret from the crew, which would be impossible now. It's beyond me how they did it, he said. This demonstrates how good actors they are because they kept it from everyone. Their drama would not have a bearing on the show.

Serena and Blair were closer than Lively and Meester

There was no better BFF duo than Serena and Blair. Despite Lively and Meester's positive reviews on-screen, producers have said these two were not compatible off-screen. Their friendship wasn't as close as Serena and Blair, Safran told Vanity Fair in 2017.

Fashion icons inspired Serena and Blair's wardrobes.

As Eric Daman revealed in an interview with HuffPost in 2012, Serena and Blair's wardrobes are inspired by various sources. Using Kate Moss as a model, Serena recreated her look.

He described his fashion as having an 'I've been to Europe' vibe, which included a lot of calm looks. According to Daman, Blair's style was influenced by Audrey Hepburn and Anna Wintour. Even though her wardrobe is well thought out, he said she also appears effortless and seamless.

In the show, Daman banned belts.

During his role as Carter Baizen on Gossip Girl, Sebastian Stan would never get to wear a belt. From a fashion standpoint, you're never going to wear a belt again, he told me during the fittings.

My belt-wearing days are over. It's just a matter of watching. The show does not feature a belt. In a subsequent interview, Daman admitted that one of his pet peeves was men's belts.

Metrosexuals, 'Jersey Shore,' and hideous jeans with ugly belts were also popular during this time. According to the costume designer, all of the clothes were also explicitly tailored to look good on camera. Neither of these things will happen under my watch, he said. It is not a good idea to wear a belt around the waist for a classy look, as it adds extra mass to the core.

Badgley was unaware that Dan was a Gossip Girl.

So, the final scripts weren't revealed until the final scripts were handed out because the "Gossip Girl" showrunners wanted the actors to forget about the mystery. Stephanie Savage told TV Line in an interview in 2012 that the actors were never informed about it.

Penn Badgley's performance as Dan was not something we wanted to be a part of.

Blair Waldorf was the proper role for Meester.

The connection between Meester and Blair Waldorf has not always been clear, even though she now seems the ideal choice for the role. Executive producer Schwartz told Vanity Fair in 2017. She was funny and intelligent and played a vulnerable character.

The only problem was that she was blonde. Serena had to be blonde because Blake was blonde. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Leighton dyed her hair.

It was something she wanted. In a Vanity Fair interview, Chace Crawford, who played Nate, said he never saw her as Blair Waldorf. His first meeting with Meester at auditions is a mystery to me.

However, Crawford's perspective was immediately modified when Meester turned around slyly and wore Blair's iconic headband. Following that, he said, "That girl has great acting talent.". This is the perfect role for her.

After her "Gossip Girl" wedding, Lively shot her own
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In September 2012, Lively wore a gold wedding dress on the "Gossip Girl" set just a month after her intimate wedding to Ryan Reynolds. The series finale finally revealed the gown to fans after fans speculated at the time.

International spinoffs and remakes of "Gossip Girl."

The "Gossip Girl" series was a hit among American audiences, but its adaptation was also successful abroad. Mexican, Chinese, Turkish, and Thai spinoffs and remakes were produced. "Gossip Girl: Acapulco" promotional images resembled the original, but Univision did not renew the show.

Dorota also has a spinoff.

Dorota, played by Zuzanna Szadkowski, was one of Blair's favorite characters on "Gossip Girl." Chasing Dorota, the spinoff series featuring the character, premiered in 2009. In 2012, Szadkowski ended her career as a series regular on "Gossip Girl," though the show was canceled after six episodes.

Teens from the Upper East Side criticized the show's portrayal of them

Unsurprisingly, "Gossip Girl" received backlash from its real-life counterparts since it portrayed New York City's elite over the top. Some New York City schools even banned students from watching the show, according to The Sun.

While there are "parallel" aspects to the show, the majority isn't realistic, according to Spence School alumna Mina Beveney. She said she didn't understand how they could not do five hours of homework every night.

Cecily von Ziegesar wrote the book series "Gossip Girl."

Cecily Von Ziegesar writes the books for "Gossip Girl." MTV reported in 2008 that von Ziegesar had a significant problem with "Gossip Girl," despite claiming she enjoyed watching the show. It seems like they ruined Vanessa's character. Her shaved head and black clothing are essential in the book, where she's thought of as a kick-ass and has a shaved head.

The character Vanessa resonates with readers who usually don't read teen fiction. In the books, Vanessa is more like she is in reality. Even though she doesn't like Vanessa's character, she has nothing against Jessica as an actress.

Serena van der Woodsen was initially turned down by Lively

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005) had just caught Lively's attention, and she appeared to be a natural choice for Serena's role. Vanity Fair reports that when Lively was offered the opportunity, she declined, saying she wanted to go to college instead. However, thank you very much.

In response to Lively's statement, they said you could attend Columbia University once a week. You are welcome to come, but it can't be written. Once the show has run for a year, it will quiet down. It won't take long before your life returns to normal, and you can begin going to school again.

Hackers leaked scripts from the show.

A database breach led to major script leaks on "Gossip Girl" while it was airing. According to Vanity Fair, the producers hired a private investigator after scripts continued to appear online during the fourth season.

Due to their age, the teenager who sold them on eBay could not be prosecuted afterward. Producers fabricated red paper scripts or 'X'ed out each page of scripts in response to the hacks. According to a producer, it was like going through the gossip 'Gossip Girl' program.

During the 2010s, costume trends dominated retail.

The fashion trends of the 2010s were heavily influenced by "Gossip Girl" in the same way that "Sex and the City" influenced them in the late 1990s. Designers lined up for a chance to dress Lively or Meester because the show became so popular. When one prominent designer says yes, it's like opening the floodgates, and Chanel did say yes early on.

Everyone wanted to participate all of a sudden. It has been said that having an item displayed on "Gossip Girl" immediately leads to sales, such as Tory Burch on the show. Girls bring in magazine tear sheets from location shootings or everyday life featuring Blake Lively and Leighton Meester, Burch said.

Ed Westwick practiced his American accent.

Ed Westwick came up with his American accent on NBC's "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," according to Parade magazine. According to the actor, his high-class, pretentious accent was modeled after Carlton Banks.

There is no Margaret Colin in the pilot episode of Eleanor Waldorf. Florencia Lozano played Eleanor Waldorf, the fashion designer mother of Blair Waldorf, in the pilot episode of "Gossip Girl." However, Margaret Colin played the role throughout the rest of the series.

"Gossip Girl" books were originally intended for a movie

Warner Bros. planned to make a movie adaptation of the books starring Lindsay Lohan in the role of Blair Waldorf before The CW developed the series. Leslie Morgenstein told the publication in 2006 that the books are soap operas, and television makes sense for them.

Streaming-only HBO Max relaunched the show

HBO Max rebooted "Gossip Girl" for a new generation nearly ten years after it ended. This series follows teens on the Upper East Side of Manhattan eight years after the original Gossip Girl website disappeared. Emily Alyn Lind, Eli Brown, Whitney Peak, and Jordan Alexander also star in the reboot narrated by Kristen Bell.