The Stunning Age Differences Between the Gossip Girl Cast and Their Iconic Characters
Discover the real ages of the Gossip Girl cast during filming! From Blake Lively as Serena at 20 to Kelly Rutherford as Lily at 39, see how these talented actors portrayed characters younger or older than themselves
Summary
The actors in Gossip Girl were relatively close in age to their teenage characters, with the majority of them being above 18 years old.
Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, and Penn Badgley portrayed 16-year-old characters on the show despite being in their early twenties. Meanwhile, Kelly Rutherford and Matthew Settle played parents in their forties on the show, although they were actually in their late thirties.
Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Penn Badgley, and several other young actors gained fame through the CW teen drama series Gossip Girl. This popular show, based on Cecily von Ziegesar's book series, aired for six seasons from 2007 to 2012. At the heart of the story was Gossip Girl, an anonymous blogger revealing the secrets of wealthy teenagers on Manhattan's Upper East Side. The mystery surrounding Gossip Girl's identity remained unsolved until the final episode.
Unlike many other teen shows of the 2000s and early 2010s, where older actors portrayed teenagers, the ages of the Gossip Girl cast members weren't significantly different from their characters. Although most of the CW series' stars were over 18, likely to comply with child labor laws, there wasn't a significant age gap between the actors and their on-screen counterparts.
10 Blake Lively (20) As Serena Van Der Woodsen (16)
Blake Lively took on the role of Serena van der Woodsen in Gossip Girl at the age of 19, shortly after celebrating her 20th birthday on August 25, 1987. This meant that the actress was not much older than her character in the popular CW teen drama series. In Gossip Girl, Serena's character was introduced as a 16-year-old student entering her junior year at the Constance Billard School for Girls and the St. Jude's School for Boys. After spending a year away from the city attending a boarding school in Connecticut, Serena's return became the subject of much gossip in the first season. Throughout the series, Serena was constantly caught up in dramatic situations, as befitting her role as the main character. However, by the end of the show, Serena managed to find her happily ever after. Thanks to a time jump in the final episode, the series concluded with Serena's character being around 26 or 27 years old.
9 Leighton Meester (21) As Blair Waldorf (16)
Leighton Meester portrayed the character of Blair Waldorf, Serena's closest friend, in the popular TV series Gossip Girl for all six seasons. Just like Blake Lively's character, Blair was just 16 years old when the series began. On the other hand, Meester was 21 years old during the filming of the pilot episode, quite effortlessly introducing the world to a character that would soon become a fan-favorite. Blair, known as the "Queen B" of the Constance Billard School for Girls, constantly found herself in conflicts with her friends, particularly Serena, despite their strong bond. However, much like the typical "Queen B" protagonists in teenage dramas, Blair possessed a complexity that surpassed initial expectations.
8 Penn Badgley (21) As Dan Humphrey (16)
Dan Humphrey, the protagonist of Gossip Girl, started off as a socially isolated teenager who had a secret crush on the popular girl he had never even spoken to. Despite being a typical 16-year-old, Dan attended St. Jude's School for Boys. As he mustered up the courage, Dan finally asked Serena out on a date. Throughout the series, their relationship became a significant focal point. It's interesting to note that in the world of Gossip Girl, their characters were the same age, but in reality, the actors, Blake Lively and Penn Badgley, had a one-year age difference. While filming the first season, Lively was 20 years old, whereas Badgley turned 21 during production.
7 Chace Crawford (21) As Nate Archibald (16)
6 Taylor Momsen (14) As Jenny Humphrey (14)
Nate Archibald was at the center of the drama between Serena and Blair at the start of Gossip Girl season 1. He, like the rest of the teens in the show, was 16 years old. Nate was Blair's boyfriend when the CW teen drama series premiered in 2007. However, he had previously cheated on her with Serena, which naturally caused tension among the three friends. Chace Crawford, who portrayed Nate throughout all six seasons of the show, was 21 years old during the filming of the first season.
Jenny Humphrey, the younger sister of Dan, was the youngest among the teenage characters in the popular TV series, Gossip Girl. At the start of the show, Jenny was just 14 years old and attending the Constance Billard School for Girls as a freshman. Despite her age, Jenny desired acceptance and approval from the older crowd, particularly from Blair. Eventually, Jenny discovered her own identity, but the path towards self-discovery was undeniably arduous. Interestingly, Taylor Momsen, the actress who portrayed Jenny in Gossip Girl, was the same age as her character (14 years old) during the filming of the first season.
5 Ed Westwick (20) As Chuck Bass (16)
4 Kelly Rutherford (39) As Lily Van Der Woodsen (41)
Chuck Bass, known for his controversial nature and manipulative tendencies, was a captivating character on the television series. Despite these traits, there was an undeniable allure about Chuck that drew viewers in. Particularly, Blair had a soft spot for him, and their relationship became a central focus of the show. Being the same age as Serena, Blair, Dan, and Nate in the first season (16), Chuck was a junior at St. Jude's School for Boys. Meanwhile, Ed Westwick was 20 years old when he first portrayed Chuck in Gossip Girl.
When the pilot episode of Gossip Girl premiered in 2007, Serena's mother, Lily van der Woodsen, was 41 years old. At the start of the show, Lily was a single mom and had a complicated love life just like her daughter. She was simultaneously dating Chuck's father, Bart Bass, and reconnecting with her former lover, Rufus Humphrey, who happened to be Dan and Jenny's father. It was evident that everyone was interconnected in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. While Lily's character was in her early forties, Kelly Rutherford, the actress who portrayed her, was younger and turned 39 during the first season of the show.
3 Matthew Settle (38) As Rufus Humphrey (42)
2 Jessica Szohr (22) As Vanessa Abrams (16)
Similar to Kelly Rutherford, Matthew Settle was slightly younger than his Gossip Girl character. Playing Rufus Humphrey in the CW teen drama series, Settle brought the character to life at the age of 38 while Rufus was depicted as 42 years old during season 1. As the father of Dan and Jenny in Gossip Girl, Settle brilliantly portrayed the role despite the slight age difference.
Although Dan lacked a large circle of school friends during the premiere of Gossip Girl, he always had Vanessa Abrams as a reliable companion. Having been best friends since childhood, their relationship could have evolved into something more, but Vanessa relocated to Vermont before that could happen. Eventually, in season 1, Vanessa returned to New York City, but Dan was already involved with Serena at the time, resulting in escalated drama between them. At the start of the series, Vanessa was 16 years old, while Jessica Szohr, the actress who portrayed her, accepted the role in Gossip Girl at the age of 22.
1 Kaylee DeFer (25) As Ivy Dickens (21)
Kaylee DeFer was the sole cast member of Gossip Girl who did not make an appearance in the initial season. Her character, Ivy Dickens, was introduced in the fourth season and eventually became a significant presence in the fifth season. Ivy posed as Lily's niece to gain the material wealth and prestige associated with being a part of the family, thus becoming Lily's rival. At the time of filming Gossip Girl, DeFer was 25 years old, whereas her character, Ivy, was portrayed as 21.
