September 2007 News Archive (Page 6)

Gossip Girl is here.

And over there.

The CW teen drama chronicling the life and times of privileged upper East Siders is taking over the New York City with talking billboards, "It" guides and shiny phone accessories.

This Saturday, if you happen to pass such major tourist spots as Times Square, Union Square, Central Park, Rockefeller Center and the Metropolitan Museum, volunteers will be handing out Gossip Girl "It" guides pointing out the hottest places in town to shop, hang or get a stone massage.

They'll also be giving out blinged-out "Kiss on the Lips" mirrors for your cell phone. (Kiss on the Lips is the cool-kid party featured in the show's first episode. You'll know about it in a week)

But that's not all.

If you're walking on Seventh Ave. or West Broadway, you might pass a large Gossip Girl billboard promoting the six main characters. The billboards feature speakers that play a two-minute audio loop of Gossip Girl gossip (voiced by actress Kristen Bell), catching you up on who the infamous "S" and "B" are.

If you have a Bluetooth device, you can even download promotional video clips of the show.

Last but not least, go to Times Square between 6 and 9 p.m. anytime this month and check out the Reuters and Nasdaq news tickers as they scroll info about the show and its characters.

Penn Badgley was recently interviewed by TeenTelevision.com.

Here are excerpts from the chat:

TeenTelevision: How did you come to get this role of Dan in Gossip Girl?
Penn: My agents sent it to me and, initially, I was hesitant because I'd done so many WB shows playing the same guy; the nice guy with maybe a hard edge so, by the end of each show, I'd sort of transform the character into a cooler guy [laughs].

That was my pride acting out. But, once I read the script and I knew that Josh [Schwartz The O.C.] and Stephanie [Savage The O.C.] were involved, that's when I signed onboard because I knew it would be something special.

TeenTelevision: Your role seems more "meaty." You're the guy who has more to prove, the outsider. Has that been fun for you?
Penn: Yeah, it's always nice to be the moral compass of a show. I think he stands out as the heart and soul and a lot of people identify with him, maybe more than others. It's much easier to like the guy that's smiling than the guy that's scowling. It's great but also, I'm hoping that they'll explore some darker sides of his character so that he can really have some arcs.

TeenTelevision: Have you suggested anything to the writers and creators that you would like for Dan to do?
Penn: I'll suggest certain things... as a joke but, in general, they've got a handle on it. They know what they're doing. Suggestions of mine would be taken to heart but, ultimately, they have their own vision and I just go along.. at this point. Maybe in Season four?

Click here to read the full interview.

Before Gossip Girl even hits the air, its stars are accepting new movie offers.

First, Blake Lively signed on to reprise her role in a sequel to The Sister of the Traveling Pants.

Now, Chace Crawford will be starring in the drama thriller She Lived. It began filming in July.

In the movie, the man who portrays Nate Archibald on Gossip Girl will be playing the role of Joseph Young, alongside actors Haley Bennett, Jake Weber, Shannon Marie Woodward, Nina Siemaszko, Marin Hinkle, Josh Stewart, Shanna Collins, AnnaLynne McCord and Kevin Cooney.

Blake Lively hasn't even starred on Gossip Girl yet.

But the 19-year old actress is already set to star in the upcoming movie The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2.

Lively had a role in the 2005 film The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, starring as Bridget Vreeland; she'll once again reprise that part in the sequel.

Also returning in the movie are the original core ensemble, including Ugly Betty's America Ferrera as Carmen Lowell, Joan of Arcadia's Amber Tamblyn as Tabitha "Tibby" Tomko-Rollins, and Gilmore Girls' Alexis Bledel as Lena Kaligaris.

Our friends at BuddyTV recently spoke with Gossip Girl (and Chuck) creator Josh Schwartz. Here are highlights of the interview:

Two shows this year. How do you even wrap your head around creating two new shows in one year?
It requires a lot of wrapping, head wrapping. But I'm really lucky, I'm working with a couple of really great writers. Stephanie Savage on Gossip Girl, who I worked with for a bunch of years on The O.C., and Chris Fedak who I created Chuck with. He's a buddy of mine going back to our college days at USC.

And how involved are you in both shows? Is there one that you're spending more time with?
I'm currently in the Caribbean on a hammock, drinking a cocktail with an umbrella in it.

So you're just, you create the two shows, you go away and you're reaping all the benefits.
If only. No, I'm heavily involved in both. Breaking stories, writing, rewriting. You know, in the editing room, all that kind of good stuff.

And is that difficult, to manage both shows? Do you feel ever that one show is getting less of your attention, and you feel like one's neglected, while you're focusing on the other one?
I sure hope not. I mean certainly, you can't be everywhere all the time, and there'll be times where I'll be spending more time on one show than another. But you know I'm trying to do my best to be involved in both.

Click here to read the full interview.

What are the cool kids gonna be watching this fall?

According to research by OTX (the Online Testing Exchange) the show that 13-17 year olds are aware of and intend to view is The CW's Gossip Girl.

ABC's Pushing Daisies came in second in intent to view.

Other shows that teens show a high level of awareness of include NBC's Bionic Woman, CBS' Kid Nation and ABC's Cavemen.

The findings come from OTX's Teen Topix survey, done in conjunction with the eCrush social networking site for youngsters. About 750 teens across the country were surveyed about their TV viewing behavior and preferences during the week of August 6.

Bruce Friend, president of media and entertainment insights at OTX, said some people may be surprised by the survey's finding that when it comes to learning about TV shows, teens said on-air promotions and other ads are their source of information.

"For all of the hype surrounding blogs and video-sharing sites, it's important for networks and marketers to understand that a majority of teenagers still get information about new programming from TV ads and promos," Mr. Friend said.

And that information has made them excited to watch the adventures of Blake Lively and Leighton Meester.

E! Online is focusing on a handful of fresh faces viewers will love during this fall season.

The first actress profiled? The Gossip Girl's very own Blake Lively!

Here's a look at what the article says about this actress:

Who She Is: Ladies and gentlemen, meet your new favorite Sister of the Traveling Pants. Blake is the last of the Sisterhood to have her own TV show. First, we met Alexis Bledel, aka Rory Gilmore of Gilmore Girls fame. Then we got to know Amber Tamblyn, aka Joan Girardi from Joan of Arcadia.

Third at bat was America Ferrera, now a huge star thanks to Ugly Betty.

Last but not least, Blake makes her television debut this fall, after spending most of her career so far in film. Better known to you Sisterhood fans as "Bee," Blake is the youngest of the four ingenues.

Where to Meet Her: This season on the CW, Blake stars on Gossip Girl as Serena van der Woodsen. Serena is a complicated beauty who has returned to her hometown of New York after a tour at boarding school. A woman with secrets, Serena nonetheless has a good heart, and she wants to do right by her friends and family.

Of course, that goal is complicated by her tempestous relationship with her mother and her frienemies at school, not the least of whom is the beautiful but insecure Blair Waldorf.

According to Blake: "Serena does have a past of being a bit wild, but what's interesting is that even though she's so young, she realizes that the way she's been living her life is wrong. It just makes her a cool person, that she's able to see that and wants to change.

Why You'll Love Her: Well, just look at her. Gorgeous! Of course, just to make you love-hate her all the more, she's also talented, smart, funny and genuine. And she's very, very excited to be here! She says:

"It just hit me yesterday that our show is going to come out soon! I thought, Oh crap, the show is going to premiere in two weeks! It's so anonymous right now, and people are going to see it!" Are they ever!

The sex starts about five minutes into the premiere of Gossip Girl, a new series based on the best-selling young-adult books by Cecily von Ziegesar. Within 20 minutes the characters, privileged Upper East Side private schoolers, are downing martinis at the Palace Hotel.

There is some pot smoking in Central Park, and more sex, at the Campbell Apartment bar, and more pot smoking, en route to Queens. Forget the No. 7 train: this gang travels to the outer boroughs via limo, with bottles of Champagne in hand.

For the teenagers of New York, 10021, the city is a playground of temptation. Created by Josh Schwartz, the 31-year-old wunderkind behind The OC, and his business partner Stephanie Savage, Gossip Girl has already gained buzz as the East Coast version of his former show.

It features an ensemble cast of fresh-faced actors (including Blake Lively as a nicer Marissa Cooper and Penn Badgley as a Seth Cohen type); soapy plot lines (Will Nate dump Blair for Serena? Will Rufus reconnect with Lilly?); a pop- culture soundtrack (Amy Winehouse, Rihanna and Peter Bjorn and John) and teenage tech savvy (they text-message constantly).

Continue Reading...

Leighton Meester is cooling her heels.

No, not the black patent heels she'll be perched high atop for her first scene of the day. That's hours away, reports The Associated Press.

Right now, she's passing time, barefoot, in a trailer parked off bustling Madison Avenue in midtown Manhattan. When she gets the call, she'll report for a 90-minute hair-and-makeup session in another trailer a block from here.

Then, returning, she'll slip into a white Thread Social eyelet mini-dress, floral-knit black tights and those T-strap pumps - just the thing for a swank Sunday brunch, as staged by her new CW drama at the New York Palace Hotel up the street, where production trucks and crew have already converged.

It's about 7 a.m. on a bright, sunny July morning, and Meester is bright and sunny, too, having arrived a few minutes earlier wearing a lavender sundress and a smile, prepared to make herself at home until she's summoned.

White noise wheezing from the trailer's air conditioner does a pretty good job masking traffic outside, "but I keep realizing: I'm on the street in a box!" Meester laughs. "Like they say: The acting is for free. I get paid to wait."

True enough. But career-wise, Meester's wait could be just about over.

Click here to read the full article.