Gossip Girl News (Page 7)

Who knows if they're true or not, but some of the rumors emerging from the Gossip Girl set sure make it sound a lot like high school.

The hit CW series about privileged private scholars has resumed shooting in New York, but one Gossip Girl cast member, Nan Zhang, who played sidekick Kati Farkas, is no longer with the show.

Series creator Josh Schwartz said about two weeks ago that Nan Zhang had enrolled at Brown University during the writers' strike and simply "didn't tell anyone on the show."

But the New York Daily News reports that the real reason for her departure was a long-running feud with Leighton Meester.

"[Nan Zhang] was pushed off the show," says a Gossip Girl spy. "Leighton Meester didn't like her, and she went."

Was Leighton Meester behind Nan Zhang vanishing from Gossip Girl?

The appearance of a new Asian actress on the set last week suggested that Zhang may have been replaced. But another insider says the Kati Farkas character has been written out altogether.

"Jenny [played by Taylor Momsen] has a new group of random bitchy girls as friends," said the source, explaining why Kati's close pal Isabel (played by Nicole Fiscella) remains in the picture.

Says the show's rep: "I think [Zhang] may have had another opportunity come up, but I know she was big into school. She was really sweet, but she went back to school."

Was there any tension with the Meester-meister?

"Absolutely not true," said Leighton Meester's rep.

Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton will reportedly be writing a new column in the hopes of promoting the show Gossip Girl in the UK.

Hilton will be writing a weekly column for ITV.com (the website of station ITV) after each episode of Gossip Girl that airs there.

Perez's first column will go up on the ITV.com website tonight, April 9, alongside Gossip Girl photos, cast news and recaps.

All of which you can find right here, BT-Dubs.

Known for his harsh take on celebrity gossip and crude art, Hilton will hopefully be more forgiving to the Gossip Girl cast members.

The blogger has been working hard to raise his profile, signing up for a regular slot on MTV's music and gossip show TRL.

He already had his own reality TV show on VH1, What Perez Sez, as well as plenty of regular talk show appearances.

Good to see he's a Gossip Girl fan!

There don't appear to be any shots from new episode in this ad, but here's a promo for the upcoming "season" of Gossip Girl, starting April 21. Pretty cool. Just under three weeks to go until it's back! At last!

Here are the dates (and titles for all but one) of the new episodes of Gossip Girl to air Mondays on the CW later this spring ...

• April 21: "The Blair Bitch Project"
• April 28: "Desperately Seeking Serena"
• May 5: "All About My Brother"
• May 12: "Woman On The Verge"
• May 19: TBA

Looks like there's a new kid on the Gossip Girl block.

Young stud Jesse Swenson has reportedly joined the cast of the show... for how long, we don't know. But here is a photo of Jesse Swenson on the set, filming some scenes with star Taylor Momsen (Jenny Humphrey)...

Gossip Girl returns with all new episodes on April 21. We can't wait to see what kind of drama transpires with this new character... as well as with a scandalous Nate and Vanessa hookup that's going down ...

Who's gay? How do they come out? Why did Serena leave and then come back, anyway? TV Guide's Ausiello Report may not answer these burning questions from the Gossip Girl universe, but there are some interesting tidbits in it. See below (minor spoiler alert) ...

Question: Out with it - who's gay on your newest obsession, Gossip Girl?

Ausiello: My loose lips are sealed. Except to say that in the first two episodes back, the individual in question will come out, get a love interest and make out with said love interest — and not necessarily in that order.

Question: At Paley Fest, Blake Lively told you that sleeping with Nate isn't the real reason Serena left. I know you know something.

Ausiello: I know that Michelle Trachtenberg holds the key to that little secret, and I wouldn't think of spoiling it here. What I will spoil is the real reason Blake Lively bolted from the stage immediately after the Gossip Girl panel Saturday night — and it wasn't to escape the gaggle of fans that swarmed the dais, as some in the media have speculated. Anyone who was standing within three feet of Lively as she raced out of the auditorium (i.e., me) could clearly hear her begging someone — anyone — to point her to the nearest bathroom because she had "to pee for the last hour!" Within seconds, a security guard jumped into action, escorted her to the loo and then back to the stage, where she joined the rest of the cast in signing autographs. Consider the record set straight.

TV Guide sleuth Michael Ausiello was on hand at the Gossip Girl panel at Paley Fest '08, in which the entire Gossip Girl cast, plus author Cecily von Ziegesar, executive producers Josh Schwartz, Stephanie Savage and Bob Levy, and Entertainment Weekly's Tim Stack were all on hand.

Here are his highlights from the event, which was chock full of Gossip Girl news, spoilers and, well, gossip. Take it away, Michael ...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shhhhh: In lieu of an episode, Schwartz introduced an extended clipathon of Season One so far, plus a bonus outtake reel. Throughout the clip package, there was an inordinate amount of whispering and giggling coming from the row behind me. Turns out, the entire cast had snuck in after the lights dimmed, and Chace Crawford, Penn Badgley, Leighton Meester and Blake Lively were right behind me!

They really are BFFs: Right before they were brought up on stage, I observed Meester and Lively frantically (and giddily) touching up each other's makeup. And at that precise moment, all was right in my world.

The other GG: There were some Gilmore Girls fans on hand. I know this because when Matthew Settle (Rufus Humphrey) mentioned that his wife was a fan, a mini riot erupted in the mezzanine.

Hair today, gone tomorrow: True blonde Leighton Meester wore a brown wig when she auditioned for Blair. Once it became clear that she was going to get the part, producers asked her to lose the wig and dye her mane instead.

Moving on a budget: Settle revealed that the CW gave the cast each $6K to relocate to New York, which he joked is about enough to cover the rent on a bathroom.

Class act: Kelly Rutherford shared a story about the scary lengths to which some paparazzi will go to snap pics of the cast that only made me love her more. Recalling a recent incident in which a photographer nearly got run over by a cab while trying to take her picture, she remembered telling him, "Please ... I'm the mom. [Blake Lively] is coming in a minute."

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Actress and Buffy the Vampire Slayer alumna Michelle Trachtenberg is set to join the Gossip Girl cast when the show returns in April, reports TV Guide.

Michelle Trachtenberg will play Georgina Sparks, a girl from Serena's (Blake Lively) past. Mischa Barton reportedly turned down this role.

Michelle, 22, is on a career comeback since Buffy and it's starting to take off. She's also starring alongside heartthrob Zac Efron in 17 Again in August.

The CW has arranged a new lineup that includes Gossip Girl remaining at its current Monday, 8 p.m. time slot, for those unaware.

On April 7, One Tree Hill moves to 9 p.m. Monday and follows Gossip Girl, which returns with all-new episodes starting April 21.

The network said the pairing will create "a powerful night of drama for The CW." Hopefully viewers deliver it ratings to match!

Meanwhile, Pussycat Dolls Presents: Girlicious presents its final new episodes at 9 p.m. Wednesdays, starting on April 9.

A new season of Beauty and the Geek begins March 11, and the quirky Reaper will move to 9 p.m. Tuesdays begining March 25.

Supernatural returns with new episodes on April 3. The Game will shift to 9 p.m. Sundays, starting March 23, with Girlfriends at 9:30.

The wait is finally over!

Well, not soon enough. But the end is in sight!

We've learned that Gossip Girl goes back into production starting mid-March, with all-new episodes starting Monday, April 21.

We can't wait for the return of Blake Lively, Penn Badgley and the rest of our favorites from the Gossip Girl cast.

Maybe there's not as much acting as you thought on the set of Gossip Girl, according to a report in today's Chicago Sun-Times.

It's not the first time we've heard this gossip, but it's still worth posting. And this time, Chace Crawford is also involved.

A show staffer reports that there's no love lost between stars Leighton Meester (Blair Waldorf), Chace Crawford (Nate Archibald) and Blake Lively (Serena van der Woodsen) - at least the last time they were together.

The writers' strike has shut down production of the hit CW series for months, though it's now over, with new episodes set to return this spring.

"At times it was so ugly, people only would talk to each other when they had to - delivering lines in a scene," said the source.

"What's funny ... when they would be throwing really bitchy lines at each other, it was often things [the actors] really thought about each other."

Leighton Meester (Blair) and Chace Crawford (Nate) flirt in the pool.

Perhaps real-life jealousy and intense competition for media attention is helping give Gossip Girl the edge that we love to see?

"They all put on a good front - pretending to be so buddy-buddy whenever they're doing press - but once they don't think anyone's listening, they really let fly with some nasty stuff," said the source.