As excitement builds for HBO's hotly-anticipated Gossip Girl reboot, we can’t help but feel nostalgic for Blair and Serena exchanging two-faced niceties on the steps of the MET.

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The original CW show lasted for six seasons between 2007-2012 and focused on the richest of the rich, living on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

As we grew obsessed with the stately New York City apartments, impossibly expensive outfits, and slightly incestuous relationships (we’re looking at you, Serena and Dan), Hollywood stars were born.

But as the glow of Gossip Girl faded, where did they go? We’re here to fill you in.

Blake Lively

Lively played It girl Serena van der Woodson and is perhaps the best known of the original six cast members. Since Gossip Girl, Lively has established herself as a fashion icon at the Met Gala and launched (then un-launched) digital magazine and e-commerce website Preserve. She has also welcomed three daughters into the world with her husband, Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds.

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Lively also found time to star in films including The Age of Adaline (2015), blockbuster The Shallows (2016), and A Simple Favour (2018).

Next up? Lively will star as Josie Schuller in Netflix series Lady Killer, a comic-book adaptation about a housewife with a deadly side-hustle.

Leighton Meester

Meester played rival queen bee and overachiever Blair Waldorf, and was often considered the breakout star of the series. Not only an actress, she released her debut album Heartstrings in 2014, has appeared in print ads for Vera Wang and Jimmy Choo, and is an active philanthropist, having worked with Feeding America since 2017.

Meester is also married to The OC alum Adam Brody, with whom she has two children.

As far as her acting career goes, in 2014 she featured in The Judge opposite Robert Downey Jr. and made her Broadway debut as the infamous Curly’s Wife in Of Mice and Men. Most recently, she had a lead role in two seasons of ABC sitcom Single Parents.

Next up? Meester has been cast as the lead in the Netflix adaptation of Sarah Alderson’s psychological thriller, The Weekend Away.

Penn Badgley

Labelled as the most relatable character, Badgley played Dan Humphrey, who still lived in a suspiciously luxurious and spacious loft in Brooklyn. Badgley’s other breakout roles came in 2010 comedy Easy A, in which he played Emma Stone’s love interest, Todd, and 2011 financial thriller drama Margin Call, for which the ensemble cast won an Independent Spirit Award. Badgley also married singer Domino Kirke in 2017.

Since Gossip Girl, his most popular role has been in Netflix's dark psychological thriller series, You. Playing Joe, a toxic and obsessive lover, his character will stop at nothing to achieve the romance he thinks he deserves.

Next up? The third season of You is set to be released later in 2021.

Chace Crawford

Crawford played golden boy Nate Archibald, the on-again, off-again boyfriend of both Blair and Serena in the show.

Since Gossip Girl, Crawford has had a steady career. He played a father-to-be in What to Expect When You’re Expecting opposite Anna Kendrick in 2011, guest-starred on Glee in 2014, and had a main role in Amazon Prime superhero-hit The Boys as aquatic superhuman The Deep.

Next up? Season three of The Boys is currently in production and Crawford has also been cast in upcoming biker film, Riptide.

Ed Westwick

Westwick played Chuck Bass, the series’ token bad boy who turned out to be semi-decent. He has since appeared in the iconic teen romcom Chalet Girl in 2011, as antagonist Tybalt in 2013’s Romeo and Juliet, and as salesman Vincent in BBC Two series White Gold from 2017-2019.

In November 2017, Westwick was accused of rape and sexual assault by three women. He strongly denied the allegations and in July 2018 the Los Angeles District Attorney announced he would not be prosecuted. The allegations meant that filming of series two of White Gold was paused and Westwick’s scenes in the BBC adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Ordeal by Innocence were re-shot.

Next up? Westwick will feature in scripted podcast show, The Bystanders, a dark comedy in which a group of neighbours witness a murder.

Taylor Momsen

Momsen played Jenny Humphrey, Dan Humphrey’s little sister. Momsen left as a season regular at the end of the fourth season when she decided to focus on her music career. Besides a brief appearance in the finale of Gossip Girl, she featured in no further episodes.

Since then, Momsen has been full-time lead vocalist of The Pretty Reckless, an American rock band. The band has released four studio albums and supported bands including Evanescence and Fall Out Boy on tour. Their music has been featured in the film Kick-Ass and television series The Vampire Diaries.

Next up? The Pretty Reckless recently released their fourth studio album, Death by Rock and Roll, in February 2021.

The new series of Gossip Girl drops on HBO Max on Thursday 8th July for US viewers and will air on BBC One and stream on BBC iPlayer later this year.

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