Dive into Badgley’s candid views on Gossip Girl’s twist and alternatives.
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Is Penn Badgley still surprised by that Gossip Girl twist?
You bet he is. Back in the day, fans flipped when Dan Humphrey turned out to be the anonymous blogger, but Badgley isn’t holding back his thoughts.
He spilled the beans on Alex Cooper’s podcast, saying it just didn’t click for him.
What if Dorota had been the real puppet master?
That would’ve shaken things up big time. Badgley joked they’d all wanted Blair’s quirky maid in the hot seat, picturing her dishing out drama with a side of sass.
Cooper jumped in, agreeing Dorota would’ve “slapped” her way through the chaos, and it’s easy to see why—her no-nonsense vibe could’ve added a fresh, hilarious edge to the series.
Why did it have to be a series regular, though?
They needed someone central to keep viewers hooked, Badgley explained.
If it was just some side character, who would’ve cared?
He pointed out the “core six” as the heart of the show—think him, Leighton Meester, Blake Lively, and the rest—making the reveal hit harder.
Yet, he called Dan’s actions straight-up sociopathic, which makes you wonder about those plot twists we all loved.
How did Badgley react when he found out?
It hit him out of nowhere in the hair and makeup trailer, no big dramatic moment like JFK’s assassination—just a casual “huh, okay.”
He had to wrap his head around it fast, especially with filming the next day.
Looking back, he gets why they chose a writer like Dan, even if it felt off.
Did the creators plan this from the start?
Not even close, according to executive producer Joshua Safran. They didn’t intend to unmask Gossip Girl at all, which explains the plot holes.
Badgley laughed it off, saying the show was wild anyway, but it sparked global conversations on identity and secrets.
In the end, it’s that unpredictability that keeps fans talking years later, blending real-life insights with on-screen drama for a story that still bursts with energy.