From 2007 to 2012, "Gossip Girl" ruled the television word... or rather, the halls of an exclusive Manhattan prep school. Same thing.
The last episode aired nearly five years ago, but interest in the Upper East Siders still hasn't faded.
Everyone wants to know: What have these iconic characters been up to post "Gossip Girl?" Are they still dressed to the nines? Drinking cocktails in swanky hotels? Going to galas? Eating waffles in Brooklyn lofts Rufus-style?
We may no longer have Gossip Girl to help us figure out the whereabouts of our favorite socialites, but we *do* have a newer, more efficient stalking tool — Instagram.
Here is what the stars of "Gossip Girl" are like now, per their Instagram feeds:
Blake Lively — who starred as the wild child Serena van der Woodsen — is one of the few cast members who chose to stay in the public eye after "Gossip Girl" came to a close, and she is every bit as glamorous and famous as she was on the show.
She is the mother of two young daughters, James and Ines. Although Lively is a prominent figure in Hollywood, she chooses to keep her children out of the spotlight.
However, Lively has no problem making public appearances with her fellow superstar husband, Ryan Reynolds.
On the show, Leighton Meester played Blair Waldorf, the high-strung (but always poised) leader of the school's most exclusive clique.
Meester in real life, however, is way more down-to-earth.
(I mean, she eats fast food in the backseat of a car. Blair would never.)
Her "Gossip Girl" character was caught up in a tumultuous relationship (with none other than the infamous Chuck Bass), but the real-life Meester actually has a happy, stable marriage.
She and "The O.C." alum Adam Brody tied the knot in 2014. The pair share a 1-year-old daughter, Arlo Day.
It's great to see Meester living a fulfilled, drama-free life — even if it *is* a tad boring in comparison to Blair's.
On "Gossip Girl," Ed Westwick played the show's most extravagant character: Chuck Bass.
As it turns out, Westwick still leads a fancy-as-hell life.
He's always dressed to impress.
However, his sleek suit-and-tie combination isn't complete until Westwick has a glass of wine in-hand.
(It's not scotch, Chuck's drink of choice. But hey, still classy.)
And PSA, ladies: Westwick is currently still single.
4. Dan Humphrey (Penn Badgley)
Penn Badgley's character, Dan Humphrey, was a clean-shaven, generally level-headed writer who never seemed to fit in with the Waldorf-Bass posse.
Nor did he seem to care.
Badgley certainly shares Humphrey's "I'm-an-outsider-and-I-like-it-that-way" sentiments — but wow, does he look different nowadays:
Badgley had an incredible run as a high-profile actor, but he switched gears a few years ago to focus on his band, MOTHXR.
His scruffy "rocker beard" is no joke.
Badgley dated Zoë Kravitz for two years before meeting his future wife, Domino Kirke (yes, the sister of Jemima Kirke from "Girls").
He's no longer Lonely Boy, that's for sure.
4. Jenny Humphrey (Taylor Momsen)
Taylor Momsen started "Gossip Girl" as Jenny Humphrey, the young Brooklyn-dweller who desperately wanted to impress Blair's glamorous girl gang — but she ended "Gossip Girl" as Jenny Humphrey, the edgy fashion designer who wants nothing more than to stay out of the never-ending Upper East Side drama.
Much like her older brother on the show, Momsen completely transformed her look as "Gossip Girl" came to an end. The eyeliner-coated rocker shifted her focus to her band, The Pretty Reckless, and released her most successful studio album "Going to Hell" in 2014.
With the exception of her band, Momsen has ultimately decided to retire from the spotlight. But luckily for fans, her Instagram is full of artsy snapshots that scream "Season Six Jenny."
On "Gossip Girl," Jessica Szohr played Vanessa Abrams, Dan's homeschooled best friend who could never really adjust to her Upper East Side-adjacent life.
Szohr IRL, however, adjusted to Hollywood quite seamlessly. She's made several movie appearances, her social media is filled with glamorous snapshots and impressive makeup looks...
... and she promotes SugarBearHair vitamins à la Kardashian. Szohr clearly has this "Hollywood starlet/Instagram influencer" thing down.
Rest assured, Chace Crawford is still a real-life pretty boy — but he's definitely gotten gruffer over the years.
(But "Gossip Girl" fans certainly don't hate this bearded version of Nate Archibald. Bring on the heart-eye emojis.)
The slightly-shaggier Crawford is still in the entertainment industry. He most recently snagged a recurring role on Hulu’s "Casual."
However, he's perfectly OK with living a more grounded lifestyle. Crawford has finally gotten away from Gossip Girl's radar.
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