The Gossip Girl Cast Reveals The Most Exciting Part Of Being On The Show - Exclusive
Now that the first episode of the "Gossip Girl" reboot has officially aired on HBO Max, fans are getting a taste of an all-new Upper East Side. And while the skeleton of the series is in line with the original, the privileged characters are a tad more aware of their status in high society. As a result, the reboot is offering a much more self-aware vibe — and the cast is totally here for this new iteration of Manhattan's elite youth. In addition to a more diverse cast, new iteration of "Gossip Girl" itself explores a range of sexual identities without boxing in its characters.
During an exclusive interview, Looper spoke to Savannah Lee Smith and Zión Moreno, who play Monet de Haan and Luna La in the new "Gossip Girl" series. They dished on the most rewarding aspects of taking on their respective roles and why the series' new self-awareness is essential for its Gen Z audience.
Manhattan's new and diverse elite
On what the most rewarding aspect of the show has been, Savannah Lee Smith said, "Well, for me, I think the most rewarding thing has been — this is my first project ever, so it's really rewarding to be able to be part of a project that is more diverse than its parent [series]."
Noting how the show's representation has personally affected her, Smith told Looper, "It's just fulfilling to me that a little brown girl, a little Black girl, a little bi girl is going to watch the show and get to see me inspire them and show them we can be in positions of power, and we really can do these things because I would have loved to see that growing up, and I think we need more of it, so it's just really humbling, and it's a blessing to me." And it's certainly beneficial to the teenagers who don't often see themselves represented on TV.
Zión Moreno added, "I'm just really humbled, too, because this is the biggest project that I've ever embarked on. And it's such a large scale, so I think that that has been really exciting for me. And like Savannah said, I think that it's going to be really rewarding to be able to make an impact on little queer kids lives, on little Latino kids' lives, and I just hope that we can [use] that representation and inspire them to live authentically and live to the fullest."
Reshaping Gossip Girl
Savannah Lee Smith also opened up about how the "Gossip Girl" reboot is tackling societal issues in a way that the original never quite reached. "I think there's just an awareness now. We're all kind of aware of the things that need to change and the things that people want to change. And we're aware of the things that should not be said and things that are still okay in [the] sense of fiction," she explained. "I just think the writers have done a great job of navigating stuff like that in terms of putting things in the script."
Noting the "woke" controversy that sparked outrage from many original "Gossip Girl" fans, Smith added, "I know that on Twitter, everyone was getting mad because [actor] Evan [Mock] called the show woke. And everyone was so nervous that we were going to be politically correct, but stop." She clarified, "It's still 'Gossip Girl.' There's still drama. We're still giving you juice, do you know what I mean? So you don't need to worry about that."
The first episode of the "Gossip Girl" reboot is available to stream on HBO Max now, with new episodes airing on Thursdays. Fans can catch up on the original series as well, also streaming on the platform.