Manhattan is known as the city that never sleeps. And apparently in Manhattan, neither does the gossip.
Say hello to CW 11’s new show, “Gossip Girl,” which premiered Sept. 19. The show is based off the popular book series, written by Cecily von Ziegesar, about the lives of wealthy teenagers who attend elite private schools in New York City. With their parents hardly ever around, and their booze cabinets kept unlocked, things are bound to get interesting.
Devoted fans should not be worried that the show won’t live up to their expectations. At a press conference in New York City, held by CW 11, Ziegesar said, “I’m amazed, delighted really, how close the show followed the book.”
However, she noted a few things were changed, but only to up the drama or have things make more sense. Nonetheless, she said it’s an “amazingly faithful rendition.”
When Ziegesar heard her series would be turning into a show, she was a little worried about the casting.
“I was anxious about casting,” Ziegesar said. “I thought, ‘Oh no, they’re going to be Barbie dolls with no personalities!'”
When she met with the final cast, she wound up “really thrilled.” Main characters include: Blake Lively (most notable for her role as Bridget in “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”) as Serena, Leighton Meester as Blair, Penn Badgley as Dan, Taylor Momsen as Jenny, Ed Westwick as Chuck, Nan Zhang as Katy, Nicole Fiscella as Isabel, and Chace Crawford as Nate.
Tuning in solely for the fashion? Be prepared; it seems as though fashion will be almost like a character in the show. Nicole Fiscella, who plays Isabel on the show, says the clothing is crazy. When asked about the clothing, she replied, “Lots of accessories, lots of couture.” Fiscella laughed as she explained some of the outrageous clothing she and co-star, Nan Zhang, would show up in scenes wearing. She did not want to spoil the humor of some of their outfits, but she did warn the audience to look out for them.
Not into the drama or the fashion? You may want to watch the show for music alone. According to Joe Lazarov, producer of “Gossip Girl,” “the music element is huge.” He said they spent a lot of time deciding on what music to place in the show, similar to the way music was a big part of the hit drama, “The O.C.”
Although the show may be racy at times with all the sex and drugs, Ziegesar hopes that mothers and daughters will be watching it together. She hopes that after watching the show, kids will start talking to their parents. Ziegesar also wanted to remind the audience that the characters, aside from the sex and drug use, are extremely smart kids who work hard and are trying to get into good colleges.
The gossip and drama are never-ending on CW-11’s “Gossip Girl.” Will you stick around to see how it unfolds?
