The Gossip Girl spin-off, set to take off via a 20-minute flashback on the CW series' May 11 episode, hasn't even received an official pick-up, but executive producer Josh Schwartz already has a lot of ideas for it.
For instance, according to Schwartz, since the spin-off took place in the 80s when Serena's (Blake Lively) mom Lily (Kelly Rutherford) was in high school, it's very possible that she'll meet and even hang out with several characters from The O.C.
“What we know is [O.C. characters] Kirsten Cohen, or Kirsten Nichols as she was born, and Jimmy Cooper lived in Newport Beach in the ‘80s,” he said. “So there's a total possibility that in one episode, Lily could have been friends with Kirsten or Jimmy Cooper when they were young. I would love to do that.”
The CW has previously said that the spin-off will receive the green light depending on how the particular episode would fare in the ratings as well as the general public reception.
- Glenn L. Diaz, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Access Hollywood
(Image courtesy of the CW)
Michelle Trachtenberg is the latest actress to join the NBC pilot called Mercy, a drama about three nurses bound together in friendship. According to The Hollywood Reporter, she will be playing a more mature role as one of the show's central trio of nurses.
The Gossip Girl actress will be joining Dark Matter actress Taylor Schilling, who will play Veronica Callahan, a nurse at Mercy Hospital after a tour in Iraq, and former Men in Trees star James Tupper, who will play Chris Sands, a new doctor at Mercy Hospital who had a sizzling affair with one of the nurses while both were stationed in Iraq. Among the three, however, Trachtenberg's character appears to be the most inexperienced.
Mercy, which is created by Elizabeth Heldens and helmed by Adam Bernstein (Worst Week), will also include Men in Trees actor Diego Klattenhoff as a contractor and blue-collar worker who is married to one of the nurses, Weeds actor Guillermo Diaz as a male nurse and Just Legal's Jaime Lee Kirchner.
Trachtenberg, who is perhaps most noted for her role on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, was last seen in the small screen as the devious Georgina Sparks on Gossip Girl. Though she only appeared on four episodes, she left a lasting impression – enough for the show runners to bring her back on the canvas this April.
Aside from her upcoming guest stint on Gossip Girl, fans can also catch Trachtenberg opposite High School Musical's Zac Efron in the movie 17 Again, which hits theaters on April 17, as well as in the film Young Americans, a comedy about an aimless college graduate who pursues his dream girl at a wild Labor Day weekend party starring Anna Faris and Topher Grace.
What's it like to kiss Dan Humphrey? That seems like a question that Laura Breckenridge can easily answer. The 25-year-old actress joined the cast of Gossip Girl this season as teacher Rachel Carr and almost immediately sparked sexual tension with Penn Badgley's character. But while there's undeniable chemistry between the two, Breckenridge reveals that her make-out scenes with Badgley weren't as simple and pleasurable as it may seem.
“Well, he's a very handsome guy and he's a very sweet guy. I do have to say that when you're doing that on set, it doesn't sound very sexy. You're in a scene, and it's very technical, so it's not necessarily a steamy make-out scene, as much as it seems … but he's very nice. I've got to say, those scenes sometimes are more awkward than sexy, but it was fun,” Breckenridge told MTV news at Wednesday night's Gen Art Film Festival launch party.
Breckenridge mostly worked with Badgley, Blake Lively, and Leighton Meester during her stint on Gossip Girl, and, like most guest stars on the show, she really had a great time.
“[It was] one of the most fun jobs I've ever had,” she said. “First of all, the show's a lot of fun. Also the cast and crew are amazing. I was the newbie on set, and they were very welcoming. I loved going to work; I don't think you can ask for a better working environment. I don't know if I can pick a favorite [cast member to work with]. I worked mainly with Penn, Blake and Leighton, and I really loved all three of them. I can't pick, I honestly can't choose. They were all very fun.”
Breckenridge was last seen in the episode "The Age of Dissonance" in which Dan found out Rachel sent negative information to Yale about Blair so Blair wasn't able to attend Yale. As for her possible return on Gossip Girl, Breckenridge doesn't seem too optimistic about it.
“I'm not sure. I think Ms. Carr left in a lot of scandal. She fell from grace a bit,” Breckenridge said.