Though Gossip Girl premiered on The CW 15 years ago, fans are still crazy about the series, which focused on the lives of a few high school kids and their parents. Now, Jessica Szohr, who played Vanessa Abrams on the drama, is taking a trip down memory lane, as she recently launched her new podcast, “XOXO with Jessica Szohr,” in which she interviews cast and crew about the impact GG had on today’s society.
The idea came at the perfect time because the brunette beauty just had a baby and was moving to Canada, where her partner, Brad Richardson, had just gotten a job. “I said I loved their idea,” the 36-year-old exclusively tells GRAZIA USA of when she got the initial pitch from a production company. “Then my mind started going all over the place. ‘Wait, I can take this and creatively have fun with the production team and give the fans something they haven’t seen or heard — and I get to be home with my baby, now we’re talking!’ So, that is kind of came about and then we built a little studio in my home in Calgary. It’s really a win-win for everybody.”
So far, the actress has reunited with Chace Crawford, who played Nate Archibald, Taylor Momson, who played Jenny Humphrey, and Kelly Rutherford, who played Lily van der Woodsen.
“It’s super great,” she says of getting to gab with her former castmates. “Some people I am still dear friends with and see and talk to often and some I haven’t in a long time so either way, whether it’s reminiscing with someone that I still see or don’t, it’s still fun and cool because it’s still taking us back to a time that was super crazy for all of us.”
Szohr doesn’t have a “dream” guest, but at some point, she believes “everyone would like to hear from everyone.”
“We’re keeping the door open — and there are so many people that have been on the show,” she says. “We haven’t even really touched the surface. We talked with a lot of the main cast, but we have a lot of good episodes coming up.”
When the mom-of-one has to go back and watch episodes, she feels like she is “looking at it a different way” since she’s now “removed from the show.”
“We’re on different chapters in our lives — some of us have kids, some of us are working on other projects or in different other countries,” she notes. “We haven’t seen a lot of the episodes, so that also is super neat and funny. When I realized that Blair [Leighton Meester] had lost her virginity to Chuck [Ed Westwick] in the back of the limo in episode 7, season 1, my mind was blown – I thought that was season 3! It’s bringing back all different kinds of feelings. I knew people really loved it, but I am really understanding it in a different way now.”
At the time, most of the cast was the same age, which was a fun experience for Szohr and the crew — especially since they were living in New York City. “If it wasn’t concert tickets at Madison Square Garden or an art gallery opening or something in the fashion world, there was always something fun and cool going on,” she recalls. “And getting to be a part of a show that people were really enjoying and put a smile on their face when they put on the show is a pretty special thing.”
Though she hasn’t been able to watch the new Gossip Girl on HBO Max — she’s too busy prepping for the podcast! — she isn’t ruling out a reunion with the OG cast.
“I would say never say never. That would be cool, but I don’t know if that is happening. Nothing is in the works right now, but I would say never say never. Who knows! Right now, I am just focused on the podcast, and I am having fun with that,” she says.
Ultimately, the TV star is thankful that she was able to appear in a series that is beloved by so many.
“I think that show changed all of our lives in one way or another, and I am really happy I did,” she gushes. “I learned a lot, people really enjoyed the show, I really enjoyed my time in New York. I made some wonderful, beautiful friendships. I think it definitely changed my life.”
Fore more information about Szohr’s podcast, click here.
