Penn Badgley is delving into the challenges of detaching his authentic self from the persona he portrayed in "Gossip Girl." During a Wednesday guest appearance on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast, the lead actor of "You" opened his heart about embodying the character of Dan Humphrey in the beloved CW high school drama, which aired from 2007 to 2012.
When asked by podcast host Alex Cooper whether it was tough to leave his work behind when he stepped out of his trailer, Badgley responded, "It was indeed a battle... In film, you give it your all in one take and then move forward. But with a TV show, you're constantly immersed in it due to its very nature."
In his early twenties, Badgley confessed to struggling with the line between his on-screen identity and his real-life self as an actor. "I was 20, 21, 22, so I lacked the emotional maturity to distinguish my self-worth from what people perceived of Dan," he admitted. "It seemed that people's opinions of Dan mirrored their opinions of me."
Alex Cooper noted the intriguing parallels between Badgley's life and Dan's, mentioning that both were living in New York City and had real-life romantic entanglements with Blake Lively, much like their on-screen counterparts.
Badgley also reflected on how the late-2000s "celebrity culture," fueled by media outlets desperate for a quick headline, dominated during "Gossip Girl's" run. He recounted the constant inquisitions about his dating life, which made him feel like "you constantly need to justify your existence, or else, what's the purpose?"
Furthermore, he acknowledged that during his time on "Gossip Girl," "I possessed enough wisdom, self-awareness, and self-esteem... I wasn't losing myself in the role," but the constant entanglement with Dan Humphrey "bothered" him.
