Chace Crawford recently shed light on the "creative confines" that enveloped him following his meteoric rise as Nate Archibald in the iconic series "Gossip Girl." The 39-year-old actor likened it to "the CW's pretty boy prison," detailing during a June 14th episode of "The Good Guys" podcast how, while the hit show catapulted him to stardom, it also restricted his artistic freedom.
"I felt lost in the wilderness for years after 'Gossip Girl,' trapped within this predefined box," Crawford confessed. Despite his post-series endeavors, including roles in ABC's "Blood & Oil" and the teenage vampire film "Cry of Fear," Crawford felt typecast, with agents and casting directors relying heavily on his image as the "polished, prep school poster boy." He admitted that these expectations weighed down on him, stating, "I was perhaps too harsh on myself."
Crawford's artistic breakthrough arrived with Amazon Prime's superhero satire "The Boys" in 2019, where he portrayed the morally ambiguous character, The Deep. He vividly recounted his initial reaction to the audition notice, exclaiming, "That sounds insane... this pilot is absolutely fantastic! It's so original and bizarre." Describing his character, he said, "In the role of The Deep, I understood that guy instantly... I felt a surge of confidence and excitement."
He noted the intense competition during the casting process, with over 50 actors auditioning for the role. However, it was executive producer Eric Kripke's appreciation for his nuanced performance that sealed his fate. Crawford credits "The Boys" with liberating him from his "early-career prison," allowing him to delve into a grittier, emotionally complex character, thereby proving his versatility as an actor.
Crawford's journey from teen heartthrob to a fan-favorite in a critically acclaimed, genre-bending series serves as a potent reminder of resilience in Hollywood. As he currently films the fifth and final season of "The Boys," he has firmly left behind the "Gossip Girl" label that once defined him.
