Post by -Mother Chucker- on Jan 15, 2009 14:44:15 GMT -5
OMFG. Grab your popcorn, pull over your blanket and prepare to feel guilty - because the most indulgent show on TV is back for a second season. The last we saw of the Gossip Girl gang, Dan had split from Serena, Chuck had ditched Blair and a lovelorn Nate was heading off to his holiday home in the Hamptons. So what's in store next? We rang up Chace Crawford - the relentlessly handsome Nate - to find out.
What's happening with Nate as we begin season two?
"We throw out the idea of me and Serena being a couple together, alone in the Hamptons, but it's all just a decoy. At the start of the season, I've acquired a little marital affair, with a cougar - a gorgeous older woman! It's risky business for Nate, though."
Are you surprised by how successful the show has become?
"Yeah. It wasn't a total shock, but you couldn't prepare for something like that. It was mind-blowing, but then again, we knew it had potential because Josh [Schwartz] and Stephanie [Savage] were behind the project. It wasn't really fully reflected in the ratings at first - it's really nice that with the second season so far, they're really up and increasing. The work environment on set is just great, we could not be happier."
Are you bothered a lot when you're filming on location in New York?
"Yeah, it can be rather difficult, but we're all used to it. You lose your focus in the studio anyway because there are 60 people and massive cameras, but it can be annoying on location when photographers are in your line of vision, snapping away. They're like little wasps that fly around you! It's also funny with girls - sometimes, after 3.30pm when school's gone out, if one of them sees you, the viral text messaging starts! Then after an hour you turn around and there's like 100 of them... with their moms. It's pretty cool though."
Had you read the books before you started shooting the show?
"No, I hadn't actually. One of the girls had it on set when we were shooting the pilot and I just gandered over the first quarter of the book. I must say, it's a lot racier than the show is! People think the show's bad, but the books are pretty out there."
Jenny's very different... particularly her chest.
"Hahaha! Exactly! It's very odd. There's a lot more swearing, drugs and sex in the books, but it's a different medium. In the book Nate is very indifferent, very much a stoner and kind of a jock. In the show they gave him some heart, a little soul."
They've flirted with the idea of Jenny and Nate getting together - and in the books they do - but do you think it ever will happen?
"It might have already happened in season two, you never know! They dabble with that idea a lot. It's hard because she is so young. In high school, a two grade or three grade gap is a big deal. The reality is hard to sustain. As you say they flirt with it and the chemistry's there. But then again Nate's taking any flirting that's available."
How about Nate and Serena getting together?
"I wish they would! It seems like the scenes between them are always so depressing because they're both bitching about things. But there's an underlying chemistry, so if they gave it a go I'm sure it would work. Who knows? If [the show] goes on long enough I'm sure they will go there."
How long do you think it will go for?
"We signed in blood for six years, but that's just typical. You don't know though - with the network and the economy, it's all up in the air. Four is a good number though, so maybe we can reach that. We'll see."
What would happen if you go that far? They need to graduate soon!
"We've discussed that. I know with The O.C., the fourth season was so great when they went off to college. In the North East, the colleges are so close together. In the sixth episode of the new season we had a college visit, and we all visited Yale. Nate's given up hopes on USC and Chuck just cares about the girls there. Serena's also given up hopes of Brown. I think we will go off to college. And Gossip Girl will follow, wherever we go!"
You live with co-star Ed Westwick (Chuck) in New York. How does that work out?
"It works out great. Put it in perspective: you throw six 21-year-olds into Manhattan and it's like, no-one realises exactly how expensive New York really is. I get along with the British well - my other best friend is from Brighton - and he was cool. I didn't hang out with him that much on the pilot because his girlfriend was in but I was like 'hey man, I know you've never lived here before, let's just put our money together and get a great place'. We went for it. You kind of become brothers in that sense. And we're going through a similar craziness of the show. We don't have the same hours - it's not like we have the same 9 to 5 job every day and work in the same cubicle! It's very lop-sided in fact. It's a good situation and it's worked out well."
Has the British influence rubbed off on you?
"I've gotten into a lot of good British bands and gotten him into American football. Also I've started saying 'garage' instead of 'gas station'. And he's like 'eh mate, take out the rubbish?' It does make watching Guy Ritchie's movies a lot easier, that's for sure."
Gossip Girl airs Wednesday, January 21 at 9pm on ITV2.
What's happening with Nate as we begin season two?
"We throw out the idea of me and Serena being a couple together, alone in the Hamptons, but it's all just a decoy. At the start of the season, I've acquired a little marital affair, with a cougar - a gorgeous older woman! It's risky business for Nate, though."
Are you surprised by how successful the show has become?
"Yeah. It wasn't a total shock, but you couldn't prepare for something like that. It was mind-blowing, but then again, we knew it had potential because Josh [Schwartz] and Stephanie [Savage] were behind the project. It wasn't really fully reflected in the ratings at first - it's really nice that with the second season so far, they're really up and increasing. The work environment on set is just great, we could not be happier."
Are you bothered a lot when you're filming on location in New York?
"Yeah, it can be rather difficult, but we're all used to it. You lose your focus in the studio anyway because there are 60 people and massive cameras, but it can be annoying on location when photographers are in your line of vision, snapping away. They're like little wasps that fly around you! It's also funny with girls - sometimes, after 3.30pm when school's gone out, if one of them sees you, the viral text messaging starts! Then after an hour you turn around and there's like 100 of them... with their moms. It's pretty cool though."
Had you read the books before you started shooting the show?
"No, I hadn't actually. One of the girls had it on set when we were shooting the pilot and I just gandered over the first quarter of the book. I must say, it's a lot racier than the show is! People think the show's bad, but the books are pretty out there."
Jenny's very different... particularly her chest.
"Hahaha! Exactly! It's very odd. There's a lot more swearing, drugs and sex in the books, but it's a different medium. In the book Nate is very indifferent, very much a stoner and kind of a jock. In the show they gave him some heart, a little soul."
They've flirted with the idea of Jenny and Nate getting together - and in the books they do - but do you think it ever will happen?
"It might have already happened in season two, you never know! They dabble with that idea a lot. It's hard because she is so young. In high school, a two grade or three grade gap is a big deal. The reality is hard to sustain. As you say they flirt with it and the chemistry's there. But then again Nate's taking any flirting that's available."
How about Nate and Serena getting together?
"I wish they would! It seems like the scenes between them are always so depressing because they're both bitching about things. But there's an underlying chemistry, so if they gave it a go I'm sure it would work. Who knows? If [the show] goes on long enough I'm sure they will go there."
How long do you think it will go for?
"We signed in blood for six years, but that's just typical. You don't know though - with the network and the economy, it's all up in the air. Four is a good number though, so maybe we can reach that. We'll see."
What would happen if you go that far? They need to graduate soon!
"We've discussed that. I know with The O.C., the fourth season was so great when they went off to college. In the North East, the colleges are so close together. In the sixth episode of the new season we had a college visit, and we all visited Yale. Nate's given up hopes on USC and Chuck just cares about the girls there. Serena's also given up hopes of Brown. I think we will go off to college. And Gossip Girl will follow, wherever we go!"
You live with co-star Ed Westwick (Chuck) in New York. How does that work out?
"It works out great. Put it in perspective: you throw six 21-year-olds into Manhattan and it's like, no-one realises exactly how expensive New York really is. I get along with the British well - my other best friend is from Brighton - and he was cool. I didn't hang out with him that much on the pilot because his girlfriend was in but I was like 'hey man, I know you've never lived here before, let's just put our money together and get a great place'. We went for it. You kind of become brothers in that sense. And we're going through a similar craziness of the show. We don't have the same hours - it's not like we have the same 9 to 5 job every day and work in the same cubicle! It's very lop-sided in fact. It's a good situation and it's worked out well."
Has the British influence rubbed off on you?
"I've gotten into a lot of good British bands and gotten him into American football. Also I've started saying 'garage' instead of 'gas station'. And he's like 'eh mate, take out the rubbish?' It does make watching Guy Ritchie's movies a lot easier, that's for sure."
Gossip Girl airs Wednesday, January 21 at 9pm on ITV2.
www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/a139433/chace-crawford-gossip-girl.html
