Taylor Momsen Reveals Why She Quit Gossip Girl
Taylor Momsen Opens Up About Quitting Gossip Girl: ‘It Was Killing Me’
Taylor Momsen is reflecting on one of the toughest moments of her early career — walking away from Gossip Girl.
In a candid chat with Alex Cooper on the Call Her Daddy podcast, the actress-turned-musician revealed how leaving the hit teen drama became an emotional and professional battle with studio executives.
Taylor Momsen reveals what really went down behind-the-scenes when she left the show in the middle of "Gossip Girl." (????: Call Her Daddy) https://t.co/PMuvQuwPXJ pic.twitter.com/AKHuQDwauS
— E! News (@enews) November 6, 2025
Taylor Momsen Felt Trapped by Her Contract
During the conversation, Momsen shared how she struggled to break free from her contract after four seasons of playing Jenny Humphrey, the ambitious younger sister of Dan Humphrey (played by Penn Badgley).
“I just couldn’t do it anymore,” she said, explaining that despite the show’s success, she felt trapped. “It was a very long battle of me arguing with everyone and saying, ‘Get me out of this. I can’t do this anymore. This is killing me. I have something else I want to do with my life.’”
Taylor Momsen reveals what really went down behind-the-scenes when she left the show in the middle of "Gossip Girl." (????: Call Her Daddy) https://t.co/PMuvQuwPXJ pic.twitter.com/AKHuQDwauS
— E! News (@enews) November 6, 2025
Momsen revealed that some executives at Warner Bros. Television labeled her “ungrateful” for wanting to leave the series, accusing her of turning her back on the show that made her famous.
The Showrunners Helped Her Find a Way Out
When studio higher-ups refused to release her from the contract, Momsen turned to Gossip Girl showrunners Stephanie Savage and Josh Schwartz for help.
“They essentially went, ‘We can’t let you out of the contract, but we can write you out of the show,’” she recalled. “They didn’t have to do that for me, but they did. I’ll always be grateful for that.”
Her character was gradually written out so she could focus on her music career, eventually leading to her departure midway through the series.
Leaving Gossip Girl to Pursue Music
Even before Gossip Girl, Taylor had already made a name for herself in Hollywood with roles in How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Spy Kids 2. But her heart was always in music.
She later founded her rock band, The Pretty Reckless, and began touring soon after leaving the show. Despite her exit, Momsen returned to reprise her role as Jenny Humphrey in the show’s 2012 series finale, giving fans a sense of closure.
Taylor Reflects on Her Decision
“I kind of just Irish-dipped,” she joked. “I wasn’t on the script the next week. They all knew I was making music — I’d even play them songs I was working on. But I don’t think anyone realized how serious I was.”
Momsen added that she’s still grateful for her time on Gossip Girl but knows walking away was necessary for her own well-being.
“As a fan of television, I love it when a story comes full circle,” she said. “It felt right to return for the finale and close that chapter properly.”
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