I Remember Being Shocked When Taylor Momsen Just Randomly Exited Gossip Girl, And Turns Out She Didn’t Even Tell The Cast!

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Like a lot of people my age, I was a big fan of Gossip Girl. I especially connected with Taylor Momsen’s character, Jenny Humphrey, because she seemed closer in age to me than the rest of the cast. So it was surprising when she abruptly left the show mid-way through Season 4. Now, the actress is finally sharing what led to her departure.

Taylor Momsen, now 32, is best known as the lead singer of the rock band The Pretty Reckless – she even famously had a run-in with a bat while performing! During an appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast, she explained why she left the show Gossip Girl.

I was unexpectedly written off the show, which allowed me to pursue a music tour and join a band. Basically, they just stopped including my character in the scripts after that.

I remember when Taylor Momsen decided to really focus on her music. She actually started her band back in 2009 while she was still filming Gossip Girl. Eventually, she chose to leave the show to tour with the band, but it was so sudden! She didn’t even bother telling the other actors – she just disappeared, which she called ‘Irish dipping’! It was pretty shocking, honestly, and she went on to explain…

Everyone knew I was involved in music – I had a band and would even play them songs from my first record while I was on set. I was regularly performing and sharing my music, but I don’t think anyone realized just how dedicated I was to it at that time.

As Alex Cooper from the Call Her Daddy podcast noted, Taylor Swift’s Gossip Girl costars—like Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, and Chace Crawford—likely wondered where she went after she didn’t formally say goodbye. Considering she was only sixteen at the time, it’s understandable.

Back in 2009, social media wasn’t common, so fans couldn’t easily follow what she was doing. However, word still got out about her other projects. Ultimately, she came back to make a guest appearance in the final episode of Gossip Girl in 2012.

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I recently heard Taylor Momsen talk about her time on Gossip Girl, and it sounds like leaving wasn’t easy. She described a long struggle, mainly because of her contract with Warner Bros. But even more interestingly, she revealed she didn’t actually want to be an actress! She told the podcast that acting was genuinely making her unhappy, and she felt a strong pull towards pursuing something completely different with her life. It sounds like she really needed to break free and follow her own path.

Taylor Momsen began her acting career as a child, and is well-known for playing Cindy Lou Who in How The Grinch Stole Christmas. She’s spoken about being heavily teased because of the role. Recently, she and Jim Carrey got together again, 25 years after the film came out.

Since forming her band, The Pretty Reckless, Taylor Momsen and her bandmates have released four albums, led five headlining tours, and earned several awards. The band gained a lot of new fans, possibly including those who recognized Momsen from her role as Jenny Humphrey, though that meant her character on the show had to be written off!

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2025-11-28 02:08