The original series focused on such powerful female characters as Blake Lively‘s Serena van der Woodsen and Leighton Meester‘s Blair Waldorf. And while the new cast members couldn’t offer too much about their own characters, they remain confident that the updated version continues that legacy.
“Gender roles will be talked about and dissected,” Emily revealed. “A lot of the women in our show are very powerful, but I think they were in the original as well. We’ll be exploring what it means to be a woman in this generation, and in general, exploring ideas that we didn’t before.”
As far as whether there’s pressure in being compared to the original, the new cast members sounded confident that viewers will appreciate the updated series for what it is.
“We realized we could take these roles and make them our own—they have their own qualities that are special and differentiate [them] from the original,” Emily said. “I think people will relate to them on different levels.”
“I think Emily really hit the nail on the head,” Jordan added. “We’re just keeping an open mind, staying true to the essence of Gossip Girl but with a completely different take on it.”
