Penn Badgley, star of Netflix’s You, recently took fans on a nostalgic tour of the show’s set, revealing a surprising connection to his earlier work on Gossip Girl. In a fun and eerie behind-the-scenes video for Architectural Digest, the actor gave viewers a glimpse into the psychological thriller’s chilling locations, all while uncovering a unique twist that links his current role to his Gossip Girl past.
Badgley, who plays the infamous Joe Goldberg in You, casually dropped a fascinating fact: the very same soundstages used for his latest show were also the filming locations for Gossip Girl, where Badgley portrayed Dan Humphrey. As he stood in the basement, where his character locks his victims in a transparent cage, he shared the eerie coincidence. “This is where we shot Gossip Girl,” he said, clearly amused by the stark contrast between the drama-filled lives of Upper East Side teens and the haunting atmosphere of his current psychological thriller.
Not stopping there, Badgley revealed more hidden connections between the two shows. The stage where the Waldorf suites were filmed, the luxurious home of Blair Waldorf (played by Leighton Meester), was also part of the same set used for You. He further pointed out that the stage used for the bookstore, where Joe Goldberg spends much of his time, was once the setting for the Humphrey loft, Dan Humphrey’s Brooklyn home in Gossip Girl. For Gossip Girl fans, this twist adds an unexpected layer of nostalgia, as Dan’s familiar Brooklyn loft is now the unsettling domain of Joe Goldberg.
Reflecting on the familiarity of the set, Badgley admitted he had spent nearly two decades working in the same space. “I was just standing outside looking at the trees and thought, ‘I’ve been looking at these trees for nearly 20 years now,'” he mused. With his trademark humor, Badgley added, “I thought to myself, ‘Have they grown? Do trees in the city, over the course of 20 years, do they grow? They must.’”
Badgley’s candid reflections and quirky insights not only give fans a deeper look into the set of You, but they also remind them of the lasting impact Gossip Girl had on his career. The connection between the two iconic shows adds a fun twist for longtime fans, marking an eerie yet endearing chapter in Badgley’s career as he navigates both roles across the years.
