Chace Crawford Breaks Free from ‘CW Pretty Boy’ Box After Gossip Girl

Here we go, another celebrity confession—this time courtesy of Chace Crawford, who admits he spent years trapped in the “jail of the CW pretty boy” after Gossip Girl wrapped. In a recent sit-down with Variety, the actor who once paraded down Manhattan’s Upper East Side as Nate Archibald confessed that his post-Gossip Girl résumé was strewn with roles that felt more like photogenic placeholders than actual characters.

Crawford, who shot to teen-idol stardom from 2007 to 2012, says casting directors couldn’t see past his chiseled jawline and designer wardrobes. “Every audition was: ‘Can you turn your head slowly? Smile for the camera?’” he quipped, according to Entertainment Weekly. He recalled landing a pilot for ABC’s Blood & Oil in 2015, only to watch it collapse in ratings before audiences even warmed up to his cowboy hat. Deadline Hollywood reported the series fizzled after one season, cementing his typecast fate.

Determined to break the mold, Crawford pivoted to indie fare, snagging a gritty turn in the crime thriller The Covenant (2016) and a supporting part in the ensemble comedy What to Expect When You’re Expecting (2012). But the real game-changer came when he auditioned for darker roles. He credits an offbeat cameo in Amazon’s The Boys for forcing casting agents to reconsider him as more than just eye candy. “It was like they finally remembered I can act,” he joked in Variety.

Yet even that win felt bittersweet. Crawford notes that his early success on The CW still looms large. “It’s easy to be the poster boy for premium jeans,” he sneered to Entertainment Weekly, “but try selling anyone a complex character after that.” He admits he nearly walked away from acting altogether in 2018, frustrated by the endless cycle of photo shoots and press junkets. Only a last-ditch turn in a low-budget horror flick reignited his passion, opening doors to more nuanced TV roles on streaming platforms.

Now, with a handful of indie festival awards under his belt and a recurring spot on a well-received Netflix drama set to roll out next year, Crawford is finally shaking off the shackles of his Gossip Girl glow. He warns, though, that the “CW pretty boy” label still follows him into every audition room, a reminder that in Hollywood, reinvention never stops.

So there you have it—Chace Crawford’s journey from glossy teen heartthrob to battle-scarred actor, still dodging the same old franchise pitfalls. Nothing shocking here, folks. Let’s all act surprised.

Sources: Celebrity Storm and New York Post, Variety, Entertainment Weekly
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed