Gossip Girl

Background:

English actor Ed Westwick began appearing on British TV in 2006 in episodes of the TV series "Doctors," "Casualty," and "Afterlife." He gained fame in America for his role as bad boy Chuck Bass on the hit CW teen drama series "Gossip Girl" (2007-Present), which won him a Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Villain.

“If I want to go out and drink and throw a glass in the street, I'll do it as long as the reason is that I want to have fun and not that I want to create some sort of tension around me. Then I'd be a d**k, but I'm not.” Ed Westwick

Westwick also appeared in a number of films, including "Children of Men" (2006), "Breaking and Entering" (2006), "Son of Rambow" (2007), and "100 Feet" (2008). He will next be seen alongside Daveigh Chase, Elizabeth Berkley, Justin Chatwin, and James Lafferty in the upcoming film "S. Darko," a sequel to "Donnie Darko" set to be released on May 12, 2009, on DVD and Blu-ray. He is also the lead singer of the English indie rock band “The Filthy Youth.”

“Chuck is an iconic character and the clothes are iconic. I think I rock the look well. My style has always been good; top notch, baby. I like the glamorous indie rock look, like the Libertines. But you know, without the heroin needle sticking out of my arm.” Ed Westwick (on his fashion sense)

This 5' 9½" versatile player is ranked #61 in AIM's "100 Celebs Under 25" and was listed among Zap2It.com's “Most Underrated Actors/Actresses of 2007.” He is currently romantically linked to “Gossip Girl” costar Jessica Szohr.

“I'm childish at times, passionate, a little crazy, I guess. And I pride myself on being one of the last romantics.” Ed Westwick (on his dating style)

British

Childhood and Family:

In Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England, Edward Westwick was born on June 27, 1987, to Peter, who lectures on business studies, and Carole, an educational psychologist. Ed has two older brothers.

Ed attended St. Ippolyt's Church of England Primary School and the Barclay School in Stevenage. When he made his first film, Anthony Minghella's “Breaking and Entering” (2006), he was attending North Herts College.

“I'm close to them all. We're a really tight-knit group. I have two older brothers. I am the baby. We're all very, very close. We're great communicators, so we get along really well.” Ed Westwick (on his relationship with his family)

Ed has reportedly dated his “Gossip Girl” costar Jessica Szohr since late 2008.

“The whole buzz of the city turns me on. I'm a night time kind of guy, so I love going out. I always sense potential in the night, especially during the summer. When the sun's out the girls put on nice dresses. It's like London in the summertime. There's all this energy that's been laying under the earth for eight months of the year that's just been bubbling and cooking until finally it comes out with the sun.” Ed Westwick

Ed is currently roommates with “Gossip Girl” co-star Chace Crawford in New York City. He commented on rumors about him being in a romantic relationship with Crawford, “We're two lads who are really good friends, but we're as straight as they come.”

When not shooting the hit CW show, Ed resides just outside of London. A huge fan of David Beckham, Ed is a life long supporter of Queens Park Rangers FC.

The Filthy Youth

Career:

“I think gardens are fantastic and I'd love to draw and design and stuff like that. I love just planting flowers during the summer. There's something very humble about it and natural and beautiful. When I need to think of like a peaceful scene or something, I think of my back garden in summertime. And whenever I hear the lawnmower next door, I always think it's really peaceful.” Ed Westwick (on his dream job as a landscape gardener)

Having enjoyed impersonating characters since he was young, Ed Westwick trained professionally at the National Youth Theatre in London. He first appeared on television in 2006 in a March episode of the BBC One daytime soap opera "Doctors." He followed it up with guest spots in the BBC One medical drama series "Casualty" and the ITV supernatural drama "Afterlife." Also in 2006, Westwick appeared in his first two films, "Children of Men" (starring Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Claire-Hope Ashitey, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Michael Caine), an Academy Award-nominated science fiction film co-written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón and loosely adapted from P. D. James's 1992 novel of the same name, and "Breaking and Entering" (starring Jude Law, Juliette Binoche, and Robin Wright Penn), a romantic drama film written and directed by the late Academy Award-winning director Anthony Minghella.

2007 saw Westwick began playing his most popular role to date, that of antagonist Chuck Bass in the hit CW teen drama series based on the popular book series written by Cecily von Ziegesar, "Gossip Girl." Westwick, who originally auditioned for the role of Nate Archibald (eventually played by Chace Crawford), got the role of Chuck Bass when his manager flew him to Los Angeles to explore all the different shows available for auditions. The “Gossip Girl” pilot script was by far his favorite, so he auditioned and got the role.

About his alter ego, Chuck, from "Gossip Girl," Westwick said, “I think I share the opinion of my character that a lot of the audience shares. It's a love to hate kind of thing. As the seasons progressed, I think everyone's had sympathy for him. I think he's an alluring character. He's very interesting. He has these slices of his personality. He can be the devil, but at times he can be very charming. It can be a very dangerous concoction. I think he has a good heart, but his heart is often tempted by corrupt desires.”

Westwick first appeared in the show during its premiere on September 19, 2007. He will continue to play his role in its third season, which is expected to air in the fall of 2009. His performance in the show earned him a Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Villain.

“There are perks to this job. We [the Gossip Girl cast] were all thrown into this situation with a lot of attention on us and you get a lot of free clothes and s*** but that's no reason not to stay grounded. What am I really doing, baby? Saving the world? Nah, I'm on television.” Ed Westwick

Westwick also appeared in writer/director Garth Jennings' Sundance-premiered coming-of-age comedy "Son of Rambow" (2007; starring Will Poulter, Bill Milner, Neil Dudgeon, and Adam Godley) and Eric Red's thriller "100 Feet" (2008; with Famke Janssen, Bobby Cannavale, and Michael Paré). Upcoming films include "S. Darko," a sequel to "Donnie Darko." Directed by Chris Fisher, the movie is set to be released on May 12, 2009, on DVD and Blu-ray. In the movie, Ed co-stars as Randy, opposite Daveigh Chase, Elizabeth Berkley, Justin Chatwin, and James Lafferty.

“I've always connected with music. Life's not always what you see; it's what going on in your head. Music is what comes out of your subconscious. Music gets inside you. Music captures you. Music becomes your heartbeat. It's a drug and makes you feel whatever the song's about.” Ed Westwick

Westwick has also found time to front a U.K. indie rock band called “The Filthy Youth,” in which he is the lead singer. Other band members include Benjamin Lewis Allingham, Jimmy Wright, Mitch Cox, and John Vooght. He is also set to be the new face of K-Swiss sneakers.

Awards:

• Teen Choice: Choice TV Villain, "Gossip Girl," 2008