The Gossip Girl reboot creator Joshua Safran explains why original characters won't have cameos. The original Gossip Girl series ended almost a decade ago after gathering a large following during the show's five years on the air. The show, based on the Gossip Girl books, followed the lives, scandals, and relationships of several young socialites in New York. Now, the future of the Gossip Girl franchise is in the hands of Joshua Safran. Rather than trying to reinvent beloved characters from the old series, the reboot will revolve around a brand new cast and story.
The show featured notable performers such as Blake Lively (Serena van der Woodsen), Ed Westwick (Chuck Bass), Leighton Meester (Blair Waldorf), Sebastian Stan (Carter Baizen), and Chance Crawford (Nate Archibald). While the series helped catapult several of the stars' careers, the onscreen characters proved to be just as memorable. The eccentric characters gripped the audience's attention and left people guessing who the narrator, Gossip Girl, was until the final season's reveal. Almost ten years later, the relationship between Blair and Chuck is still seen as one of the best examples of character development in modern television.
In a recent interview with People, Safran discussed the rumor of possible cameos, and it does not look good for fans hoping to catch a glimpse of some of their favorite characters. Safran didn't completely rule out the future appearance of the original characters, but for now, none of the series regulars will appear in the reboot.
"Hopefully we'll get there and will reach out to the cast if that time comes and see if they'll want to come. There are some cameos in season 1 from people on the original show, but not the series regulars. The audience would never accept these [new] characters if they were in the shadow of the original characters. They're already in the shadow of the original characters, but if the original characters were there with them in some way, why would you want to briefly get to know Zoya if you suddenly can see Nate?"
Safran seems determined to bring the new series to life by centering the series entirely on the new cast. Rather than rehashing old storylines, the Gossip Girl reboot will branch off in a new creative direction. However, this does not mean that the show will stray completely away from its original roots. The confirmation of cameos from smaller characters reveals that it will somehow be tied to the older series. Safran also went on to say that the reboot will feature a much larger number of regulars, which means limited screen time for gratuitous cameos.
The idea of shunning original characters may upset some, but it seems more efficient for launching the reboot. Hopefully, this will allow the audience to become more involved in the new storylines rather than merely waiting around for a disappointing short cameo that makes viewers long for the original cast. The reboot will focus on how social media's influence has evolved in recent years as a new group of prep school students are under the microscope of Gossip Girl. On a brighter note, Safran did not completely rule out future cameos from the main stars. He simply believes that they should appear when it makes sense to the plot, not just to appease a fanbase.
Gossip Girl is scheduled to hit HBO Max on July 8.
Source: People