“Mindy Project” Star Chris Messina Promises Fans a “Satisfying” Series Finale

Blake Lively (Serena van der Woodsen)

Of all the Gossip Girl cast alumni, Blake Lively is arguably the most well-known. Not only has she gone on to major roles in movies — including The Age of Adaline, The Shallows, All I See Is You, and most recently, It Ends with Us— but she's also married to fellow actor Ryan Reynolds (married in 2012).

Blake shares four beautiful daughters, James, Inez, Betty, and the youngest (born in 2023) whose name has not been announced publicly with Ryan. True to her Gossip Girl character, she's quite the fashionista! In her spare time, she likes to hang out with her BFFs, who just so happen to include Taylor Swiftandthe Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants ladies.

Leighton Meester (Blair Waldorf)

Leighton Meester has a career that would make even her cunningly ambitious Queen B character proud. Since Gossip Girl's end in 2012, she's acted in films including Life Partners, The Judge, The Weekend Away, and most recently, EXmas. She even recorded and released songs such as "Good Girls Go Bad" with Cobra Starship and the solo effort "Somebody to Love," and even starred on Broadway in Of Mice and Men back in 2014.

Leighton is married to actor Adam Brody (The O.C., Jennifer's Body, Gilmore Girls) as of 2014. She has two kids – one daughter and one son.

She has been heavily involved in philanthropy while taking on acting projects, primarily volunteering and campaigning with Feeding America and the Los Angeles Food Bank.

Taylor Momsen (Jenny Humphrey)

Long gone are the days when Taylor Momsen played Dan Humphrey's sweet (and a bit messed up) little sis, Jenny. The actress left the Gossip Girl cast in 2010 in order to pursue her dreams of a music career, and all these years later, she's still doing just that as the frontwoman of the uber-successful rock group, The Pretty Reckless. With four records under their belt, the four-member band has supported bands like Evanescence, Soundgarden, and Guns N' Roses, and has toured in numerous cities and music festivals.

Momsen has typically kept her dating life on the down-low. She is currently single and appears to be putting all of her energy into her band.

Penn Badgley (Dan Humphrey)

Everyone’s favorite Gossip Girl — er, guy — Penn Badgley, followed in his on-screen sister's footsteps after the show ended, pursuing his musical interests with rock band MOTHXR. The band's most current project, Centerfold, was released back in 2016.

Badgley has since acted in several movies and TV shows including Easy A, The Paper Store, and Here Today, but his most notable work has been on the ongoing book-based Netflix series, You. He plays Joe Goldberg, a charming bookkeeper with eerily odd characteristics, especially when it comes to love.

Badgley currently has a podcast titled Podcrushed, which explores the awkwardness of adolescence and revisits guests' best (and worst) middle school memories. He cohosts with Nava Kavelin and Sophie Ansari. One episode even features ex-Gossip Girl co-star, Leighton Meester!

Badgley is married to singer and doula Domino Kirke as of 2017. Kirke already had a child from a previous relationship. Badgley and Kirke had their first son together in 2020.

Ed Westwick (Chuck Bass)

Ed Westwick tapped into his angsty side post-Gossip Girl, starring as Tybalt in a 2013 adaptation of Romeo & Juliet. Since then, he has fought crime as Kent Grainger on Wicked City, played a crime lord on Snatch, and sold double-glazed windows on White Gold. Is there any role he can't play? Most recently, Westwick stars in the movie DarkGame.

With a background in music, Westwick also currently sings in the bandFor You. Their most recent release is the song "Tailspin," and they're set to release a new single "Here Comes Trouble" in March 2024.

Westwick had been dating model and actress Amy Jacksonsince 2021, with the pair getting happily engaged during a ski trip in January 2024.

Chace Crawford (Nate Archibald)

Following his stint as a wealthy Upper East Sider on Gossip Girl, Texas native Chace Crawford tried his hand at playing a greedy oil worker on ABC's short-lived TV series, Blood & Oil. He's had several film roles since – you can catch him in movies like Undrafted, Eloise, Nighthawks, even voice-actingin Belle. Most recently, Crawford stars as The Deep on The Boys.

Crawford has previously dated Carrie Underwood, Rachelle Goulding, and Rebecca Rittenhouse, though he is currently single as a Pringle.

Jessica Szohr (Vanessa Abrams)

Jessica Szohr, who played Dan Humphrey's BFF slash on-again, off-again girlfriend (needless to say, we were confused too), has been a lot busier than her character was after season four, when she was all but written off the show.

In the years since Gossip Girl, the actress scored several roles on TV shows such as Complications, Kingdom, Twin Peaks and The Orville. She even starred in Taylor Swift's music video for "22" back in 2013!

Jessica also welcomed a daughter with her longtime boyfriend in early 2021.

Jessica currently hosts a podcast called "XOXO" that dives deep into the Gossip Girl cast, crew, and behind-the-scenes moments. Some notable episodes have featured Zuzanna Szadkowski (Dorota), Aaron Tveit (Tripp van der Bilt), Kelly Rutherford (Lily van der Woodsen), and Michelle Trachtenburg (Georgina Sparks).

Michelle Trachtenberg (Georgina Sparks)

Since her stint as the "bad girl" Georgina Sparks, Michelle Trachtenberg landed roles on shows like Criminal Minds, NCIS: Los Angeles, Sleepy Hollow, and Sister Cities among other numerous series and movies. She even reprised her role as Georgina for the 2021 remake of Gossip Girl on HBO Max!

She managed to keep her personal life largely out of the tabloids, including her dating life. The last update on her relationship status was in 2023, and that she was dating her talent agent, Jay Cohen. She reportedly previously dated Shawn Ashmore, Joshua Radin, and Jason Segel.

Unfortunately, Michelle passed away on February 26, 2025.

Kelly Rutherford (Lily van der Woodsen)

Besides being a New York Fashion Week icon (we'd expect nothing less of Lily van der Woodsen's alter ego!), Kelly Rutherford has popped up in several TV shows over the years, including Quantico, Jane the Virgin, and Dynasty.

She also frequently travels to France and Monaco, where, after years of custody battles with her second ex-husband, Daniel Giersch, she has extensive visitation rights to see her two children, who reside there with their father.

"Yes, it was a challenging time. It was a heartbreaking time," she told People. "But I focus on the good most of the time, I really do," she says. "I'm very thankful of where we are. I have a great relationship with my kids."

When she's not with her kids or working on a project, Kelly is dropping iconic 'fit pics on her Instagram account.

Matthew Settle (Rufus Humphrey)

Matthew Settle, who played rockstar dad Rufus Humphrey, continued acting after the Gossip Girl cast dissolved. He hasn't been on any other TV shows other than one episode of Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders in 2016. He mostly stuck to movies, acting in titles like Ouija, Marshall the Miracle Dog, and Valentine: The Dark Avenger.

Settle is also a dad of two children, having welcomed his first with actress and model Naama Nativ in 2009. He had divorced her in 2011 and went on to have a second baby with girlfriend Maria Alfonsin in 2015.

Zuzanna Szadkowski (Dorota Kishlovsky)

Though Blair's loyal maid and, ultimately, best friend, wasn't technically a main character, there's no denying that it would have been a different show without her unwavering presence! Zuzanna Szadowski has dabbled in film and television since then, appearing in shows such as Girls,The Good Wife, and Modern Love.

In 2010, she partnered with Sam Weisman to open The Sam Weisman Studio, an acting school (now closed).

Oh, and did we mention she just so happens to be one of Leighton Meester's real-life BFFs?

In 'Lucky,' Anya Taylor-Joy has a MAJOR secret.

Lucky, based on Marissa Stapley's book of the same name, is a Reese's Book Club pick that follows a young woman named Lucky (Anya Taylor-Joy) who said goodbye to the life of crime she'd always known. But when she's faced with her past, she has to turn back to her training one last time.

In addition to Anya (who's also executive producing), we'll see Drew Starkey as her onscreen husband Cary, as well as Annette Bening, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and Timothy Olyphant. And the series will be brought to life by Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine (which is behind The Morning Showand The Last Thing He Told Me).

“Hello Sunshine continues to do a fantastic job of championing women’s voices and I’m thrilled to be joining the team alongside Jonathan, Cassie and Apple TV+ to bring Lucky to life,” Anya Taylor-Joy told Apple TV.

“Reese’s Book Club began with the goal of deepening connections — to the stories, to the storytellers and to the community we are building,” Reese Witherspoon added. “It is incredibly rewarding to be able to amplify these female-centric stories and their authors, see our community connect with them, then see them take on a whole new life on screen. We couldn’t be more excited to partner with Apple TV+ and the incomparable Anya Taylor-Joy, plus our brilliant creator Jonathan Tropper and his wonderful co-showrunner Cassie Pappas, to bring this compelling series — based on Marissa Stapley’s fantastic novel — to audiences around the world.”

1. Original Chicken Crispers

The Original Chicken Crispers were a total fan-favorite at Chili’s for years before being discontinued. They were my go-to when I went there as a kid. They came with a side of corn and friends. And that honey mustard dipping sauce? Elite.

Unlike the updated version that Chili’s offers now, the Original Chicken Crispers had a way better batter: it was thicker, softer, and more tempura-like. The newer Chicken Crispers that replaced them have a crunchier, more conventional breading, similar to chains like Raising Cane’s or Popeyes.

One Chili’s fan missing the OG Crispers on Reddit said: “I know it’s easier to keep things streamlined especially in a busy restaurant kitchen, but do they understand how awesome these were?!?!!”

There's even a petition online begging the chain to bring 'em back.

2. Buffalo Chicken Salad

The now-discontinued Buffalo Chicken Salad from Chili’s was like eating saucy chicken wings in salad form. Not entirely healthy, it still had some good veggies included. The dish featured crispy (or grilled) buffalo chicken strips on top of a bed of fresh greens, tomatoes, crispy tortilla strips, bleu cheese crumbles, and ranch dressing.

Chili’s still has some salads on their menu – like the Quesadilla Explosion Salad and the Santa Fe Salad – but neither are quite as satisfying as the Buffalo Chicken Salad.

3. Philly Cheesesteak

Some of the best menu items at Chili’s are sandwiches (in my opinion), which is why fans were devastated when the chain took the Philly Cheesesteak away. It had some thinly-sliced steak, grilled onions, peppers, and melted cheese, all piled on top of a toasted hoagie roll. A classic!

It was so hearty and tasty, but most of Chili’s current sammie offerings are focused around chicken only. Womp womp.

4. Shanghai Wings

Known as quite the legendary appetizer, Chili’s Shanghai Wings are now nowhere to be found. These wings were lightly fried and coated in a sweet and tangy Asian-inspired sauce. They were also topped with a bout of crunchy rice noodles that made every bite heavenly.

Of colors, you can still order wings as an appetizer at Chili’s, and there are plenty of flavors to pick from like Honey Chipotle, Nashville Hot, and Sweet Chili Zing, which is slightly similar to the Shanghai Wings flavoring – but it’ll never beat the OG!

5. Awesome Blossom

The Awesome Blossom was essentially Chili’s version of the Bloomin’ Onion from Outback Steakhouse – a massive, hand-battered, deep-fried onion cut to resemble a “blooming” flower. It also came with an addictive dipping sauce.

It was a cult-fave for years but Chili’s sadly discontinued it due to health concerns… it allegedly had over 2,700 calories.

6. Nacho Burger

Combining everything diners love about nachos with a classic handheld burger, Chili’s Nacho Burger boasted heaps of queso-style cheese, guac, pico de gallo, jalapeños, and crunchy tortilla strips. It disappeared from menus, though, and fans have been mourning its loss ever since.

7. Tacos

Chili’s has featured a ton of different taco recipes on their menu over the years, but you can no longer order ‘em – fajitas are the closest thing you can find.

From Crispy Chicken Tacos and Shrimp Tacos to Pork Carnitas Tacos and Buffalo Chicken Tacos, these handheld delights shaped the Chili’s I had come to know (and love) as a kiddo.

8. Chipotle Bleu Cheese Bacon Burger

I love nothing more than bleu cheese on a burger, which is why I was pained to learn that the Chipotle Bleu Cheese Bacon Burger was taken off Chili’s menus. It truly had a rich flavor, thanks to the cheese, bacon, and the smoky chipotle sauce it was smothered in.

9. Grilled Cheese

Featured primarily on the kids’ menu, the Chili’s Grilled Cheese had become a total staple for young ones and adults alike. It boasted some buttered-up and toasted bread that was loaded with gooey, melted cheese. It doesn't get better than that, right?!

One Chili’s fan wrote on Reddit that: “my kid only liked the grilled cheese and we’d go every other week, then they dropped it.”

Another enthused diner said: “IT WAS SO GOOD TO THE POINT I COULD DIE EATING IT! I was so disappointed to find out they dropped it and didn’t say a word about it.”

10. Flatbreads