Ed Westwick "Gossip Girl" Bad Boy

Let's face it, cute Brits are hot! It may be that accent that just adds class to the English language but Ed Westwick, who co-stars in the upcoming series "Gossip Girl" on The CW, is so sizzlin', it's sick! His character Chuck Bass is from a filthy rich family and he's all broody and mysterious! Chuck's decided that, if he wants it...or her, he can just snap his fingers. The pilot episode hints of a very interesting past for the stylish bad boy that we can't wait to uncover!

At a TV press event recently in L.A., were able to hide behind a potted plant with Ed for a while to get the goods on his background, his character and his plans for his new life in New York City. Sneak over here behind the plant with us and tune in then text all your friends about this new hottie!

TeenTelevision: So, Chace [Crawford] says that you two will be roomies in New York.

Ed: Yeah, right.

TeenTelevision: That should be wild! How did you get involved in 'Gossip Girl'?

Ed: Well, I was in England and I decided to come out to L.A. I had representatives out here and see what was going on and meet some people and do some things and I got in touch with the script, thought it was fantastic and decided it would be good to go in on it and I got the job which I'm very happy about.

TeenTelevision: You are a slick bad guy on the show. Is it fun to be the 'grab all the girls' bad guy? I wouldn't say sleazy, maybe slimy?

Ed: [laughs] It's kind of nice that you recognize the different levels. People have been asking me if it's fun to play the bad boy and it is because there's a mysterious dynamic that Chuck [his character] brings to the whole group and it's fun to be the spice. It looks like he's going to be the one manipulating people and mixing things up so, yeah, it's fun.

TeenTelevision: What is the backstory? He doesn't get along with his dad?

Ed: There's a lot of avenues you can go down. In the pilot, in the first episode, we got introduced to the family. All we get is this mysterious background of this astronomical wealth. We own the hotel and you get the idea that he will take what he wants. We are products of our parents and our upbringing so maybe you are going to meet Mr. Bass senior. So, there's going to be a lot to do with the parents, just his background and the way he is in general. We'll take a lot from our parents.

TeenTelevision: Do you feel a camaraderie with the rest of the cast?

Ed: Definitely. It was really good. We kind of all hit it off straight away and I think that's really important, co-workers and crew, the producers, everyone just seemed like such a nice group of people which is important to enable you to work to the best of your ability. You've got to be comfortable doing things. We do some quite insane stuff.

TeenTelevision: Well, like your character jumping on a very young girl in the pilot episode! Naughty!

Ed: Yeah. I just met Taylor Momsen and all of a sudden I was supposed to be trying to date rape her. She's a young girl and I had no experience in that kind of thing before [Geez, dude, we hope not!]. We had that trust. It's important to get along with people and we do. It's great.

TeenTelevision: Did you watch "The O.C." or were you familiar with that type of show over there?

Ed: Yeah. We got it in England and, of course, it was very popular there as it was here but I didn't watch it religiously. I caught it now and again but was aware of what was going on and was aware of the standard that it was. It just feel privileged to be mentioned in the same breath as "The O.C." because it means we are going something that people are expecting will be good.

TeenTelevision: Were these "Gossip Girl" books popular in England or known there at all?

Ed: I was not actually aware of them but maybe I just missed the generation. I think they've sold internationally. Obviously, America is their number one market but I think people are aware of them and are going to be more aware of them now that our show has been pre-sold to a channel in England. It's definitely out there on the international market.

TeenTelevision: Are you prepared for the level of fame this kind of show will bring?

Ed: I just deal with things as they come. I like to think that I'm quite a down to earth kind of person. We'll just see. It's all very fun and things can come around quickly and things can go away quickly so let's just enjoy life and see what happens.

TeenTelevision: I hear you are in a band.

Ed: Yeah, I'm a band called Filthy Youth. Check out the MySpace page. Basically, it kind of got a bit weird because I've had to come here now so they're kind of fizzling out but we just went in the studio and recorded nine songs in London. I'm the frontman. It's indie rock 'n roll. The indie scene is so big in England right now with the festivals and everything. It so much fun. I absolutely love it.

TeenTelevision: So they are all bummed that you left, huh?

Ed: They're bummed and I'm bummed, yeah.

TeenTelevision: Get them to come over.

Ed: [laughing] Go get them Visas! That's the only problem. It was hard enough to get me one. I'm bummed but I have to put it behind me a little bit but it's not exactly a bad thing. I'm coming to do my first love. I'm coming to act in something which I'm passionate about.

TeenTelevision: How did you get started in acting over there?

Ed: Well, I did stuff as a kid, small amateur stuff in small theaters.

TeenTelevision: You're not a Guild Hall guy?

Ed: No. I didn't train in that respect. I was a member of the National Youth Theater of Great Britain and I'd had some theater training from them. I became a member when I was sixteen. I did a few jobs, then came here and it sort of just all came together.

TeenTelevision: What movies do you like?

Ed: The Godfather series was big for me. I like those underworld kind of issues. Although a lot of good movies are made about the life we all know, sometimes it's good for them to be about issues that we don't know, the whole kind of escapist thing so you can fantasize about what things are going to be like; the whole Mafia thing is something I don't know so it's something that's exciting. I was always into the Mafioso movies.

TeenTelevision: I know you have different levels in England but what was your equivalent of High School like when you were growing up?

Ed: We, in England, get that American high school is all about what the teen movies depict as being this whole popular thing; prom kings and prom queens and things like that. It wasn't essentially exactly the same as that but everyone gossips. It's part of human nature. We're curious animals, you know? So, everyone had their little groups. There were the cool kids and the not so cool kids.

TeenTelevision: Were you a cool kid?

Ed: I hope so. I tell myself that. But there are different groups. That's what people do; they find people that they like and as you go through life you separate off. You are who you are and you become different people.

TeenTelevision: "Gossip Girl" is full of texting teens. Are you a texting kind of guy?

Ed: I still need to get a new phone. I had a U.K. number which I'm gonna be getting rid of obviously and I'm going to be popping into a store in New York when I get there and getting a new phone so maybe it will be a Sidekick. We'll see.

TeenTelevision: A lot of U.K. actors are in new U.S. TV series this year. Why is that?

Ed: A lot of English people have been recruited this year. I think it's mainly because there's such a wide variety of work over here. There's such a rich amount of work and it's stuff that looks like it's really fun to do and be involved with.

TeenTelevision: You've been in Children of Men and other films. Are you hoping to return to that?

Ed: I'm focused on "Gossip Girl" right now. It's a fantastic thing to be involved with. What will be will be in the future but right now we'll deal with what's at hand and that's "Gossip Girl" and I'm excited about that.

TeenTelevision: Are you going to be a part of the party scene in New York when you get there?

Ed: I don't know. I'm underage still. We'll see. It's a fantastic city and I'm excited to see what's happening there, definitely.

Catch "Gossip Girl" on The CW starting Sept. 19th!

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Lynn Barker is a Hollywood-based entertainment journalist and produced screenwriter.