Gossip Girl: 10 Characters Who Just Didn’t Look Right In The Show

Recent news of Gossip Girl’s continuation/reboot brings attention back to the iconic 13 book series. Penned by Cecily von Ziegesar, it followed the romantic trials and tribulations of rich teenagers on the Upper East Side. Though the show plucked storylines from the books sparingly, there is no doubt that the novels belong in the Gossip Girl zeitgeist.

Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen were mostly untouched from their book counterparts, but many of the other characters went through slight or significant overhauls. Some characters were more memorable than others, but most of them were changed in some way, whether it be through personality or how they appear onscreen.

10 Dan Humphrey

Only with Serena for a brief period, Dan Humphrey’s portrayal in the show was a long way from his book counterpart. Heralding from the Upper West Side, Dan was a caffeine-addicted chain-smoker. Still a pretentious outsider, Dan had a dalliance with his co-worker Greg and was even more neurotic in the books, if that is possible.

With the casting of Penn Badgley, the show decided to make Dan slightly more accessible, though not by much. Still pretentious and neurotic, Dan went without his stereotypical vices and ended up marrying Serena.

9 Vanessa Abrams

Vanessa is character who is most different from her book version, though her exclusion from other characters is the same from book to series. The novels describe her with having a shaved head and combat boots. She goes to Constance with the rest of the girls and has an on-again-off-again relationship with Dan.

The show decided to go in a vastly different direction with her aesthetics. Vanessa doesn’t go to Constance at all and leaves the shaved head look for a more bohemian vibe. She is a filmmaker, and while she has a brief relationship with Dan, she is ultimately phased out from the show.

8 Eleanor Waldorf

The books do not focus on the parents as much as they appear in the television series. Eleanor is rarely invested in her daughter’s life, especially when she raises a child with Cyrus Rose. Eleanor is not put together and does not understand Blair’s need for perfection.

In the show, Eleanor’s presence in Blair’s life started as mere indifference and turned into a supportive relationship. Her priority of Waldorf Designs severely impacted her relationship with her daughter, and it took time to rebuild their relationship. They went through their struggles but came out better for it. Eleanor is a high-powered Upper East Side mother and it is clear where Blair’s obsession with perfection came from. Her concern with appearances caused friction between her and her daughter from time to time.

7 Eric van der Woodsen

Many peripheral characters were not as developed in the books. This includes Serena’s seldom seen older brother, Erik van Der Woodsen. The spelling of his name changed from book to show, as did his sexuality.

In season one, Eric’s character is established after Serena comes home from boarding school. She came back to be with him after his suicide attempt. He remained a blond van Der Woodsen for a good part of the show, but it was his dress and age that separated him from the book version.

6 Jenny Humphrey

In any iteration, Jenny was always the outsider looking in. She first appeared in the original run of the novels and had her own spin-off series, ‘The It Girl.’ The books described her with curly dark hair as well as an obsession to follow Serena’s path of modeling.

This is a stark contrast from the show. Platinum blond and a fashion designer instead of a model, Jenny’s appearance is vastly different.

5 Georgina Sparks

While Georgina has one of the more faithful portrayals, her book self does have its differences. After Nate goes to rehab, he meets Georgina and they embark on a quickly forgotten relationship. Georgina is portrayed as skinny with dark hair and a pale complexion.

The show takes joy in the frightening aspects of Georgina’s nature and embellishes on her attitude. Instead of Nate, she fixates on Serena. She takes joy in her wild antics and always shows up for the season finale.

4 Aaron Rose

Stepbrother to Blair, Aaron is her total opposite. The novels describe Aaron as a hippie, down to his dreadlocks and smoking hemp cigarettes. Most disconcerting about Aaron was his romantic feelings towards Blair, though because of their parents marriage, did not pursue the relationship.

On screen, Aaron was more hipster than hippie. He was an artist at Rufus’s gallery and looked like he belonged in Brooklyn. Although he was soon to be Blair’s stepbrother, the two rarely interacted. Aaron’s affection was more focused on Serena, though that did not last long either. Aaron never made an appearance after season two.

3 Anne Archibald

Mostly just a high society wife, Mrs. Archibald was sidelined in the novels and in the show. In the books she does not even get a first name, she is only known as Mrs. Archibald. A French socialite, she makes herself known by being overdramatic.

This is a difference from the show where she is mostly just repressed and in denial. Instead of French, she is a WASPy blue blood who cares about her family’s reputation.  Her entire concern centered around them holding onto their wealth after The Captain was arrested for embezzlement and fraud.

2 Rufus Humphrey

Rufus Humphrey always demonstrated the difficulty of being a supportive father. A poet in the novels, he raised his children on the Upper West Side. This was a far cry from their Brooklyn homestead on the show. Rufus was generally unkempt and wore old clothes.

In the show he was much more put together. Instead of a poet, he was a washed up rock star who ran an art gallery in Brooklyn. He was still a good father and was at times a pushover. But he stuck to his Brooklyn roots and always did what was best.

1 Cyrus Rose

Never the stepfather that Blair wanted, Cyrus Rose was a constant in both the show and the novels. In the novels he was inappropriate at times and sported a large mustache. His fashion was closer to being in style in the eighties than contemporary.

Still bald in the show, Cyrus is sans mustache. His affection for his stepdaughter is undisputed, however. He respects her and humors her at times. Cyrus’s relationship with Blair became more important than that with his own son. His fashion was closer to that of the Upper East Side with a typical respectable suit and tie look.

About The Author

Carolyn Jenkins
(109 Articles Published)

Carolyn Jenkins is a voracious consumer of film and television. She graduated from Long Island University with an MFA in Screenwriting and Producing where she learned the art of character, plot, and structure. The best teacher is absorbing media and she spends her time reading about different worlds from teen angst to the universe of Stephen King.

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