The “Revenge” actor tells THR that he hopes to see his former co-star back on screen someday, though he “loves” her band, The Pretty Reckless.
Little J and Eric van der Woodsen’s on-screen relationship pales in comparison to the real-life friendship between former Gossip Girl stars Taylor Momsen and Connor Paolo.
While both went on to pursue new endeavors after leaving the CW – for Momsen, a worldwide tour with her rock band The Pretty Reckless, and for Paolo, a job on ABC’s freshman drama Revenge – the duo remain close-knit pals. During an October performance at the Palladium in Los Angeles, Paolo could be heard cheering loudly from the V.I.P. section as Momsen hit the stage with her band.
“She’s been one of my really close friends for years now,” Paolo told The Hollywood Reporter of their mutual affinity, which began on the Gossip Girl pilot when he was just 16-years-old.
“It’s been a relatively long friendship as far as my life goes, and honestly, I think I’d go to her shows if I didn’t know who she was. I love her band,” he added. “She is a friend of mine who I think is capable and does create fantastic art, so it’s a joy for me to watch her — and I love the character that she’s created on stage. Her stage persona is brilliant. “
While Momsen has received positive reviews for her moving vocals on the songs “Make Me Wanna Die,” “Just Tonight” and “My Medicine,” Paolo hopes to see her return to the acting game someday.
“I’m always yelling at Taylor to act because I think she’s great and I’d love to do something with her,” he said. “If I ever end up in [a director’s chair] for real, I’ll be vocal. I’ll make her do something for real because I hate wasted talent.
“If I’m ever in a position to cast anything or to put anything together, she’s always at the top of my list,” he continued. “I think she’s great.”
As far as Gossip Girl is concerned, Paolo and Momsen’s characters are certainly alive and well – albeit far from any current storylines. Could the duo ever return to the series?
Speaking only for himself, Paolo admitted that he no longer watches the program, but would be open to the possibility if ABC and the CW could come to an agreement.
“It’s quite impossible for me to do it being on the West Coast and doing Revenge, even just down to legalities,” he explained. “You’re contracted to one network, it’s not easy to show up on another network. So it was never about me not wanting to be there and more abut me not being able to be there.”
Don’t count Eric van der Woodsen out just yet, though.
“[It’s] much more dependent on the writers of Gossip Girl calling me and going, ‘We’ve gotta get you back, man.’ Then it’s a discussion,” Paolo admitted. “But am I calling them incessantly and going, ‘I need to be back on for this finale’? No.”
Gossip Girl, currently wrapping up its fifth season, airs Monday at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Viewers can see Paolo in his current role as Declan Porter on Revenge, airing Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The soapy ABC series seems a shoe-in for a season two pickup, though the network has yet to announce any renewals.
