Penn Badgley Said Blake Lively Was His Best On-Screen Kiss (& His Worst)
Back in the mid-2000s and early 2010s, the pop culture world was overrun by everything "Gossip Girl." Based on the hit book series by Cecily von Ziegesar, the show follows the trials and tribulations of a group of friends living in the Upper East Side. Following its shocking season one finale –– who could forget Blair Waldorf's ruthless takedown of Georgina Sparks –– the careers of "Gossip Girls" cast members Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Penn Badgley and Chace Crawford skyrocketed to superstardom. Because of their newfound popularity, news outlets and dedicated fans zeroed in on every aspect of their lives, including Lively and Badgley's off-camera relationship.
Like their two characters, Serena van der Woodsen and Dan Humphrey, the pair were involved in romance. However, unlike their show counterparts, they were relatively private about their relationship and even denied its existence at the start. Unfortunately, after three years of dating, the pair amicably called it quits in 2010, which they also kept private from their fellow "Gossip Girl" cast and crew. "It didn't seem like anything was off at all and no one said anything," a source told People at the time. While the two have since moved on to different partners, Badgley has continued to appreciate the time he shared with Lively on and off screen.
Penn Badgley describes Blake Lively as his best and worst kiss
Back in 2010, Penn Badgley and Blake Lively shocked "Gossip Girl" fans when they announced their breakup after three years together. While the pair ended their relationship amicably, the two couldn't decompress from their breakup due to their ongoing "Gossip Girl" filming schedule. While there was no bad blood between the actors, the situation proved to be awkward when they had to share on-screen kisses as their characters, Serena van der Woodsen and Dan Humphrey. Because of their unfortunate circumstance, Badgley named Lively as his best and worst on-screen kiss during a 2015 interview on "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen."
"I'll say Blake [was my best on-screen kiss] because we actually had a relationship at the time," he revealed. "And worst? Maybe Blake after we broke up." Despite admitting that his post-breakup on-screen kisses with Lively were a little awkward, he did note that they kept it professional. "I think we should both pat ourselves on the back for getting through it — because, you know, anything is complicated in that way, and we handled it." Badgely's aforementioned interview isn't the only time he's praised Lively for being an exceptional human being.
Penn Badgley continues to sing praises for Blake Lively years after their breakup
Despite their relationship ending more than 10 years ago, Penn Badgley has continued to express his appreciation for Blake Lively's impact on his life. In an interview with Variety, the "You" star praised Lively for saving him after he described his "Gossip Girl" years as "fun and fast-paced" but plagued with a "dark undercurrent" — which "bottomed out" in his late 20s. "To be honest, I never struggled with substance. Blake didn't drink, and I think our relationship in some ways saved me from forcing myself to go down that road," he said after the news outlet asked for clarification.
While Lively has remained relatively mum regarding their breakup, the "Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants" star reflected on their overall relationship during a 2017 interview with Vanity Fair. "I remember there was one point where we were just afraid of how our personal lives overlapping our work life could be perceived by our bosses," Lively explained to the publication. "At the time, I was wearing the same clothes and doing fashion shoots, and dating the same person that my character was dating –– and because of that, what people were projecting onto me was that I was Serena." While Lively and Badgley are no longer together, its safe to say that there is no bad blood between them.