Top 10 Gossip Girl Characters

We all know who the true unsung hero of “Gossip Girl” is - and it’s not who you might think. The Waldorf’s maid Dorota may start out as a background fixture on the show, but as the series progresses she not only proves herself as a loyal and motherly figure to Blair (which she’s seriously lacking) but she also shows some serious sass. There isn’t really anyone who can put Blair in her place as well at Dorota can, because no one else is bold enough to even try. We’re so happy that her story was fleshed out more in the later seasons!

While her character may have little in common with her portrayal in the book series, TV show Jenny may be even better. When we first meet her she’s a young and innocent girl hoping to break into the upper class social scene by willingly becoming one of Blair’s minions. As the series progresses however, her character takes on more and more edge, eventually coming to be somewhat of an equal with the girl she used to fear and admire. While Little J may have stopped being a series regular after season three, that didn’t stop her from stirring up trouble every time she came back to town.

Speaking of trouble, there’s arguably no character in the history of this drama-filled show who caused as many theatrics as this one. Georgina Sparks started her run on “Gossip Girl” by toying with Serena, but throughout the series managed to manipulate and backstab just about every other character on the show. Her piece de resistance is when she shows up and tells Dan he’s the father of her unborn child. It turns out that wasn’t true, which we probably should have seen coming. Even Georgina managed to find love by the end of the series however, with none other than fellow villain Jack Bass.

While in the books Dan and Jenny’s dad may be a weirdo poet who plays a very minor role - the show’s creators fleshed him out to be a real character in his own right. Of all the parents on the show, Rufus is probably the one we’d most like to have as our own because, in addition to being super cool, above all, he clearly wants what’s best for his kids. He’s also a pretty great partner, despite being jerked around by Lily van der Woodsen for several seasons. He’s a somewhat pitiable figure at times, but we sure do love him anyway.

Just like her daughter, Lily van der Woodsen seems to inevitably attract drama no matter how hard she tries to avoid it. She’s not nearly as conniving as her mother CeCe, but she also doesn’t always make the right choices. She’s questionable in terms of her parenting skills, especially in the first season with her treatment of Eric’s mental illness. She’s also got a past as an 80s rocker chick who put her baby up for adoption. Despite all that, she exudes Upper East Side class and knows how to use her influence for both good...and evil. Add it all up and you’ve got one truly unforgettable character.

Love him or hate him, he is undoubtedly one of the pivotal characters of this show. Dan Humphrey starts off simply as Lonely Boy, an outsider from Brooklyn placed at St Jude’s who’s trying to fit in - all while being hopelessly in love with Serena van der Woodsen. He eventually becomes a stronger character with higher aspirations for himself, but inevitably gets wrapped up in some drama along the way. It may seem unbelievable that Dan was actually behind the keyboard acting as Gossip Girl the whole time, but we always knew he was more than meets the eye.

In the books, Nate is a hapless stoner who flits from girl to girl without ever truly investing himself in anything at all. Nate of the TV show is much more clean cut and it’s his father’s involvement with drugs that is the focus instead. Nate does end up dating pretty much every girl on the show, but his wide eyed innocence is refreshing considering all the backstabbing that takes place in this world. Sadly Nate ends the series without a romantic partner, but he does seem to be considering a bid for mayor, so things could be worse.

While she starts off as a former party girl who can’t seem to get her life together, by the end of the series Serena is squarely one of the most respectable characters on the show. Unlike many other of her Upper East Side peers, Serena generally attempts to stay out of the cat fighting that defines her social circles. That being said, she’s still made more than her fair share of mistakes. Above all though, she cares deeply about her friends and family and even though she doesn’t always make the best decisions, at least her heart is in the right place. She’s the sort of of human character you want at the center of a series.

While watching the first few episodes of this show, would you ever have guessed that Chuck would be one of the most beloved characters by the end of it? He tries to rape Jenny in the pilot episode and is portrayed as a villain for much of the first season. Like with so many flawed characters however, Chuck is all about personal growth. For Chuck, it turns out that his feelings for Blair are what make him human, and he manages to turn his life around in order to be with her. Chuck and Blair end up being the unexpected yet enduring romance of the series and one which fans were rooting for for years.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a couple honorable mentions.
Cyrus Rose

Eric van der Woodsen

Queen B is without a doubt the most important figure on the Upper East Side, and despite her obvious flaws, she was always at the heart of this show. Whether she’s actually a decent person is totally up for debate, but this wasn’t a show about good people. She couldn’t care less about the little people surrounding her and would do anything to keep her place at the top. Blair made everything more interesting with her blatant cattiness, and she even managed to start a fashion trend with her iconic and preppy headbands. Despite all of the horrible things she did throughout the show, we’re still glad that she got her happily ever after.