Actress Quits Gossip Girl to Pursue Rocking Music Career

In 2025, Taylor Momsen, the actress who played Jenny Humphrey on the hit TV series Gossip Girl, is reflecting on her decision to exit the show mid-season during its fourth season. Momsen, who had been acting since the age of three, had been a part of Gossip Girl since its premiere in 2007. However, in 2011, she decided to leave the series to pursue her aspirations as the lead singer of the rock band The Pretty Reckless.

Momsen revealed that she did not even tell her co-stars that she was leaving the show, saying she "kind of just Irish-dipped" and was simply not in the script the following week. While her castmates knew she was making music and had a band, Momsen says they did not realize how serious she was about her musical career at the time.

Leaving Gossip Girl mid-season was an easy decision for Momsen, but getting out of her contract proved to be a "very long battle." She had to argue with the network and Warner Bros. Television, who deemed her "ungrateful" for wanting to leave. However, Momsen persisted, and ultimately, the show's creators, Stephanie Savage and Josh Schwartz, agreed to write her character off the show so she could pursue her music goals.

Despite the dramatic exit, Momsen returned for the Gossip Girl series finale in 2012 for a cameo, as she wanted to be part of the full-circle moment. While touring with her band, Momsen found it difficult to escape her Gossip Girl persona, as every interview brought up the subject. However, she has no regrets about her decision and is proud to have followed her musical passions.