Chace Crawford is reflecting on his career after Gossip Girl — and why he struggled following the show’s success.
The actor, 39, shot to fame playing heartthrob Nate Archibald in the CW teen drama from 2007 to 2012. However, Crawford admits there was a lull period after that show ended and he landed the role of The Deep in Amazon Prime Video’s hit satirical superhero drama The Boys.
“First of all, [people] think actors make a ton more money and have way more agency than we actually do, depending on where you are [in your career]. I felt like I was in the wilderness for years after Gossip Girl,” Crawford recalled on the Thursday, June 12, episode of Josh Peck and Ben Soffer’s “Good Guys” podcast.
The actor explained, “As big of a show as it was, coming off [it] as a still young guy, it’s like, ‘That’s not cool anymore,’ and I’m in this box. I’m in this jail of the CW pretty boy who has no range. I felt that, and I was probably harder on myself than I needed to be.”
‘Gossip Girl’ Cast: Where Are They Now?
Following Gossip Girl, Crawford was cast in the short-lived ABC drama Blood & Oil, though the series was canceled after just one season in 2015. He also had a short arc on Hulu comedy Casual.
“It was not lost on me how difficult after those four years of false starts on some TV shows … like, it could be difficult to find another thing,” Crawford looked back during his podcast appearance.
Thankfully, Crawford’s next major role was just around the corner.
“I just remember that audition hitting my inbox and reading the synopsis, I was like, ‘That sounds wild!’ And then reading the pilot, I was like, ‘Oh, this is great. This is so out-there and original and weird,” he said of The Boys, which premiered in 2019. “And the specific role of The Deep, I’m like, ‘I know that guy. I know a hundred of those guys.’ I instantly felt confident and excited about my take on the character.”
“I was really, really appreciative when this happened,” he added.
Shailene! Channing! Stars Who Have Taken Acting Roles They Later Regret
The Boys has aired four seasons on Prime Video, with a fifth and final season due to premiere in 2026. The popular series has also spawned a spinoff, Gen V, and show creator Eric Kripke hopes the franchise will continue to expand.
“This story of The Boys will not continue on,” the showrunner told Entertainment Weekly in 2024. “With any luck, Gen V will continue on, there will be hopefully a couple others in development that we’re talking about that can continue on, but The Boys story ends in season 5.”
