Taylor Momsen has opened up about her decision to leave Gossip Girl mid-season to focus on her music career, describing it as an easy choice despite the contractual difficulties that followed.
In an interview on the Call Her Daddy podcast, the singer and actress revealed that she did not inform her co-stars before departing the series, saying she 'Irish-dipped' and simply wasn't on the script the next week. She noted that while her castmates knew she was making music, they were unaware of how serious she was about her band, The Pretty Reckless.
Momsen, who had been acting since age three and starred in films such as How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Spy Kids 2, found quitting the show easy but faced a long battle to get out of her contract. She recalled arguing with network and Warner Bros. Television executives, who called her 'ungrateful' and initially refused to release her.
Ultimately, series creators Stephanie Savage and Josh Schwartz agreed to write her character off, allowing her to tour with her band. Momsen credited them for their help, noting that she remained bound by her contract and could not act for a time, which suited her musical ambitions.
Despite the difficulties, Momsen said she does not resent the show and returned for a cameo in the 2012 series finale. She acknowledged that she struggled to outlive the character in interviews but has since come to terms with it.
