The series begins with the return of Upper East Side teenage "it" girl Serena van der Woodsen ( Blake Lively ) from a "mysterious absence". Gossip Girl reveals that Serena has been away at boarding school in Cornwall, Connecticut, but not everyone welcomes Serena back to Manhattan with open arms. Blair Waldorf ( Leighton Meester ), whom creators describe as being " the queen at the center of their chess game," is the queen bee of Constance Saint Jude prep school 's social scene; she also happens to be the childhood "best friend " and occasional rival of Serena van der Woodsen. The story also follows scholarship student and aspiring writer Dan Humphrey (Penn Badgley), who lives in Brooklyn and is a self -described "outsider", Nate Archibald (Chace Crawford), the so-called "golden boy ", who was Blair 's childhood sweetheart and first love, and Chuck Bass (Ed Westwick), the womanizing, "bad boy " heir who is part of " Manhattan 's elite" and "the king of their chess game." Other characters of the turbulent Manhattan scene include Dan's childhood best friend Vanessa Abrams (Jessica Szohr); Jenny Humphrey ( Taylor Momsen ), Dan's rebellious adolescent sister who the 'Queen B' dubs as ' Little J'; Lily van der Woodsen (Kelly Rutherford), Serena's mother and heiress, Rufus Humphrey (Matthew Settle), former 90's band 'Lincoln Hawk ' frontman and Lily 's former lover and Dorota, Blair 's maid. Rufus is Dan and Jenny's father and primary guardian.
The success of Gossip Girl led to adaptations outside the United States. The show has received numerous award nominations, winning 18 Teen Choice Awards.
