Chace Crawford: "Gossip Girl" Hottie

Blue-eyed Chace Crawford made a very seductive and scary warlock in the spooky film The Covenant. The Dallas, Texas native wasn't planning on being an actor. He was studying at Pepperdine University in Malibu when he decided to try acting as a "hobby". You can see his work in the indie film She Lived and the film Loaded co-starring Jesse Metcalfe and Monica Keena.

Chace's "Gossip Girl" character Nate Archibald is a fellow who is a little uncomfortable with the New York rich guy crowd he was born to run with and he's also a little mixed up in the love department. He's torn between his girlfriend Blair (Leighton Meester) and her BFF Serena (Blake Lively). In real life, Chace says he's "lovin' the single life". We sat down with Chace recently at the modern Pacific Design Center in L.A. to get the haps on the new show.

TeenTelevision: How did you come to the project?

Chace: I had a meeting back in January with my television agent and she was like 'oh, there's a big script. Josh Schwartz has adapted this'. I read it and thought 'oh, typical teen stuff but it's Josh Schwartz ("The O.C."). It's probably going to be a good project'.

TeenTelevision: Was it tough competition for the part?

Chace: The casting process was pretty rigorous. I probably went back like six or seven times. I knew that I was probably in the mix after the first one but sort of winning over Les Moonves (top CBS exec) was another story and I ended up reading with Leighton (Meester) who had just gotten cast. I think I was third so it was pretty rigorous.

TeenTelevision: Had Les seen your work in The Covenant or anything?

Chace: I don't know. Maybe he hadn't. I'm still not sure. I'm pretty new to all of this basically. I've only been doing it for like three years so I don't have a reel or anything. But, they had some good scenes (to audition with). I think ended up doing most of the scenes for everybody when it was all said and done but it's good. They need to make sure you're the right one. It was a learning process going through all that and Leighton was fantastic when I got to read with her and when I met her and the rest of the cast, I knew it could be something good.

TeenTelevision: Were you auditioning for other shows at the same time?

Chace: I was. I really came into it wanting to knock pilot season out of the park and I got really focused and I got test deals for a show called "Gravity" on The CW which fell through and another show on NBC called "Zip" but we talked to Josh and he said 'you're one of the front runners' and so we kind of said no to the other ones and focused on this one and it was a good gamble I guess. It ended up working out. But it was a good problem to have you could say but it was a good pilot season; my third one and by far my best one.

TeenTelevision: Are you pleased with what you've seen that's been shot on "Gossip Girl" so far?

Chace: When we all sat down and watched it I was like 'It's a great pilot'. I was really impressed with the look, the music, unbelievable and there's no weak links on anything from the acting to the directing, the lighting. It all came together very nicely.

TeenTelevision: So, the Dallas boy is moving to New York and you have a roomie?

Chace: Yeah, Ed. Ed Westwick on the show. He's my good buddy. It cut the cost. We got a really nice place. Otherwise, we'd be kind of hung up. We're both going up there Sunday and we'll work on setting up shop.

TeenTelevision: Have you been to New York a lot?

Chace: No, just for the pilot I fell in love with it completely.

TeenTelevision: You don't have a Texas accent anymore. Have you abandoned the Southwest?

Chace: I just visited Santa Fe with the family. There's clean air and great food. It was great.

TeenTelevision: Are you into music and do you play music?

Chace: I'm into a lot of music. I used to dabble into electric guitar but not in a band or anything. I know Penn [Badgley] is a really good guitarist but I love the old stuff; love the '80's, the rock like Nirvana, Metallica to Bon Jovi to Collective Soul, Van Halen and the new stuff The Killers.

TeenTelevision: Are you going to try to do some movies on your breaks from the show?

Chace: Totally. Films are where the heart is but I've always wanted to do some type of TV show and to have the hype of being the next "Generations" or the next teen hit would be a hit in my book in achievement. But, I'm looking forward to doing some good films. Whatever comes along will come along.

TeenTelevision: Are you prepared at all for the fame and visibility that this show will bring?

Chace: Not at all. I'm not prepared at all to be honest. I'm taking it day by day. It's insane. I want to take it episode by episode and just make sure my work is good. The rest, I hope, will take care of itself if the work is to my standards.

TeenTelevision: What TV did you watch growing up?

Chace: I didn't watch too many TV shows but I loved "Saved by the Bell" when I was younger. That was a big one for me and nowadays I love "The Office". I love comedies. Like, in high school I watched a little bit of MTV like I hate to say "Real World" and stuff like that but I watched all that stuff. I wasn't into all the dramas. Now I am. I'm into the dramas and it's interesting to be a part of all this.

TeenTelevision: Fans are going to want to know. Did you leave anybody behind in Texas?

Chace: I came out here to go to Pepperdine but yeah, I used have a girlfriend in Texas and I dated her a little bit through Freshman year at college and realized that wasn't the right thing to do and I took the Fall off and tried acting as a hobby and it ended up sort of working out I guess but I'm lovin' the single life.

Tune in to "Gossip Girl" on The CW starting Sept. 19th

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Lynn Barker is a Hollywood-based entertainment journalist and produced screenwriter.