Penn Badgley of Gossip Girl Dishes on Star Treatment

Penn Badgley makes sure he doesn't get swept away in the hysteria surrounding his show Gossip Girl - despite admitting the cast are treated like "royalty" in New York social circles.

The actor is part of an ensemble of good-looking stars in the hit U.S. show, based on the lives of rich Manhattan kids, who regularly get mobbed on-set by manic fans of the series.

But Badgley insists he doesn't get sidetracked by the attention, especially on the New York party scene - because he'll never play up to his "teen idol" status.

He tells V Man magazine, "I'm not just a teen star idol. I'm not just that.

"I've always tried to distance myself from the character. You don't want people to think of you as this one guy.

"You barely have to be famous for people to scream when they see you. In certain circles we're treated like royalty. We're treated like the Kennedys."