Netflix star Penn Badgley's life from refusing Gossip Girl and body dysmorphia to filming 'nauseous' You scenes

Daily Mirror

24-04-2025

Penn Badgley stars in the fifth and final season of Netflix's You, but the actor has been in the entertainment industry long before his days as Joe Goldberg.
WARNING: This article contains spoilers from You on Netflix.
Penn Badgley, known for his captivating performances in teen drama Gossip Girl and psychological thriller You, never fails to keep his fans on the edge of their seats.
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The fifth season of You marks the end of Joe Goldberg's (played by Penn Badgley) twisted journey as he makes a comeback to New York with his wife Kate Lockwood (Charlotte Ritchie) by his side.
Dubbed as a "power couple" by the media, with Joe fondly referred to as "Prince Charming", one can't help but wonder how long he can resist succumbing to his dark urges?
With the release of You season five on Netflix, subscribers are keen to learn everything about Penn Badgley as he takes his final bow as Joe Goldberg.
Will And Grace
Badgley began his acting career at a tender age, with his first-ever onscreen role being in the iconic NBC comedy Will And Grace in 1999.
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He played a young lad named Todd in the ninth episode of the second season, titled I Never Promised You An Olive Garden.
Todd was depicted as a bully who tormented another boy until Jack (Sean Hayes) intervened to defend him while Karen (Megan Mullally) was having a meeting with a teacher about her step-son.
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Body dysmorphia
At the age of 14, Badgley secured a recurring role in The Young And The Restless.
His acting career took off amidst his parents' divorce, leading him to tell The Guardian that acting provided "an opportunity to put a pause on the collapsing family dynamic, sort of have this escape, or this fantasy".
However, Badgley's early experiences in the spotlight led to immense pressure as he began suffering from body dysmorphia, often comparing himself to other Hollywood stars.
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"I know that I hated my body and simply wanted a different one," he confessed.
"There was just a period where, coming out of depression and isolation, I was jumping wilfully into, but also being thrust into, this world where the more conventionally beautiful I seemed, the more successful I might be, the more value I might have.
"There's no way to get past the superficiality of this work, and if you recognise that, you can't help but recognise the superficiality of our culture, because of the way it rewards this work."
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Gossip Girl
In 2007, the now 38-year-old landed the teen drama Gossip Girl as the clever and down-to-earth Dan Humphrey, working alongside Blake Lively, Leighton Meester and Ed Westwick.
While Dan later proved to be a major character throughout the six seasons, Badgley didn't immediately seize the opportunity to star in Gossip Girl.
He admitted to Capital FM: "I just didn't want to do it. I was pretty certain I didn't want to do anymore television.
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"It just wasn't an interesting role to me, which even the creators of the show recognised when they propositioned it.
"They said, 'You might feel like you've already done this, but please take a look at it.' "And I did take a look at it and I respectfully declined. I said, 'Thank you for thinking of me'.
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"And then I came back like a month later and had a somewhat of an impassioned plea, and I'm indebted to their persistence."
Blake Lively
Badgley was famously in a relationship with his co-star and on-screen love interest Blake Lively, who played Serena Van Der Woodsen.
The pair were together for roughly three years before parting ways in 2010, reportedly due to the pressures of fame and the challenges around their busy schedules.
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However, the stars managed to keep their split under wraps from their fellow cast and crew on the show during filming.
Executive producer Joshua Safran revealed to Vanity Fair in 2017: "I found out on the set of the season two finale that Blake and Penn had broken up months before.
"They kept the breakup hidden from the crew, which you could never do now.
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"I don't even know how they did it. They kept it from everybody which is a testament to how good they are as actors.
"Because they did not want their personal drama to relate to the show."
Graphic You scenes
You is both romantic and deeply disturbing, filled with dark and twisted scenes, more often than not ending in violence and murder.
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And even though Badgley may be used to shooting these moments, they aren't always the easiest.
Opening up on Late Night With Seth Meyers, the actor said: "I'm not precious about it - about my process in any way - but there have been a few times where I've spontaneously become nauseous.
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"They sprayed me down with blood fully . . . [and] I walk into this room they've created.
"It's full of smoke, and dark fake blood all over a table, and a table saw with meat on it . . . Your nervous system is just like, 'No!'"
He further explained how he channels his discomfort into his performance as Joe, the oddly charming murderer: "He's your likable serial killer. I just let the nausea come through."
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Family Life
Off-screen, Badgley' is married to British-American songstress Domino Kirke, sister to Jemima Kirke of HBO's Girls fame.
The couple's love story began at a meatball joint back in 2014 when Badgley was "couch surfing" Despite initially declining Kirke's offer for a place to crash, they swapped digits.
Their romance blossomed, leading to an intimate courthouse wedding in New York in 2017, making Badgley a stepdad to Kirke's son.
In 2020, they welcomed their own little one, James, and just last month, the duo dropped the delightful news that twins are on the way, expanding their brood even further.