Taylor Momsen About Leaving 'Gossip Girl' Series, Being Deemed “ungrateful”

Liputan6.com, Jakarta Actress and musician Taylor Momsen, best known for her role as Jenny Humphrey on the hit series "Gossip Girl," recently returned to the public spotlight.

She revealed intimate details about her decision to leave the series midway through its fourth season, a move that shocked many fans at the time.

Momsen candidly recounted how she fought hard to break free from her contract with the production company.

Her strong desire to pursue a music career with her band, The Pretty Reckless, was the driving force behind this major decision.

Taylor Momsen couldn't escape the paparazzi while filming "Gossip Girl" in NYC. 😮 pic.twitter.com/Hng62bJdEA

— Page Six (@PageSix) November 5, 2025

In November 2025, Taylor Momsen again discussed the details of her departure from "Gossip Girl" in an exclusive interview on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast, hosted by Alex Cooper.

In this interview, Momsen candidly explained that while the decision to leave the show was easy personally, the process of getting out of her contract was incredibly difficult and fraught.

“It was an easy decision for me,” she said.

“To actually get [out of] a contract was not easy… it was a very long battle of me arguing [with] everyone and going, ‘Get me outta this. I can’t do this anymore. This is killing me. I have something else I want to do with my life, and it has nothing to do with this, and I can’t be stuck here anymore.'”

Despite her pleas, Momsen said studio executives at Warner Bros. Television deemed her “ungrateful” for trying to get off a popular television series, adding: “You’re called all the things that come along with, ‘How dare you turn your back on something that’s been so successful for you.'”

Taylor Momsen officially left her starring role as Jenny Humphrey on "Gossip Girl" midway through the fourth season.

The 10th episode of season 4, titled "Gaslit," which aired in 2010, marked her final appearance as a main cast member.

After that episode, her appearances on the series became sporadic, before officially leaving as a regular cast member following the conclusion of the fourth season in 2011.

This decision, made amidst the series' peak popularity, raised many eyebrows. However, for Taylor Momsen, it was a decision she made.

She felt the need to follow her calling and pursue a greater passion beyond the acting world that had made her famous from an early age.

Momsen admitted that while the decision to leave felt easy, the process of untangling herself from her contract was not simple.

In the "Gossip Girl" storyline, Jenny Humphrey's character underwent significant development following Taylor Momsen's departure.

At the end of season 3, Jenny was sent to live with her mother in Hudson, a way to explain her absence.

She briefly returned to New York in season 4, but ultimately decided to leave permanently, no longer wanting to be involved in the endless Upper East Side drama.

Despite leaving the series, Taylor Momsen made a brief appearance as Jenny Humphrey in the final episode of "Gossip Girl" in 2012.

The series finale, "New York, I Love You XOXO," aired on December 17, 2012, and served as an emotional sendoff for fans.In the episode, Jenny appears in a five-year time jump.

She is seen working as a designer for Blair Waldorf's fashion empire, demonstrating her success in her chosen career.

Interestingly, it is also revealed that Jenny has known about Gossip Girl's identity for years, adding a twist to the ending.

Momsen's return for this final episode provides a satisfying closure for her character and for the fans who have followed Jenny Humphrey's journey.