Gossip Girl' was a great opportunity, but it would be misleading to think that anyone on that show doesn't have anything more to offer.
— Penn Badgley
All are essentially equal in the eyes of God.
I don't think I could truly value human love until I developed divine love.
I'm just not the kind of actor to take things home with me in any excessive way.
In 'Gossip Girl,' I was far too judgmental of everything that was happening, because I was young.
We live in a world that does not recognize virtually anyone outside of the white male or the beautiful white woman who has to be an object of desire and affection.
A lot of actors like saying, 'Don't judge a character; you might fall in love with him!' Not me.
I'm grounded, I can say that. I can say that. I am, and it's great. I don't know where it comes from. But I've always been like that.
To be proud of something is a really nice feeling.
Like, if you are a celebrity, then anyone will let you be in a film or on a TV show, and if you're an actor, chances are if you are successful, you are becoming a celebrity.
I realize I stare at everyone, especially when I'm walking down the street. I'm just a curious person.
I couldn't date someone who didn't like dogs. There are exceptions to the rule, but I find that if someone doesn't like animals, I am a little suspicious of them.
I don't believe in auditioning. I'm a bad auditioner. I don't like it.
What does sharing music mean? It means playing it for people.
If God exists, then we are spiritual beings, and we have souls, and we are noble inherently.
In Iran, education is not a given at all. For decades, in fact, the Iranian government has been systematically depriving members of the Baha'i faith their right to higher education, attempting to bar their advancement and marginalize them in Iranian society.
I know this might sound absurd, but since I've been famous, I believe I've only been on two dates that would be considered a 'first date.' It's not the way I've ever really engaged in terms of romantic relationships.
The cultural value of 'Gossip Girl' was this interesting question. Sure, it seemed to have been a worldwide, cultural phenomenon for some time. And, yes, anywhere I go, I do get recognized. At the same time, it also lacked the kind of importance that people might anticipate.
Because I came into fame so early on, I've never done that. I don't investigate through the Internet about people who I know in the same way that I think most people do because I know what that's like to be on the other end of it. I think it gave me a certain kind of discipline, or empathy.
I don't believe that pure evil exists, personally.
I absolutely appreciate the opportunity it's been. I wouldn't be here without 'Gossip Girl,' so I will always be in debt and grateful.
I guess I never really had a high school experience. I went for about a month, and on the first day one of my friends got punched in the eye. It was Southern California Public High School. Needless to say, I wasn't there for long.
I want to be an actor - I don't want to be a celebrity. They are two different things, and people have forgotten that they are different.
I think pineapple is very sexy. It reminds me of bikinis and the beach.
For a while I didn't believe in marriage. But I think I do believe in having a love. I'm not saying only one love ever, but in having a good, solid relationship. I think that's possible.
When you come to L.A. as a kid with your mom, you're lured into doing things that you think are cool and fun and a good idea, but they're cheesy and awful. And recording a pop single was one of them.
When you're making a show or a movie, there are a million people and things in your way. As an actor, you're like a glorified session musician or player. You really are.
The phenomenon of fame is literally invisible, but it influences and dominates your life if you aren't careful.
If you look to any of our art, whether it's music, television, movies, art, anything - we seem to be really looking for love, and often in all the wrong places.
I'm quite monogamous. Thoroughly monogamous.
When it comes to the fame side of things. I don't think anybody, whether they're famous or not, could claim to understand that phenomenon or have any sort of power over it.
If there's anything the name #MeToo calls to us, it's that there's a lot more dimension to the equality of men and women and the empowerment of women, which also is like the empowerment of men.
I've been on over 1000 auditions.
All the little things you nitpick in your head, nobody really cares that much outside your head.
You know, as an only child, you're kind of in a bubble, and there are all sorts of things about my childhood that I still can't really place.
The 'Gossip Girl' idea and ideologies, like, they sort of encourage this certain kind of, like, materialism and superficiality that isn't, I would say, the best thing in the world.
I've always loved music. I listen to music the way a lot of actors watch movies.
Money is... I'm very conscious of it because I have it. It's powerful, man. It can change you ever so slightly, ever so slowly, and all of a sudden you're addicted to a million-dollar lifestyle and you've got no choice but to make a bad movie.
