Hey, I'm Gina Taures and I played Gabriella Abrahams and we are rewatching. Enough about the welcome back listeners. Do you want an only source into all things gossip crul? You know you'll love it. XO x O. Hellou, Hi, Mama, Hi's sweet baby. How are you? I'm doing great? Hello? Hi? We have Gina Taures, who played Vanessa's mother, which I am so excited about. Gina. This is Gina we never got to meet. I don't think that's that Thank you for joining us. Nice to see you as well. Absolutely, I'm so glad this happened that me me too. I know you're super busy. You've got a lot going on, like family, work all over the place, which is I always think like a great thing. So I really appreciate you coming on. And we really haven't seen each other, probably since the show, maybe one other time we ran into each other. And then you work with Nikki who did who worked on the orbit with us, who I just love her. She's such a talent, and she used to always come to set and talk about how great you are, and I'm like, she's so brilliant, she's such a good actor. You are like, I'm just I was very honored to work with you and to get you call you my set mom, So I'm just pleased. But you know what's so funny you never know what your parents are gonna look like. When for me, when I get cast, like in Love Wedding Marriage, my parents were James Brown and Jane Seymour, which is I would have never pictured those two to be my parents. And Manny Moore was my sister been on this and I was like, you're my mom. We never got to meet my dad, but you never so I'm always I did to see like what kind of flavor or like way we're gonna go. I guess me Because I'm mixed, it could be like anything could go down. So but I really liked it because we both had curly hair and I could see the resultants. But I remember James Roland and Jane Seymour and I'm like, wow, I would have never pictured those two as my parents. So it's always funny your set like family absolutely, you know. Yeah, And and being like being bi racial, being like that sort of like falling into that ethnically ambiguous sort of arena if you will. It's it's always interesting to see how other people see, see what other people's perspective of you is, right, So yeah, yeah, I wouldn't have picked Josh and Jane and Jane no interesting, who would you think was let's pick an after that we know of that you would have been my dad with you? Who would you put? Oh? I mean right, well, it's well, so here's the thing, right, Brolin and I could have absolutely Yeah, I agree that. Actually that makes sense. I like that. But it's also funny because it's this younger son. Yeah. I kind of like that too. But the two of you had such great chemistry in this episode that we watched that we're watching today. It's like the you know, the relationship is so fraught, but the chemistry is so there, and it just seemed like, you know, a really lovely mother daughter um kind of vibe at its heart. So I really like you guys together. So I definitely think throw a little Josh in the mix and then we can make another movie, right right, yeah, do it? Let's make that happen. Um full disclosure. Yeah, I love that you just said that because I when I was watching, when I was rewatching it, I saw that and I felt the same way and I absolutely felt the same way. When we were working together. It was just easy. It just felt like a like an easy thing, right, like a good fit. Um. But when I was at a point in my life when I my daughter was a toddler and and it was I was just like in like in baby mode, and I remember getting like sent all these roles for women who had these grown ass children. Think I was like ready right for the mother of a grown ass child, and it was just sort of okay, chronologically it could be true, but why and and it was so comforting to kind of look back on it, and and now that I have a teenage daughter, I feel like that that worked, that you know, that made sense. It's also interesting when you say that, because you look as if we just got done filming the scene two days. Yeah. Yeah, And I feel like in this gossipel world that ages are all messed up anyway. It's like everybody's like four five years within each other's ages. And yeah, so yeah, it's a crazy Upper east Side absolutely, yeah world. Gina, do you remember like you're casting story or situation or how it came about? You remember, I know we some of it, like people are like, really it was fifteen years ago. I don't remember. I'm like, that's fair too. Like I said, I was, my child was a toddler, so a lot of that was a blur those toddler years or that you have children now, so you know what I'm talking about. It's a lot, you know, it was. I mean, it was season three, so I had, of course, I had an awareness of the show. I had. I had a great awareness of the show because you guys were like this enormous, crazy hit. It was just on the other side of you know, like like we're talking about like generationally, generationally sex in the city, so this would this was like the next step to that kind of thing. Yeah, right, So I was intrigued. I was intrigued by by um, you know, I remember sort of watching an episode prior to go Okay, what are they doing? What's happening? It's like, oh it's soapy. Oh it's oh, it's like delicious, all right, because I gotta know, right, like the world am I jumping into? But I can't remember. I can't remember if I auditioned or if it was one of those offers well, ye, who knows. Let's just say it was an offer good and I was just I was so I was just so happy to get it, like to to get to work in New York. That's always you know, I grew up in New York. I was raised in New York. Um, so anytime I would get to work in New York or on the New York streets, it felt like, oh yeah, hometown girl. And you know, I always take a moment to just say, all right, this is happening, this is this is working out. And Gossip Girl holds one of those places for me that I get to you can go home again and actively live your dream on on the streets where they were still dreams. Right. So that was fun. Yeah, yeah, well I know we were like super pumped to have you. And and like, first of all, you guys, we're rewatching Enough About Eve, which is based on the movie All About Eve, one of my favorites. By the way, me too, I love it. I think it's a perfect movie. Oh my god, love Um. Okay, so we left off where Lillian Rufus have finally beaten the odds and tied the knot, while Scott finds himself closer and closer to forging a connection with his biological parents. Meanwhile, Serena and Carter are back on the rocks as she leaves him over the face marriage he wants arranged to pay off a gambling debt. Georgina gets her just desserts, however, falling for a scam at the courtesy of Blair. So again, lots where we came from, and then here we end up in like Vanessa spiral Land. So in this episode that we're watching today, Vanessa hoping to finally win her difficult activist mother. That's one way to put it. Uh, gabrielle as approval desperately vised with Blair for the honor of delivering the freshman toast n y U, which is a big deal here. Meanwhile, Dan invites Olivia to meet Rufus and Lily, which leads to all sorts of problems. Uh. And Serena and Nate team up on the side to help Carter with money at a poker table to free him from the arrangement of the Buckley's. Nate has a different plan, so he's scheming too, So we have a lot of scheming, and that's not really Nate's vibe usually either, Nate's not. So that's yeah, that was interesting, and he was like Chase how he was in this episode, so like how he played it just so serious and sometimes I can't, even though he did it brilliantly, take him seriously because I'm like, oh my gosh, this is like so nice it makes me last. Yeah, just he was the whole thing with the with Trips campaign and Carter and the poker like that whole thing. Also just every time they went to it felt so dangerous to me, and like this just feels like someone could die, Like this is not its like in some like shady place. We got Serena looking like you know, fire again, and like there was just so much I'm like, something's going down. That's like not okay. No, I I felt like, why wouldn't you wear shoes you could run in? Like that doesn't sense. You're walking into the space where anything can go down. We're sensible shoes. That's such a good spoint to me. That entire poker scene was just like about Serena's legs, Like it was just like legs, legs, legs, legs, legs. They was shot back like like usually they do like it over the shoulder shot. This was all you know, over the list, so you know, pretty fun very high steaks poker. But I have to tell you right now, I Vanessa is just on my little nerves. Oh this isn't crazy Vanessa episode. Well, I'm like, this isn't even like her. That's why even the moment she has with you Gina at the end, I'm like, that's right, she needs to listen to her mom, because what she was pulling throughout this episode. I'm like, this is why the parts about Vanessa that I liked playing or that she you know, was different from the Upper East Side on the show, and then this one she's just lying and cheating and it's just doing whatever. I'm like, this is like not Vanessa girl, Like you might need to go home with your mom for a little bit. We always talk about how Vanessa is like the moral center of the Gossip Girl universe. A lot of times she's kind of the you know, where we go to follow the right path, and then here she is just falling down the rabbit hole. So yeah, it's a really juicy and she's like just lying like it's nothing. She's just like, oh, you should make the chicken. Oh his parents don't like, Oh girl, you don't even lie and you're just lying on top of lying on top of I'm like, you know, the steaks were high. I'm not condoning it, but like watching it in retrospect and seeing what like what you wanted and what you were trying to accomplish, and you know you were poorly influenced in that moment in time. You know, you knew your mom was coming and you wanted to make a really good impression because I was like, didn't you know she doesn't like where you were, So this was you know, the only place for you to prove that you were making the right decision was being taken from you. So not that I'm just sying your horrible behavior, No, And that's what she was really fighting to show you that all this time and her being there is the right thing. But I like, wow, she's gonna lie to Dan, lie to her roommate, lie to Blair. It wasn't just like, oh, in this episode we see a little flavor of Vanessa like stepping into like what Blair would kind of pull. He was just doing it like on every level. And I was like, oh my god, and this is gonna fight you in the butt hard and how it ends. I was like, I couldn't but you know, sometimes it's like I think a visit from mom can really set your first spin. So it's like it makes sense to me that you know that. It's like because the parental relationships on this show are always complicated, and I feel like watching Vanessa unmoored because you know, her mom all of a sudden steps into the equation, I feel like it's kind of relatable. So you know, I gave her. I gave her a little bit of a rope there. I was like, you know, I get it, I guess. And it was also just like just really sweet to watch how it's not easy for you, like you're fully aware of what you're doing. Like Vanessa is fully aware that she is crossing a line. She keeps crossing it, but she's fully yeah, and it keeps It's like keeps like chipping away at you. It doesn't sit well with you at all, which I guess is the is the silver lining here is that this isn't just like okay, whatever, she can brush it off. It was affecting her. And even the moment when she calls when you're on your way out of the city, like you can tell her worlds like crumbling that like because she didn't mean to hurt her mom, she was just trying to show her. But meanwhile she's hurt really the closest people to her, which I think a lot of times in life sometimes does happen. I don't know if it's because you know, there's trust there something, but don't they Isn't there a quote that's like you always heard the most or something? Yea. Also here it's like her bad choices to the's such a snowball effect, So I feel like that's kind of funny to watch too, is like the amount of snowball like gains speed as it's rolling down the mountain here, So it's like one lie, one manipulation, one mistake turns into ten, and it happens curbing Usa and Blair and the two of them being such sort of foils or opposites right normally in the show, and they're kind of on the same track here Downhill, which is well constructed. Definitely absolutely This episode begins with this like awesome black and white sory sequence, which I have to say, like I've always said, when people ask me about Gossip Girl and they asked about the cast, and they always ask, you know, you know, who's like what or whatever. I always say. One of the things I always say is that Jessica Zor is the most beautiful human, so that when you meet her in person, it just like blows you away, and that you know that. And this vers turn, I was like, holy CONNOTI how gorgeous for you in this black and white fume world. Oh my god, you have to do a period piece. I think you have to go. You know, you have such a great Flori's face, like they you and I was like perfection. Absolutely, the hair so nice. You guys are making me blush. Was there anything different about the shooting of that? I mean, did it feel like you were doing a thing or do you remember? I don't fully remember shooting, but I remember because Vanessa is never really and put together dresses like gowns like that, or having her hair pulled back and makeup really done like the Winter Ball like she had makeup and more certain dress. But never do you see Vanessa like this. I even really liked how the dress she wore when she when you come in, Gina like a lot of her looks and yeah that was a good dress, Yes that was beautiful. Yeah, but I don't I remember loving it because it was about all all about Eve the movie. So I was like already into the episode before we started filming because I love that movie so much. But I I don't really remember if I think black and white everyone just looks better and black and white because it just there's like this elegance and like chic nous to it, and then the hair and makeup teams are just great. But it definitely was like one of those moments like that sticks out to a look for for Banasa for sure. So I don't know, I would actually like to know what what they did that was so different case I'm like, well, Vanessa look at Yeah, but it's also because she's always got so many ear rings and layers and colors. She's always got a lot going on. So I think it was just like more and just simple. Yeah right right, Um, but I do love those those sequences. But how about when Blair's She's like, well, I'm always Audrey Hepburn, I'm never Betty Davis, She's yeah, so we basically, yeah, we started the episode with Blair being insecure somehow she's like losing herself and it's like this sets us up for disaster here. Um. Yeah, and then we have this whole storyline that's like the Freshman toast, which is the big thing, and then we have this Nate and Serena with dealing with Carter Serena and two pronged episode. So I guess it's like, well, and then let's not forget the Blair and Chuck of it all. In that moment that happening, how she set that up, I was like, this, not Blair, We'll just do anything. She yeah, and like thinking she wasn't she wasn't gonna get caught right right well, and if she dies, I mean, he's just as ruthless. So I understands. But when she did that, I didn't think it was going to come to that she actually set it up with him. I thought she knew that he was in Two Guys and this yes, So it was like a double twist for me because I'm like, oh, she's just doing that because she outsmart at everyone again, Like she just knew that Josh Ellis is gay, and so she's gonna because is not gonna like Chuck Bass, you know what I mean, Like, and that's just how I thought it was gonna be. I'm like, oh, she actually went and had a conversation like That's why I thought she was watching, because I thought she wasn't sure how it was going to go down. Little did she know she had every little thing like she's like had the conversation. She was willing to risk her relationship she cured that exactly How funny was Josh Ellis too, because like what was what was his position? He was like a dean or something like, I don't know what his position in the college was, but he was basically like the social liaison whose entire career revolved around picking someone for the freshman toast. But you yeah, everybody's showing up in yeah crazy? Did you think that when it was another girl? When Vanessa was like on the call. This was in the beginning of the episode. I actually was just thought straightaway it was going to be Blair. Yeah, I forgot about Olivia. It was Olivia. It was like Olivia, right, yeah yeah. And then how about when they get to the freshman toast And now, because of all Vanessa's lies, Olivia thinks they're not going to meet Rufus and Lily because Vanessa told Olivia they wouldn't like her, right, Dan wanted to do the whole thing. She sets up Dan to play this whole dinner. I mean she's just left and right, scheming and making up all these lies. But how about when Olivia gets to the Freshman toast and it's just acting like an assholes like Hollywood, right, it's so nuts, and she's like in her mind, she's like, I'm playing these assholes and actually you look like one a little Yeah, it's just a little little bit genius there, just a little bit like and you gotta wonder, it's like, you think that's a good idea, Like yeah, even right, even if that's going, yeah, even if his parents were big jud judgmental you know, uh, anti Hollywood parents, how is that going to serve her in the end? But what it was funny um hious. But in this episode, it's everything is is hanging on this freshman toast. So it's basically like an honor for like this you know, freshman who's ahead of the pack or or leader. And so we see in the beginning of this episode that Vanessa has been written about in the school paper that she's the cover story that she's like, you know, doing good stuff and for the environment and for other students. So it seems like she's a shoe in and we end up kind of having this battle how her play between her and Lydia and Blair. But um, I think what's most important is the fact that this this freshman toast brings Vanessa's family to the four and Vanessa's you know, sort of identity and how it's defined by her own role relationship with her mother. So when it's it's introduced as this idea that you know, Mom's gonna come. But mom doesn't approve of n y U because it's a private institution, right, So the politics there of mom and dad are very specific, right, very specific, because education should not have to be bought. Yeah, and the irony too in this episode when I'm watching, I'm like, because of their how they view it and look at it, and then here is Vanessa trying to prove it. And just that's why I think it was so powerful when you said that to Vanessa out when Gabriel, when her mom says, you should really consider the person you'll becoming here, because I think she sees that this isn't how her daughter was And so now you're paying all this money going to this school and you're really like bringing people down and just doing things that you wouldn't do. It's like wrong, you know what I mean, like telling lies and do like all the things that go on is just like so I think the irony and and her not wanting me to go there and then coming and really seeing a different side of Vanessa that that probably my mom hasn't seen is like not the greatest situation for me. That thing is She's also not so wrong, but not necessarily about you, but what you're driven to because the fact is that Olivia didn't earn that spot, right they I mean, they were absolutely playing to the fact that she was a celebrity. She was a freshman celebrity, and she didn't care. Oh I'm not gonna make it. Oh I am gonna make it. Oh. I was just like it was just one of the important It just wasn't important to her at all. And it was absolutely important to Vanessa, and she was being considered not because she played the game, but because she was genuinely being this person that she was raised to be, which was why she was on their radar. So it's also it's it's too pronged, right, That's that's what's so great about It's like these these two things can absolutely be true. The competition of it drove you insane, But the fact is it would have been yours if not for the celebrity component of this, of this institution, of this money making institution. And that is like, that's right, it's like the two side of it. So it's not Yeah, that's so so true. And that's honestly, Gina. We because we're rewatching all the time now, everyone's always like, just the writing and the show is so brilliant because it it's not in your face the way it has to be. You know what I'm saying, it's just what you said, because I really didn't even know that it is. It is true. Olivia didn't get didn't care and she's like, oh you're giving me something else. Oh that's yeah, I'll do it. It's a little surprised for Dan. Yeah exactly. Well, there's this there's this fantastic scene when Vanessa's mom shows up at the Humphrey Loft, I mean not the vander Woodson Loft. Uh. There's this great sort of like culture clash with the jam Yeah yeah, Billie and Rufus and how and I mean I really related to Vanessa in this scene because not that my you know, just just I just idea of being like Mom, come on, you know that, like mom's living embarrassing and like Mom's not, you know, doing what you wanted to do. So like that I think is universal. Um, do you guys remember shooting that scene at all or how? I don't know if you've ever worked with them, Matthew or Kelly in the past. Now, I yeah, I'd never worked with them before. But it's one of those It's one of those situations right where you where you sort of walk into the world of this show. It's like I'm in the loft, I'm right these characters and so that in and of itself is is overwhelming. And what I had forgotten was that what they also wrote into the show was this prior relationship that Gabriella had Rufus, Like they were they were like buds in Brooklyn right together, you know, they we were like hanging out. She knows where a couple of bodies are buried, and she's like, really, you bro, you ended up on the everast side, right. So so now you have to as an actor, you have to sort of create this history and this short ye come with this character and you know, he doesn't even know how he got there, which was kind of like, like so great about this relationship. He just happened to fall in love with this woman from the Ever east Side. And so we come into I come into their relationship where they're struggling, they're struggling a little bit, and then then my daughter's kind of struggling a little bit um in this world that I really don't have much patience for, right well, because it's such a different It just is a different world. I mean, like you like you step in and right you're like, wow, we're in the Upper east Side. This is a far you know, long way from Brooklyn rufus Um and just everything that goes on in there. And I'm sure even in our backstory a little bit, like I'm sure I've talked to you about Dan dating Serena vander Watson and how like things have shifted in our relationship at times. And Chuck Bass and Bass Industries is somehow related now to the Humphries because of you know, Lily's relationship with Bart Bass. So you definitely have heard me, you know when I call home or call to tell you what's up, that like there's a lot going on up here, and whether you have met Lily Van Watson or not, you've heard about it and most people you know, and that like we're aware of this social lite mother. So it's a it's a very different walk of life from where we came from, Like I come back from Vermont, you know, like it's a very different world of walking out that. Yeah, that dad is living here and this is where I come to see you know, Dan sometimes now is wild. It's like not at all what we know of the Humphries. So but the way you guys played that scene was so because you felt the tension, but you can feel that like they didn't really know what to do and you were just being nice. You just brought something that you made from home. Only because I have manners, actually, g And I wanted to ask you about that because I think was so compelling about this character too, is that she doesn't adjust or cover any of her passion or her point of view or worldview in this scene, you know, out of like politeness, but she is polite and a nice guest brings the thing, and you know she's open and willing to have a conversation. So it's an interest she's like a no bullshit person in a way that's like really kind of admirable and fun to watch. I'm wondering if that's something you find yourself playing characters like that a lot, or was that a fun shift for you? Did you like her? You know? I did like playing her. She was so like forward, yeah, like not backing away from a fight. This is what's on her mind. I mean, it's like transparency to the nth degree. Yeah, and so there's something so beautifully liberating about sort of being in that skin and this and and it's it's something that you hope that you can take a little bit away from because it wasn't I mean, yes, she she was judgmental, but not in a in a an uninformed way, right, you know what I mean? It was it was this, this is this is what this is what I've learned from walking the walk that I walk. And so yeah, so either you know, and this is how I choose to live my life. So but but she of course makes space for you know, for her daughter's choice, she makes space for her old best friend's choice her you know, she's not living in a world by herself. It's a it's a world that she's chosen, but there's still space for other people. So you know, that's that is absolutely I think a lesson that we can all continue to take give, even you know where we are in the world right now, that you can absolutely be tethered to your ideas and to your beliefs and to your way of life and not have that encroach on other people. You know, and it doesn't. It feels like when you played it, Gina, when you're watching her, there could have been another way, like if someone played it where it really felt judgmental, where you were like irritated with it, but you weren't because you were never judging the person for their choice. It was just what you kind of what you were just saying. So the way you played it was very you just kept I wanted you on screen more like. I just like the way you did, because I did feel like there was like a grace to it and a real like gentle way, but but a matter of fact, like you, there was a fine line of like saying what you meant, but like not trying to be like because you thought you were better to be honest. Some of the things you said I think hit hit so close to home for people, it's what the other person was maybe thinking but doesn't really want to say. Sometime it was just very it was I thought it was excellent because it's easier to just play the judgmental I don't like you kind of thing. To play it where you're not is what's I think challenging. So what I'm saying is that I thought it was brilliant. Well, thank you, thank you. I think it's it's it's fun and it's I mean, you're trying to find like the juice in it, right, and so what you try to do. It wasn't that I was concerned with her being likable or not, but it was it was more about her being understood. You didn't have to look like that, you just had to understand understand, yeah, where she was coming from. And and so what happens is and what's what's great sort of in retrospect because we've been teenage daughters. I now have a teenage daughter, and and and so watching this relationship play out on screen now all these years later, having you say that, as now a parent of a teenage daughter, I can look at my character and go, so she's not so bad, And I can look that, right, and I can see it from like my daughter's point of view, because I get a whole lot of piss and vinegar, you know, every day, that embarrassment of Mom, Why did you say that she can't my girl own business? Why shouldn't mind? You know, you know, it's like that whole that embarrassment, And so, like I said, it's like the duality, like all of these things can be true. She's not a bad person, but she's just not the person that Vanessa needs her to be in that moment, you know, and then you find out later that you're all the things that I've been raising you to be, So you can't you know, what what is it that you're fighting against? Like what is it that that character is fighting against? Really? And just you know, fighting for you, just your your space, your you know, your identity. And that's what's so beautiful about it is is my identity this Now, No, that's that doesn't sit right for me, that's that can't be who I am, you know, and watching and watching you go through all those changes, watching you feel the sacrificing of something that's that's important to you and precious to you, you know, your own moral center that was that was fascinating. Yeah, it was Will because again, this this episode shocked me. I was so excited because I remember this is when we met you, so I was like excited to see that again and take that walk down memory lane. But then I'm like, whoa, the whole thing was Vanessa. That was just like I couldn't believe this episode. But vanessas comes from, you know, when she gets to M y U, I feel like she wanted she wants to do this fresh start. She talks about it with Dan in the beginning of this season, even when they see Georgina, and she wants that. And then she finds out that Blairs, you know, at M y U on the same hall, and they have this like tension and they don't really see eye to eye on anything and don't like each other care for each other. So I think not only is was it for Vanessa that she was proud to have you there and proud to be chosen to do this, and then she has this thing with Blair where Blair comes and it's just going to take it and do it. And that's why when Vanessa has the microphone and she's like outing Blair to everyone, like everyone can now finally really hear what Blair is about. Um, I forgot that she did that. In the scene, I see Vanessa like lift her purse up. I'm like, why would I do that? She is recording her I forgot that, which I thought that was like the one thing. I was like, I kind of I'm okay with that, you know, this the whole thing. I was like, oh, And Blair's like, oh no, She's like, I gotta go give my speech, and Vanessa is like, you just didn But also we had that moment, that really heart holy moment when Vanessa says that she wishes the Lilian Rufus were her parents, you know, because and and you know, and you're over there listening and overhearing that like vulnerability. It's like all because I feel like a lot of times, especially when we're in a teen centric world, it's like you forget about the humanity of the adult characters or the parents characters, and this show often brings it up to the fore. I mean, we kind of we get into it Lilian Rufus, and so I think that moment when you see the impact of her words, and it's very beautiful played, it's very nuanced and like you know it, it happens, and it's so real, and I was like, oh, Vanessa, no heart dropping feeling. Yeah, I felt that too. Yeah, I was. I was in my mind of like, oh my gosh, if I if Bowie would say that, I would like follow it was, yeah, teriffy. And it's also in the relationship with like s Rena and Lily and rufe Is coming in and being the father figure to Serena and all the things that we just went through in the last couple of episodes. Asanna is interesting to me because it's it's one of those things where the grass isn't always greener. So I think when Vanessa saying that, it's like, wow, she knows that, like Lily wasn't always there the way that I think Vanessa's mom was, you know, so at the moment, in the heat of you know, feeling bad that she did this, I think she said some things that she didn't mean, because I definitely think Vanessa wouldn't change spots at all, but she didn't say like, yeah, it's just you know, like there's like a couple of episodes from ago, Serena just gets on a plane and goes to Spain, like on a private jet. I'm like, she's seventeen. She doesn't call, she just goes to another country and then comes back. And Lily's like good, like there's no consequence nothing. I'm like, Okay, that is wild. I'm pretty sure Gabriela is not would not allow that with with Vana. No no, Yeah, that brought it back because I had completely forgotten that part. That was a gut punch, that was a real gut punch. And yeah, I just felt like, okay, just mom up, you're here. You know you're you're here. Just mom up, and then you know, then you can go suck it and you can have your Croissan because I'm out. Um, I'm going back to where people like me. Isn't it sad? How not sad? But funny that in the end of the freshman party, Olivia's up getting the mic and doing the toast and then we don't even see it because the toast itself so inconsequential. It's like, yes, the matter of like what it means for people's identity, like we just cut to you know, She's like, hey, I'm Olivia and smash cut that is so true true, And then I guess it makes sense because no, one cares, No one really cares. Yeah, and then you have I mean, so the fallout of the event is that, I guess, Olivia and Dan are okay, and Rufus and Lily understand that she's not really a crazy Hollywood gal and she comes over for brunch and everything's fine. So they're good. But but Blair and Chuck are left devastated because she broke his trust. Um, Vanessa is left alone with two cuissantes except for then Blair Peason, and now the two of them are weirdly you know, mirror. And then Serena, I guess kind of not dumped, but she does. She like basically betrays Nate, who betrayed her in order to save Carter. Carter's like, I don't want saved. I want to go prove myself and be yeah wait Texas to an oil fee He's Carter looks at Serena and says, I'd rather you hate me then feel sorry for me, And I was right, yeah yeah, and that so yes, well he's gonna get his wish. How about when um the picture so the picture of Trip vander Vanderbult, He never was smoking out of a ball, no, I think, Yeah, So it was like Nate was trying to give a fake picture to the to the opposite team so that they would use it and then be out at as like and then and then say it was the Buckley family and that's what they would do to win. Yeah, that the Buckleys. I mean, this is I have no integraty and the fact that it all comes down to this poker game with this whatever Buckley kid that is, um right, it's J Buckley, h p J Buckley. But yeah, so if I feel like, you know, we have high high stakes drama and then we have very um not low stakes, but we have very down down to the home and identity drama with you know, the mother daughter relationships and you know, so it's like we really have the whole Gossip Girl gamut in this particular episode. I mean, by the time I got to the end of the episode, I was like, y'all are not gonna make me go back and watch this entire show. I don't have to go back and get all the way back. I've got mad. Oh my goodness. Yeah, it's it is. You know, it's compelling, and then you're like, well, what what happens next? In fact, I don't remember what happens, Yeah, because they leave you feeling no and now what's streaming? You know, we didn't have Tom right back when this show was on, so now it's just like, well, if I turned away, Oh look another episode started, Well what am I to right and find the remote? Right? Well, I feel I think, Gina, you come we do remember that Thanksgiving episode we did that that wasn't because there were so many people and it was but you come back for that. But at the end of this, I'm like feeling so sorry in a way for Vanessa because I'm like, I know she didn't want to hurt her mom, but she was like really, she did some hurtful things this whole episode. But then when Blair walks in it, they almost leave you hanging as if like, oh, is there going to be a connection now at M y U with these two because they're both sitting there awkwardly with these croissans. Blair would normally never but you know, there's that really nice moment at the end end of the party, Blair says to Vanessair normally would have never sat. Did we do all of that or whatever? So it's like this moment of clarity where it's like both of them have like shot their own selves in the foot and hurt Flare, hurt their own cause by being duplicit as a manipulative and for what you know. So I feel like there's a nice kind of a resolution and that they have to face off with each other over the Croissan and they're both like left sad and alone. So it makes you know, it makes a lot of sense actually a gossip girl she said something funny too, like what's hissory loves company because they're both like it was something like misery loves Company as it's pulling out, because it's basically like they were both willing to lie, cheat and steal to get this toast that we don't even end up seeing how it goes, right, They're just willing to do whatever. And now they're just sitting there like miserable together because they were like not right right right, They're just they're just gonna take a breath and regroup. Can't see yeah over Croissans, so sad? Are we going to talk about you being knocked up? Are we going to get there? We can later And that's giving episode whereas Susanna me, yeah, yeah, yeah, I don't yeah, I and I'm twice twice I get pregnant on the show because yeah, and both times it's like because somebody had to put like a pregnancy test in a trash can and it had caused a lot of drama, and then it turned out to be to Ronda, right, So yeah, I have a baby on this show, like a like a birth scene and everything, and then and then another baby later because they needed like a a storyline with the pregnancy test, so up to right, but there's there's so there's you have two babies. Then something happens I think in season three because I remember working with a baby with Georgina and Penn. Georgina has another baby. Georgina has that, Okay, I thought, that's what you meant, you know, when we're working with the baby. I'm like, it wasn't okay. I don't know. That's a lot of no I have babies. And then Georgina has I think, yeah, I feel like I don't know if it's she tells says Dan it's Dans or so I don't remember that, right, but there's definitely another yeah. And then it's not until the very very very end where you see that in the future. Other people have babies. But yeah, Doroda is about to get knocked up in like five or six very soon, Yeah, coming up, which is why she gets married. Yeah, she gets like a you know, shotgun wedding or whatever they call it because of her parents are coming. It's similar to Vanessa. Her parents are coming and she doesn't want to disappoint them. So he has to get married and doesn't and doesn't, um don't. Doesn't Blair's mom pay for the wedding. I think Chuck does, and I think the ideas that Chuck throws to Roda a lavish wedding to get back and Blair's good graces and then but uh, but but I'm I'm not doing it. I'm not doing it. I'm not going to go back and sit there with a giant family size bag of lace and watch. I can't aid to get to it because Susan, I've never I never saw your weddings or the kid. Yeah, the wedding coming to fantastic because it's it's like a full I mean, there was like hundreds of background. It was a big wedding and you know, I walked down the aisle on Wally Shawn's arm on Cyrus's arts really funny. Yeah, that was a fun fun word. A lot of good events in the Gossip Girl and up, but this was a great episode. I really enjoyed it. It was like very fraught and it had a lot of meeting meeting your character. You know. I was like, because Vanessa is like, you know, a beloved person in the universe and also a little bit different from everybody, so to see where she comes from, and you know, it's always it's really nice to go down that, you know, almost felt like a little capsule episode for Vanessa, which I really liked. Yeah, it was a good one. It was fun to watch and really fun to talk to you about it. I Oh, also there was some questions from some fans about suits. Did you like working on suits? I think a lot of people obviously loved you on that. And also there's anything you want to tell us about that's coming up if you and what you have stopped coming up to you, So yeah, let's talk about the stuff. It was fun. It was a lot of fun. It was It was actually the first series that I got to be on that had a life. You know, a lot of the shows that I've done prior to that, whether they were you know, critically acclaimed or the fans loved them just kind of went away. Um. So it was nice to to have that job security for a while. UM. And and she was an incredible character to be able to play just this powerful woman, UM who always looked fantastic. You know, it was the smartest resident in the room. Learned a lot, just learned a lot about serious television and and the importance of you know, writing, but also just storytelling. You know, we're always we're just always remembering to to you know, tell that story and and tell that give that point of view, and and that chemistry is so important important as well. You know, if you're if you're expecting people to invest an hour of their lives in you, and uh, then you you want them to to feel like that wasn't a waste of time. Yeah, and that's that show was on for a while. We did. Uh well, I left. I left halfway through season six, came back on and off season seven, and then they went on and did it like another two so nine all told Yeah, and what about Pearson, Well, it was it was my idea. I left the show and then I kind of missed this character and things were kind of getting, you know, quiet in my brain, and I started dreaming about her. I started thinking about her, like what is she doing now? Like if she wasn't attached to that world, what would she be doing? And what was interesting to me? What was both interesting and frustrating at the same time, Like as like as an actor, is that she was the biggest mystery on the show. She she she really didn't have any friends, she didn't really have any family. Is like, she existed for the narrative of the firm and the other characters, right, like those two boy beads and so she so that character was always sort of of service to that story. So there were so many places to go with her that even after six and a half years, people were like, well, who is she? Right? And I would often joke I said, well, she isn't anybody. She just she plugs herself into a pod when she walks through that door that leads to nowhere, and you know she charged, yeah, and you know she walks back through the door and there she is again. Um, So, when the idea and when the chance, the opportunity came up to to give her her own voice, to give her her storyline, to give her her world. I was just so pleased that the network went for it and I got to, you know, cut my teeth as an executive producer and loved, loved, loved every minute of it. That's so great. That's really cool. I love that. Yeah, you get a character a little bit and then you do the deep dive. Yeah yeah, it's like a dream. Yeah. And what, um what are you working on with Nikki? Now? I'm doing one lone Star. Okay, are you enjoying them? I really am. Yeah, They've written a great character for me. She's you know, she's that hybrid. She's like a badass, but she's also like she has a home life, she has children, she has like twin girls, and like in a romantic life. And then you know, and then it's like you see that that that you know one what's your emergency? And then boom, we're not like a whole other different show. Yeah. Yeah, so I get to get the signs of it. So that's a lot of fun. And I have a great cast that I'd love to work with. I love that. And where can we Where can we all check that out? For anyone listening that hasn't seen it, so you can see all seasons on Hulu that are streaming now, and then we start season. Our season four premier is January se Fox Fox. Yes, amazing. That is perfect new show for a new year for anyone that hasn't seen it yet. And I just again can't thank you for being here. This was so great. Yes, um, but yeah, thank you, thank you. Thanks for asking. Of course, Ausanna, do you want to do the closing? Shall I read the Gossip Girl quote? Here's the closing Gossip Girl quote, take us home. Um. When it comes to family, we're still children at heart, no matter how old we get. We always need a place to call home. Because without the people you love most, you can't help but feel all alone in the world. Fortunately, misery loves company, well for now at least. X x golwsome girl part warming a little bit foreboding. Such a pleasure to talk to you. Thank you, Gina, thank you, thank you, My beautiful set. Daughter XO XO is produced by Propagate Content and Meet Jessica's Or. Our show is executive produced by Linkley. Our senior producer is Diego Tapia. Our producers are Hannah Harris, Emily Carr, and Kristin Vermilion and Our intern is Sammy Cat's original music by Moxie and Lou