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Blake Lively's 'Gossip Girl' Role Could Have Gone to Rumer Willis

Blake Lively's 'Gossip Girl' Role Could Have Gone to Rumer Willis

Blake Lively wasn’t the first choice that the network had for Serena van der Woodsen when they were casting Gossip Girl many years ago.

“I think the network initially pitched us Ashley Olsen and Rumer Willis for Blair and Serena,” The CW’s casting director David Rapaport told BuzzFeed. “I love Rumer, she’s grown into quite an amazing actress and person, but that, to me, was based on protecting the investment of a television show where creatively, these lesser-known girls really captured the essence of the show and carried it for six years.”

“I read so many people. I think at the end of the day, we tested Blake, Katie Cassidy, who is now on Arrow, and this girl who was [Serena] on the Gossip Girl books. Not even her face, just her legs. But it made sense,” he added.

Pictured inside: Blake wearing a SemSem outfit while attending an event on Saturday (October 3) in New York City.

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Photos: Elaine Ubina, Getty
Posted to: Ashley Olsen, Blake Lively, Gossip Girl, Television