Ed Westwick

Ed Westwick

Westwick in 2010
Born Edward Jack Peter Westwick
(1987-06-27) 27 June 1987
Hammersmith, London, England
Occupation
  • Actor
  • musician
Years active 2006–present

Edward Jack Peter "Ed" Westwick[1] (born 27 June 1987) is an English actor and musician, best known for his role as Chuck Bass on The CW's teen drama series Gossip Girl (2007–12). He has appeared in films such as the romantic crime drama Breaking and Entering (2006), the comedy-drama Son of Rambow (2007), the sci-fi drama S. Darko (2009), the romantic comedy Chalet Girl (2011), the biopic J. Edgar (2011), the romantic drama Romeo and Juliet (2013), the action thriller Last Flight (2014), the crime drama Bone in the Throat (2015), and the horror comedy Freaks of Nature (2015). He starred as Kent Grainger on ABC's crime drama series Wicked City.

Early life

Westwick was born in Hammersmith, London, and raised in Stevenage, Hertfordshire.[2] He is the third son and youngest child of Carole (née Blenkiron),[3] an educational psychologist, and Peter Westwick, a university lecturer.[4] He has two older brothers.[4][5] At age six, he began music lessons and attended a Saturday morning drama school.[6] He was educated at The Barclay School and North Hertfordshire College, where he took A-levels in business, law, and communication.[6][7] He later trained at the National Youth Theatre in London.[8][9]

Career

Acting

Westwick made his film debut in Breaking and Entering (2006), following an open audition casting call sent to the National Youth Theatre.[10] He went on to guest star in the British television series Doctors as Holden, Casualty as Johnny Cullin, and Afterlife as Darren. He also had a minor role in the film Children of Men (2006). He commented, "I needed to get some experience. I needed to be on set, in front of the camera."[7]

In 2007, Westwick appeared in the film Son of Rambow and was cast as Chuck Bass in The CW's teen drama series Gossip Girl, based on the book series of the same name by Cecily von Ziegesar. Westwick said of his casting, "There wasn't much work in the UK. I was only in LA for a month and I got this show. It's changed my life."[11] For his portrayal of Chuck, he assumed an American accent, based on the character Carlton Banks from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.[12] As a result of the show's success, he was named one of 2008's Sexiest Men Alive by People magazine,[13] and appeared the following year on its "100 Most Beautiful" list with the whole cast of Gossip Girl.[14] Westwick earned the 2008 and 2009 awards for Best TV Villain at the Teen Choice Awards, and was named Breakthrough Talent by GQ in 2010.[15] Entertainment Weekly also named Westwick's character Chuck Bass number one in their "Best Dressed TV Characters of 2008" list (tied with Leighton Meester's character Blair Waldorf), as well as in their "Best Performances" list alongside co-star Meester.[16]

Westwick on the set of Gossip Girl in 2010

In 2008, Westwick became the new face of K-Swiss.[17] That same year, he appeared as Joey in the horror film 100 Feet. In 2009, Westwick played the role of Randy Jackson in the sequel to Donnie Darko, directed by Chris Fisher, and guest-starred in the third season of the Showtime original series Californication, as Chris "Balt" Smith, a student who was fascinated with vampire literature.[18] In May 2009, he was attached to play Heathcliff in the film adaptation of Wuthering Heights.[19] However, in January 2010, director Peter Webber left the project, which was then passed into the hands of Andrea Arnold. This directing change caused the roles to be recast.

In 2010, Westwick in the McHenry Brothers short film The Commuter, which was shot on a Nokia N8 smartphone.[20] In January 2011, Westwick joined Clint Eastwood's film J. Edgar, a biopic about J. Edgar Hoover, the controversial first director of the FBI.[21] That same year, he appeared in the romantic comedy Chalet Girl. He co-narrated the audio book version of City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare and also narrated Clare's second novel Clockwork Prince from The Infernal Devices series.[22] In mid-2011, Westwick became an international celebrity endorser for Penshoppe, a local clothing brand in the Philippines.[23][24]

He next co-starred in the film adaptation of Romeo & Juliet as the main antagonist and Juliet's cousin, Tybalt. The film was released on 11 October 2013.[25] Westwick then portrayed the lead role in the film adaptation of Anthony Bourdain's novel Bone in the Throat, which premiered at South by Southwest on 14 March 2015.[26] Westwick then co-starred in the horror comedy film Freaks of Nature, which was released on 30 October 2015.[27] In March 2015, he joined the cast of ABC's short-lived crime drama series Wicked City as Kent Grainger, a sadistic Sunset Strip serial killer.[28] The series was cancelled after airing 3 episodes, but was picked up by Hulu to air the remaining 5 episodes. Westwick will next be seen in the thriller Jekyll Island,[29] and Jim Gillespie's Take Down.[30]

Music

Westwick fronted the British indie rock band The Filthy Youth, composed of himself, Ben Allingham, Jimmy Wright, Tom Bastiani, and John Voight.[31] The band, formed in 2006, was inspired by the Rolling Stones, The Doors and Kings of Leon. The songs "Come Flash All You Ladies" and "Orange" were both featured in an episode of Gossip Girl.[32]

Personal life

Westwick shared an apartment with his Gossip Girl co-star Chace Crawford in the Chelsea neighbourhood of Manhattan from the beginning of the series in 2007 until July 2009, when Crawford moved out.[33][34] He dated his Gossip Girl co-star Jessica Szohr from 2008 until 2010.[35]

Westwick moved to Los Angeles, after Gossip Girl ended.[36] He is a keen Chelsea FC supporter,[37][38] and is a friend of footballer Charlie Henry.[39]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2006 Children of Men Alex
2006 Breaking and Entering Zoran
2007 Son of Rambow Lawrence Carter
2008 100 Feet Joey
2009 S. Darko Randy Jackson
2010 The Commuter Bellboy in Lift Short film
2011 Chalet Girl Jonny Madsen
2011 J. Edgar Agent Smith
2014 Last Flight Charles Gillis
2015 Bone in the Throat Will Reeves
2015 Freaks of Nature Milan Pinache
2016 Take Down Billy Speck In post-production
2016 Jekyll Island Ben Collins In post-production
2016 Access All Areas Darryl Lincoln In post-production
2016 Hunter's Prayer Samson Lee

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2006 Doctors Holden Edwards Episode: "Young Mothers Do Have 'Em"
2006 Casualty Johnny Cullin Episode: "Family Matters"
2006 Afterlife Darren Episode: "Roadside Bouquets"
2007–12 Gossip Girl Charles "Chuck" Bass 117 episodes - Main Cast Member
2009 Californication Chris "Balt" Smith Episode: "The Land of Rape and Honey"
2015 Wicked City Kent Grainger 8 episodes
2016 Happy Valley Sam Henry
2016 Grantchester William Kennedy 1 episode
2016 The A Word Toby Williams

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result
2008 Teen Choice Awards Choice TV Breakout Star Male Gossip Girl Nominated
Choice TV Villain Won
2009 Choice TV Villain Won
Young Hollywood Awards Young Hollywood Breakthrough – Male Himself Won
Breakthrough Performance – Male Gossip Girl Won
2010 Teen Choice Awards Choice TV Villain Nominated
2011 Nominated
2016 Best Newcomer Nominated
2016 Best Actor Nominated

References

  1. ↑ "Person Details for Edward Jack P Westwick, "England & Wales Births, 1837-2006"". FamilySearch.
  2. ↑ Sykes, Pandora (4 November 2010). "Ed Westwick's My London". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 16 January 2014. I was raised in Stevenage.
  3. ↑ "Personal Details for Edward Jack P Westwick, "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008"". FamilySearch.
  4. 1 2 "Meet Ed Westwick: British Born Star Of "Gossip Girl"". The Huffington Post. 27 April 2008. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  5. ↑ Nome, Valerie (7 May 2008). "Ed Westwick Got Bullied Around". OK!.
  6. 1 2 Kaye, Liz. Gossip Boys: The Double Unauthorised Biography of Ed Westwick and Chace Crawford. Virigin Books. pp. 10–12. ISBN 0-7535-4028-2.
  7. 1 2 Joseph, Claudia (27 April 2008). "Move over Brad - here comes Ed from Stevenage". Daily Mail. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  8. ↑ "Ed Westwick : People.com". People. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  9. ↑ "Alumni". National Youth Theatre. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  10. ↑ "Transcript: Anjali Rao interviews "Gossip Girl" actor about his character, his other projects, his beginnings, and his future.". CNN. 20 July 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  11. ↑ "Gossip Girl's Ed Westwick is suited to the English gent role". Metro UK. 22 September 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
  12. ↑ Harris, Mark (November 2008). "Boys of Gossip Girl". Details. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
  13. ↑ "2008's Sexiest Men Alive – Ed Westwick". People. November 2008. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  14. ↑ "World's Most Beautiful People – The Gossip Girl Cast". People. 2009. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  15. ↑ Bhattacharya, Sanjiv (7 September 2010). "GQ Men Of The Year 2010 – Breakthrough Talent: Ed Westwick". GQ. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  16. ↑ "The Best & Worst of 2008". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 7 September 2009.
  17. ↑ Odell, Amy (5 November 2008). "Ed Westwick Lands K-Swiss Campaign". New York. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  18. ↑ Stransky, Tanner (1 May 2009). "Showtime's "Californication" adds Ed Westwick, Eva Amurri as season 3 guest stars". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
  19. ↑ Jaafar, Ali (14 May 2009). "Cast taken to new 'Heights'". Variety. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  20. ↑ Caird, Jo (22 October 2010). "The Commuter reveals the potential of new technology". The Independent. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
  21. ↑ Lyons, Margaret (11 January 2011). "Ed Westwick cast in 'J. Edgar'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  22. ↑ Wilkinson, Amy (6 December 2011). "EXCLUSIVE: 'Clockwork Prince' Author Cassandra Clare Interviews Audiobook Narrator Ed Westwick". MTV. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  23. ↑ Alejo, Annie S. (14 June 2011). "Ed Westwick works his 'Chuck Bass' to thrill Manila crowd". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  24. ↑ Almo, Nerisa (28 May 2011). "Gossip Girl actor Ed Westwick will be in Manila to shoot new campaign of local clothing brand". Philippine Entertainment Portal. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  25. ↑ Chitwood, Adam (23 May 2011). "Ed Westwick to Play Tybalt in ROMEO AND JULIET". Collider.com. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
  26. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (6 May 2013). "Ed Westwick Has A 'Bone In The Throat'". Deadline.com.
  27. ↑ Sneider, Jeff (15 August 2013). "'Gossip Girl' Alum Ed Westwick in Negotiations to Star in Sony's 'Kitchen Sink' (Exclusive)". TheWrap. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  28. ↑ O'Connell, Michael (12 March 2015). "'Gossip Girl' Alum to Play Creepy Murderer in ABC Pilot". The Hollywood Reporter.
  29. ↑ Kroll, Justin. "'The Butler' Producer Sets up Next Pic Starring Frank Grillo and Minnie Driver (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  30. ↑ Hopewell, John (14 May 2014). "Ed Westwick, Dominic Sherwood Join Jim Gillespie's 'Take Down' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  31. ↑ Pressler, Jessica; Rovzar, Chris (21 April 2008). "The Genius of Gossip Girl". New York.
  32. ↑ Vena, Jocelyn (24 September 2008). "'Gossip Girl' Stars Leighton Meester, Ed Westwick Parlay TV Success Into Music Careers". MTV. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
  33. ↑ Leonard, Elizabeth; Garcia, Jennifer (29 June 2009). "Chace Crawford Bachelor No. 1". People. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
  34. ↑ Tartaglione, Nancy (13 July 2009). "Chace Crawford Moves Out of Ed Westwick's Apartment". Us Weekly. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
  35. ↑ "Gossip breaks up Ed Westwick & Jessica Szohr". Page Six. 8 April 2010.
  36. ↑ "Who's that girl? Ed Westwick enjoys sushi lunch with leggy brunette". Daily Mail. 19 January 2014.
  37. ↑ "Ed Westwick: 'I can be a real bitch – people know when to stay away'". Daily Mirror. 3 May 2009. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  38. ↑ Lo, Ricky (5 June 2011). "Ed Westwick: Television's Most Loved 'Bad Boy'". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  39. ↑ Choi, Mary H.K. (4 April 2011). "UPDATE: Ed Westwick's Hot Mystery Bromantic Interest Revealed!!!". MTV. Retrieved 23 June 2013.

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