Ed Westwick

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Maybe it’s because he plays his Gossip Girl character Chuck Bass so convincingly, but it’s really, really hard to think of Ed Westwick as anything but a husky-voiced, teenage New York billionaire.
Even sitting across a table from him at the Hilton Sydney as he talks charmingly in his native English accent about how he’d never go there with Taylor Momsen because she’s way too young for him, we’re still waiting for him to start being his real self.
When’s he going to start being a bastard, saying mean things in a cynical, world-weary voice? And why isn’t he wearing a cravat?
The truth is, while he’ll admit he’s a hit with the ladies, in most ways Ed couldn’t be further from his on-screen alter-ego.
While Chuck’s an adolescent Big Apple hotel king with a love of silk shirts and high-class hookers, Ed’s a jeans-and-T-shirt-wearing Brit with unrequited celebrity crushes on unattainable beauties Scarlett Johnasson and Miranda Kerr. And we can’t even decide which version of him we think is more charming.

It’s so strange to be sitting here with you, because you’ve got a completely different voice!
I know, it’s weird isn’t it? Everyone says that. But yeah, I’m English – there you go.

It’s not just the accent – it’s because you’re not doing the Chuck Bass growl…
The grrroooowl! I’ve never heard it called the growl, but I like that. Someone asked me what animal they thought Chuck Bass would be and I said a tiger, but I don’t really think it should be a tiger. But I guess they growl, so it kind of works. It’s more of a roar, though, isn’t it. What would you say?

Maybe something that’s gruff on the outside, but inside is all sensitive?
Like a warthog?

Er, maybe. Or a panda…
A panda? A grizzly bear!

Anyway, how’s the texting going – you’ve been texting fans all day…
Yeah, I’ve been texting with this phone Virgin Mobile gave me. We gave the number out on a breakfast show this morning, so it’s been going nuts all day.

Have they been obscene?
Some of them, yeah. It’s pretty cool though, man – it’s been fun.

So, what’s the most romantic thing you’ve done?
It sounds clichéd, but just a surprise hotel room with flowers everywhere and champagne and stuff. And also, I don’t know, little holidays and stuff – like a trip somewhere or something like that.

Do you find yourself slipping into Chuck Bass mode when you’re seducing someone?
Not so much, no – I don’t leer. I try not to, ‘cause otherwise I’d feel like a f**king idiot. People would just be like, “I know your game.” And I can’t have that. They might fall for it and then where would we be?

What’s your best pick-up line?
“Get your coat, you’ve pulled!” Nah, I don’t really have one. You know what, recently I’ve just been grabbing people by the hand and dancing with them. It’s not about whether you’re any good, it’s about carrying it off. You’ve gotta have the swagger. That’s kind of worked recently, a little bit. The whole Saturday Night Fever thing.

Do you like it when women wear lots of make-up?
I think too much is too much, but I get it when someone goes for, like, big eyes or something like that. But yeah, too much can be too much. I think it’s an age thing and an experience thing. But I like what Katy Perry does, you know that ‘50s style pin-up look.

And you’re single?
Yeah. Well, are any of us ever really single? Or are we too single?

Got any celebrity crushes?
Scarlett Johansson’s always been one, but she’s taken. Who else – I like Diane Kruger, but again, taken. Miranda Kerr’s gorgeous.

Again, taken. She just got engaged.
What? Who to? She got engaged to Orlando Bloom?

Sadly for you, yes. Who’s the sexiest girl in the Gossip Girl cast?
Ooh, um… I think they’re all good in their own way. They’re all very different, you know. I mean obviously Taylor’s a bit too young, but the others are all good in their own way.

How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?
Two minutes. Yeah. The thing is, I used to wear cravats. I liked wearing them before Gossip Girl stared, and then my character was wearing them and I felt like a douche wearing them in real life. If I went out wearing them it just wouldn’t work. So I’m boring now in my own life because I wear such put-together stuff on the show. Now I’m just like “F**k it” and put on my jeans, put on my T-shirt.

Gossip Girl Season Three will be on DVD from September 1.