She used to be a gossiping girl but now she only has one life to live. Punny? Yes. But it’s the truth. Gossip Girl’s Amanda Setton has bid adieu to Penelope and entered the world of daytime soap operas, with a role on One Life to Live.
Check out our interview below to find out what she really thought of Penelope’s gossiping ways, why she can’t stop laughing and her take on those headbands.
TeenDramaWhore: What attracted you to the role of Penelope on Gossip Girl?
Amanda Setton: Penelope seemed like a fun and interesting girl. A girl who is as far from myself as I could get but yet am so intrigued by. I figured it would be such a fun experience to not only take on this character herself, but live in this fantastical world of popularity, wealth, and decadence that seemed too delicious to pass up.
TDW: We both grew up on Long Island, where some of the girls–let’s say–have similarities to the Gossip Girl characters. Was your high school experience like what we see on Gossip Girl?
Setton: Not at all. I was the vice president of my high school theatre club. Not exactly the “coolest” club in school but it was truly my home. We had the time of our life and didn’t even think about what other people thought of us. My friend’s and my idea of a fun Saturday night in high school was watching a movie, making some sort of piece of clothing, bag, or jewelry, and watching a movie. Though they weren’t my friends, there were definitely those around us who possessed similar traits to the Gossip Girl characters.
TDW: If you could change one thing about Penelope, what would it be?
Setton: I actually love her. Personally, I think she’s hilarious in an extremely over the top way. Her overall sense of entitlement and snarky attitude is just hysterical. But, if I had to choose one thing, it would definitely be her blatant affection for headbands. 🙂
TDW: We haven’t seen much of Penelope’s family or love life. What parts of the character would you have liked to see developed more?
Setton: I would have loved to get to know her parents. How old were they? Where did they come from? Did they always have money? Does she have any siblings? An older sister, perhaps. Even though I’ve answered all of these questions in my head, I think it would have been interesting for the audience to get more of a window into where she comes from.
TDW: Nothing was mentioned about Penelope going to college. Will we see her at all this season?
Setton: Since we did graduate from high school and the producers are taking the show into new territory with college, I’m not exactly sure where the mean girls would fit in. As of right now, we haven’t shot anything yet but who knows what the scripts may bring? You never know. All I know is we’ll always have a home there.
TDW: Being from a NYC suburb, did you have the opportunity to experience any of the sights and sounds we see on the show?
Setton: I spent a lot of time in Manhattan during my high school years but in a completely different scene than the one presented on the show. The NYC parties I attended definitely were not catered with a DJ. Unless it was a bar or bat mitzvah!
TDW: You just debuted on One Life to Live. Tell me about your role.
Setton: I play the role of Kimberly Andrews, a stripper from Vegas who comes to help her best friend through some troubled times. Although Kim is a bit manipulative and sneaky, she also has a really compassionate side for those she cares about. The friendship she has with Stacy Morasco is so real, so authentic, that its nice to see these moments of humanity and vulnerability through an extremely tough skin. Over all, Kim has been such a blast to play. She cracks me up. Everyday on set I’m actually laughing out loud.
TDW: What differences do you see between working on a daytime soap and a primetime one?
Setton: Well, Gossip Girl is shot as a single camera show. Meaning it’s shot like a movie, each week. Therefore there are a lot more takes and every scene takes a lot more time. One Life To Live is shot like a sitcom, with up to 4 or 5 cameras shooting at once allowing them to catch every moment from every angle. They are challenging in their own ways; very different but both very informative. I learned so much from Gossip Girl and am so happy to have the opportunity to learn more and gain new experience at One Life To Live.
TDW: Do you have any other upcoming projects?
Setton: Not right now. I’m really focusing on Kim. She and I have become really close :).
TDW: There are a lot of fake accounts on Twitter for celebrities, particularly the Gossip Girl cast. Can you confirm whether or not you’re on there?
Setton: I am not on Twitter.
Come back next Sunday for another exclusive interview!
TeenDramaWhore 