Penn Badgley has admitted that his relationship with former Gossip Girl co-star Blake Lively saved him from experimenting with drugs and alcohol.

The actor, 36, who stars in latest season of hit serial killer drama You, rose to fame after appearing in Gossip Girl in the early 2000s.

Badgley starred in the teen drama as budding writer Dan Humphrey, with Lively playing his on-screen love interest Serena van der Woodsen. Off screen, the actors dated from 2007 to 2010 while filming the series.

In a new interview for Variety, Badgley reflected on his time on Gossip Girl, saying there was a “dark undercurrent” to his time on the show as he grappled with fame in his twenties.

When asked whether that “darkness” was related to substance abuse, Badgley replied: “To be honest, I never struggled with substances.”

The actor explained that Lively had a positive influence on him and prevented him from experimenting.

“Blake didn’t drink, and I think our relationship in some ways saved me from forcing myself to go down that road,” he said.

The Easy A actor added that he struggled to deal with his newfound fame after Gossip Girl, saying: “Like anybody who experiences some degree of fame and wealth, I was presented with the universal truth that not only does it not make your life better or easier, it actually can greatly complicate things, and make you quite unhappy.”

Recently, Badgley announced that he had requested a significant reduction in the number of “intimate scenes” in the latest season of You.

Doubling down on the decision, he said: “That aspect of Hollywood has always been very disturbing to me – and that aspect of the job, that mercurial boundary – has always been something that I actually don’t want to play with at all.”

You season four part one is on Netflix now, with part two arriving on 9 March.

If you or someone you know is suffering from alcohol addiction, you can confidentially call the national alcohol helpline Drinkline on 0300 123 1110 or visit the NHS website here for information about the programmes available to you.

If you or someone you know is suffering from drug addiction, you can seek confidential help and support 24-7 from Frank, by calling 0300 123 6600, texting 82111, sending an email or visiting their website here.

In the US, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration can be reached at 1-800-662-HELP.

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