Gossip Girl star Connor Paolo has his fellow cast member’s back.

Speaking to TV Line, the actor who plays Eric delivered a message for critics of his embattled co-star and on-screen sort-of-sibling, Taylor Momsen: Just back off!

“She’s 17 years-old,” Connor said. “I don’t think anyone has the right to say anything negative, being that she – as mature and self-possessed as she is – is still young.”

“It’s not fair. No one has a right to attack someone of that age.”

Read more of what Connor has to say about Taylor and how much he misses her over at TV Fantaic

Strutting across a field at the V Festival in Essex, she’s dressed in ‘stripper chic’. And with her super-long hair extensions, she looks like she’s channelling a cross between Courtney Love and Daryl Hannah in Splash. Here to perform with her band The Pretty Reckless, she’s sporting seriously heavy black kohl eyes and her favourite thigh-skimming studded vintage corset customised by a friend’s label, Sex Trash. Despite the mud, she’s wearing her trademark 3-inch stripper shoes with a slot in the see-through platforms where she stores paper money from countries she’s recently toured. ‘It’s useful for emergencies,’ she jokes, with a curl of her mouth which passes for a smile.

Continue reading the article here

The 17-year-old actress shot to fame playing edgy teenager Jenny Humphrey in US series Gossip Girl. She is also the lead singer of rock band The Pretty Reckless, and has become renowned for her skimpy outfits.

Taylor describes her style as “stripper chic”, and is rarely seen without her long blonde hair extensions, thick black eyeliner, thigh high stockings and eight-inch heels. Despite her extroverted style and public persona, Taylor insists she was an outcast at school, with no friends or confidence.

“I haven’t lived a normal life and even though I did go to school I was in and out. I had like, two friends growing up, but now my band is like my family,” she told British newspaper The Daily Mirror.

read the rest of the article here

SPIN magazine’s got some behind the scenes stuff for their upcoming article about Taylor and The Pretty Reckless on their website.

When asked about the basis for these suggestive lyrics, the otherwise chatty Momsen chooses her words carefully.

“I’m not really sure how to answer properly yet,” she admits. “I’ve had a lot of bad experiences, and whether that’s from sex or drugs or something else, they are adult experiences that would f— anyone up.”

Read the article and view the pictures here!

When the time seemed optimum to launch a music career Momsen went hunting for a team. And hey, if you were a serious 16-year-old musician which would you choose — some kids from a local garage, or solid, talented vets? — Smart out of the gate that one.

Read the rest of the article here

With performances six times a week in a different city every night, Momsen’s home away from home has become her tour bus, which she shares with her three male band mates. She considers them family.

[...]

Momsen said she’s enjoyed her first tour with the band because she’s been able to play shows, meet fans and sleep more on the bus than she did back in New York, where she was acting, modeling and recording all at the same time.

Read the full article here

She added that Madonna’s 13-year-old daughter Lourdes was also fun to work with.

She said: “She reminded me a lot of my little sister. She’s 13 and my sister’s 13. She is a very sweet girl. She has great fashion sense, so it was actually a pleasure.”

Read the rest here

Kazemi: Do you feel that the audience overseas understands and is more appealed to the music your making rather then that typical American top 40 audience?

Taylor: Yeah, when we went to the UK theirs was very much a rock audience. You have the best bands like The Beatles and Oasis. I think it’s trickled down there’s a little less pop bands then America. It was cool to see the response from the crowd overseas, it was awesome!

Read the whole interview here!

And the Gossip Girl actress , who turns 17 today, is also stacking up the cash… in her shoes. The heels have slots in the bottom with the label, ‘tips’ and can be filled with cash and barely a month ago they had just one dollar note inside.

Read the full article here

When asked for her thoughts on her recent risqué concert looks being compared to those worn in the past by Courtney Love, the 17-year-old actress-turned-singer said she’s just being herself when she’s onstage. “I’ve heard that, ” Taylor admitted . “I’m just dressing like myself. People will always make comparisons to different people.”

Read the full article here