Penn Badgley

 ( 1986 Births ) 

In 2002, Badgley starred in The WB's comedy-drama series Do Over as Joel Larsen, a 34-year-old man who gets a second chance to get his life right, thanks to a freakish accident that catapults him back to 1980 as a 14-year-old. He went on to star in two other WB series: The Mountain from 2004 to 2005, and The Bedford Diaries in 2006. Badgley's first major film credit was 2006's John Tucker Must Die, playing the role of Scott Tucker. In its opening weekend, the film grossed a total of $14.3 million, ranking third in the US box office results for that weekend. He later appeared in Drive-Thru, co-starring future castmate Leighton Meester.

In 2007, Badgley was cast in The CW's teen drama series Gossip Girl as Dan Humphrey, based on the book series of the same name by Cecily von Ziegesar. He initially turned down the role, but accepted after the producers struggled finding someone to fill the role. His performance as Dan Humphrey was praised by audiences and critics alike, and earned him six Teen Choice Award nominations over the show's run. Jason Gay of the Rolling Stone particularly complimented his characterization, writing that "while another actor may have played Dan as a blah straight man, Badgley imbued him with an occasionally obnoxious know-it-all-ness." In 2009, Badgley starred in the thriller film The Stepfather, a remake of the 1987 film, as the stepson of a serial killer.

Badgley portrayed Jeff Buckley in the 2012 biopic Greetings from Tim Buckley; the film follows the journey Buckley took in grappling with the legacy of his late musician father, Tim, leading up to and culminating with his 1991 performance of his father's songs. For the role, Badgley took guitar and vocal lessons. He joined the cast of Parts per Billion in December 2012, opposite Alexis Bledel and Teresa Palmer; the film was released in 2014. Also released in 2014 was Cymbeline, where he portrayed the orphan Posthumus.

Badgley had a recurring role in NBC's 2015 miniseries The Slap, based upon the Australian series of the same name, and had a minor role in the 2016 film Adam Green's Aladdin. Badgley won acclaim for his role in the independent film The Paper Store (2016), opposite Stef Dawson and Richard Kind, receiving Best Actor at Oxford International Film Festival and a Special Jury Mention at Manchester Film Festival.

Badgley starred as Joe Goldberg in the Netflix series You, formerly Lifetime's television adaptation of the book of the same name from September 2018 to April 2025. His performance was lauded by critics, with IGN calling it his best performance and writing that Badgley was "doing some of his best, most unhinged work in the series. His charming nature and playful face are the perfect, twisted mask for the "Nice Guy With Control Issues" lurking underneath". Badgley received a Saturn Awards nomination for his performance.

In March 2010, the American Red Cross announced Badgley as a member of the National Celebrity Cabinet, a group of celebrities who promote Red Cross services. Badgley supported the Occupy Wall Street movement in 2011 and is an ally of the Black Lives Matter movement. He wants police brutality dialogue to include female victims, and supports LGBT rights.

In an interview, Badgley described how the BP oil spill prompted his exploration into the connection between justice and spirituality, and led him to the rainforests of Colombia and the teachings of Baháʼu'lláh and the Baháʼí Faith. Badgley has been a member of the Baha'i Faith since 2015.

• "The Boy Is Mine" (2024), by Ariana Grande