Michelle Trachtenberg is the latest actress to join the NBC pilot called Mercy, a drama about three nurses bound together in friendship. According to The Hollywood Reporter, she will be playing a more mature role as one of the show's central trio of nurses.
The Gossip Girl actress will be joining Dark Matter actress Taylor Schilling, who will play Veronica Callahan, a nurse at Mercy Hospital after a tour in Iraq, and former Men in Trees star James Tupper, who will play Chris Sands, a new doctor at Mercy Hospital who had a sizzling affair with one of the nurses while both were stationed in Iraq. Among the three, however, Trachtenberg's character appears to be the most inexperienced.
Mercy, which is created by Elizabeth Heldens and helmed by Adam Bernstein (Worst Week), will also include Men in Trees actor Diego Klattenhoff as a contractor and blue-collar worker who is married to one of the nurses, Weeds actor Guillermo Diaz as a male nurse and Just Legal's Jaime Lee Kirchner.
Trachtenberg, who is perhaps most noted for her role on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, was last seen in the small screen as the devious Georgina Sparks on Gossip Girl. Though she only appeared on four episodes, she left a lasting impression – enough for the show runners to bring her back on the canvas this April.
Aside from her upcoming guest stint on Gossip Girl, fans can also catch Trachtenberg opposite High School Musical's Zac Efron in the movie 17 Again, which hits theaters on April 17, as well as in the film Young Americans, a comedy about an aimless college graduate who pursues his dream girl at a wild Labor Day weekend party starring Anna Faris and Topher Grace.
What's it like to kiss Dan Humphrey? That seems like a question that Laura Breckenridge can easily answer. The 25-year-old actress joined the cast of Gossip Girl this season as teacher Rachel Carr and almost immediately sparked sexual tension with Penn Badgley's character. But while there's undeniable chemistry between the two, Breckenridge reveals that her make-out scenes with Badgley weren't as simple and pleasurable as it may seem.
“Well, he's a very handsome guy and he's a very sweet guy. I do have to say that when you're doing that on set, it doesn't sound very sexy. You're in a scene, and it's very technical, so it's not necessarily a steamy make-out scene, as much as it seems … but he's very nice. I've got to say, those scenes sometimes are more awkward than sexy, but it was fun,” Breckenridge told MTV news at Wednesday night's Gen Art Film Festival launch party.
Breckenridge mostly worked with Badgley, Blake Lively, and Leighton Meester during her stint on Gossip Girl, and, like most guest stars on the show, she really had a great time.
“[It was] one of the most fun jobs I've ever had,” she said. “First of all, the show's a lot of fun. Also the cast and crew are amazing. I was the newbie on set, and they were very welcoming. I loved going to work; I don't think you can ask for a better working environment. I don't know if I can pick a favorite [cast member to work with]. I worked mainly with Penn, Blake and Leighton, and I really loved all three of them. I can't pick, I honestly can't choose. They were all very fun.”
Breckenridge was last seen in the episode "The Age of Dissonance" in which Dan found out Rachel sent negative information to Yale about Blair so Blair wasn't able to attend Yale. As for her possible return on Gossip Girl, Breckenridge doesn't seem too optimistic about it.
“I'm not sure. I think Ms. Carr left in a lot of scandal. She fell from grace a bit,” Breckenridge said.
We open on a New York morning, and Serena’s on the phone with Blair. Blair’s lying about where she is, saying she’s at home with Dorota when she’s really out on the street walking somewhere—wonder why?
Out in Brooklyn, Dan basks in his own importance with his first “fan letter” and his entry package to Yale. The Humphreys make jokes about how they were sure Jenny’s bad life choices would have led to her death before age 16, which she turns tomorrow. They head over to the van der Woodsens’ in Manhattan for breakfast before school, which means it must be about 5 AM right now. Which doesn’t stop Vanessa from popping in to worry about why Nate hasn’t called her in a week and let her apologize for getting mad at him last week. Just then, she gets an email from Nate asking her to stop by in half an hour.
Out on the street, Serena runs into Poppy, who is so pleased to tell Serena about her glorious life with her boyfriend Gabriel in Spain. They’re only in New York for 48 hours. Serena “updates” Poppy on her life, and Poppy notes that everything is exactly the same as when they last saw each other. Serena says she’s throwing a Sweet Sixteen party for a friend, and Poppy is unimpressed. She brushes Serena and her “little party” off, and Serena is sad to realize how boring and cyclical her life is.
The Humphreys get to the VDWs’ for breakfast. Lily (Kelly Rutherford) is so clearly pregnant, but maybe they’re trying to make it look like she has an eating problem, what with the massive spread of carbs she’s got on her kitchen island. The fam discusses Jenny’s birthday. Lily and S pitch their surprise: a lovely party with a caterer and a DJ. Jenny says she’d rather have a quiet night at home with the family and two nerds from her Chemistry class, with chili and board games. The VDWs say they will cancel the good party if she really wants them to. Rufus looks at the paperwork Dan gave him and sees that his Financial Aid application to Yale has been denied.
At school, S doesn’t understand why Little J doesn’t want a big party, and Eric speculates that maybe she’s worried no one would show up. The Plastics walk up to Serena and snidely thank her for canceling her party so they don’t need to pretend to feel bad for going to Penelope’s instead. Not one to be outdone by the Girls of the Steps, Serena decides to bring in the big guns, and calls Poppy.
Vanessa walks to Nate’s house and sees B and Nate together leaving Nate’s house, and hugging goodbye. Chuck approaches in his limo and says it’s been going all week. He’s the one who emailed her from Nate’s account (password “soccer” since fifth grade, because he had email when he was in fifth grade) and when she’s ready to do something about it, she should call him.
Oh, Nate Archibald. Remember the days not so long ago in Season Two of Gossip Girl when all your scenes consisted of liner notes on other people’s scripts?
Nate exits. Nate re-enters, looks around the party, realizes no one cares. Nate exits.
Nate and Vanessa play “Heart and Soul” on the piano, giving each other mooneyes as Chuck descends the stairwell.
Chuck and Blair enter the hallway. Is that Nate in the background? Oh, no. That’s a mop.