For years now, American TV network The CW - previously known as The WB - has been bringing a whole host of much-loved TV dramas to our screens. Whether you were closely attached to Gossip Girl, loved a bit of Gilmore Girls, or still watch Supernatural religiously every single week, there's a CW show out there for everyone! Historical dramas, sci-fi adventures, superhero shows, binge-worthy reality TV... You name it, this network has got it!
Since The CW has fronted so many hugely popular TV shows over the years, it's perhaps inevitable that many big stars have got their big break thanks to the channel. Every actor or actress has to start somewhere, and for many of them, cable TV is the answer. The CW has made household names out of previously unknown performers, something that the majority of stars would be hugely grateful for. Many actors openly gush about how much they enjoyed working on one of the network's shows!
However, some of The CW's series have had their issues in the past too. Not every actor who signed on to a role with the network went on to enjoy the job at hand. Here are just some of the stars who regretted signing up to their CW part - and some who had a totally positive experience.
16 Blake Lively Didn't Like The Message Of Gossip Girl
She may currently be one of Hollywood's biggest stars, but Blake Lively was once just an actress at the beginning of her career who was searching for her big break. That break ended up coming courtesy of The CW! Lively was cast as 'It Girl' Serena van der Woodsen on the cult drama series Gossip Girl. The role gave the young actress a lot more media attention and a huge career boost - but also left her feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
According to Who What Wear, by the end of Gossip Girl's run Lively was beginning to regret taking the role of Serena in the first place.
For one, she felt like the show's producers and writers didn't actually care about it - or its stars - anymore. She became frustrated when script pages would be brought to her mere minutes before she was supposed to shoot a scene, and also felt that the show's content was becoming repetitive and stale.
On top of this, Lively also began to question the somewhat negative vibe that Gossip Girl was putting across to its viewers. E! Online reported in 2015 that filming the show felt "personally compromising" to the actress because she wanted to be "putting a better message out there" for young girls and women. Well, at least the Gossip Girl chapter of Blake's life is behind her now!
15 Lauren Graham Will Always Have Fond Memories Of Gilmore Girls
Okay, so Gilmore Girls technically only aired on The CW for its final full-length season, but hey - until then, it was on The WB, which was basically the same network! This drama series chronicling the lives of mother and daughter Lorelai and Rory Gilmore quickly gained a cult following, and still has one to this day. It was so popular that years after its finale aired, it was revived for a series of feature-length episodes on streaming giant Netflix. Scores of early 2000s teens grew up with the Gilmores as their role models - most of us related to Rory and Lorelai on some level, if only for their love of pizza.
As it happens, it wasn't just the fans who totally adored Gilmore Girls. Lorelai actress Lauren Graham still speaks warmly of the show to this day! According to The Hollywood Reporter, following the release of the show's Netflix revival Graham admitted that she'd be happy to talk about Gilmore Girls "until I'm 95." She called the series "a happy place to go" for audiences everywhere, and has always felt grateful that her role as Lorelai enabled her to dip into both her funny and serious acting sides. Graham found the opportunity to return to the show for its revival "a gift and an uplifting experience." So many warm fuzzy feelings over here!
14 Nina Dobrev Got Bored Of Her Role On The Vampire Diaries
While the much-loved supernatural drama series The Vampire Diaries was in theory all about the Salvatore brothers and their exploits, one other character quickly became an essential asset to the show: Nina Dobrev's Elena. She was basically the main character, let's be real! The series' viewers followed Elena's life as she adjusted to life as an orphan, fell in love with one Salvatore brother, and then got feelings for the other one too. Talk about an awkward love triangle right there!
Since Elena was so important to the show, many fans were shocked when, back in 2015, Nina Dobrev announced that she'd be leaving The Vampire Diaries. As E! Online noted at the time, the fans initially blamed the show's producers for this huge loss, but it turned out that it was all Nina's choice.
Truth is, she was beginning to regret signing on to such a huge-long term project and wanted the chance to diversify her career.
Speaking to E!, Dobrev admitted that she didn't "want to play a teenager anymore", and felt that her commitment to TVD was holding her back. So, Elena was written out in Season Seven - although the character did make a return in the show's very last episode in 2017. Thank goodness - we all needed some final closure regarding her storyline!
13 Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki Are Still Having Fun On Supernatural
While Nina Dobrev felt limited by the huge, long-term commitment of her CW show, the cast of Supernatural don't seem to care about that potential pitfall at all! Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki have been portraying Dean and Sam Winchester for well over a decade now, and if it's up to them, they won't be stopping any time soon. Supernatural charts the brothers' demon-slaying, monster-hunting adventures, with a whole load of action and drama bringing the battle between good and evil to life. We're almost 300 episodes into the show now, and its premise still hasn't got old! That has to be a good sign.
According to Variety, the president of The CW - Mark Pedowitz - has openly stated that as soon as Ackles and Padalecki are ready to move on from Supernatural, the show will end. However, there are no signs whatsoever that this will happen any time soon! Variety reported in March that at a panel discussing Supernatural, Padalecki admitted that he "loves his job" and isn't "in it for the glory". He portrays Sam because he has fun doing it! Both Jared and Jensen still apparently "enjoy coming to work every day", with Ackles cheekily noting that "they pay us very well to do it." So that's why they haven't quit the show yet!
12 Penn Badgley Didn't Even Try To Hide His Dislike Of Gossip Girl
There seems to be a common theme amongst the Gossip Girl cast: by the end of the show's run, many of them weren't enjoying their jobs very much! We've already discussed Blake Lively's misgivings regarding portraying Serena - turns out she's by no means the only cast member to feel this way about the series. Penn Badgley, who portrayed Dan - aka, actual Gossip Girl, thanks to a pretty controversial reveal - was pretty vocally critical of the show, even when he was still taking part in it!
In an interview with The Guardian, Badgley was brutally honest about his Gossip Girl experience.
He stated that filming the show was more of an "endurance test" than anything else and that the only real positive to come out of it was the fact it allowed him to move to New York City.
On his own Twitter account, he then accused the show of portraying "white privilege" with its less-than-diverse cast. To be fair, he's got a point there... Finally, in an interview with Salon, he described a movie in which he portrayed musician Jeff Buckley as the first thing he's starred in that he was actually proud of - totally dissing the entirety of Gossip Girl's run. Oh dear. So much regret from Penn!
11 Paul Wesley Is Grateful For All The Success That The Vampire Diaries Brought Him
While The Vampire Diaries' leading lady Nina Dobrev ended up regretting taking part in the show as its run progressed, not all of her fellow cast members ended up with this mindset. Paul Wesley - aka, hunky vampire Stefan Salvatore - has nothing but positive words to say regarding his time on the show. As Access Online notes, Wesley didn't just star in the show - he also directed a couple of episodes too! The Vampire Diaries really wouldn't have been the same without him.
As it happens, Wesley firmly believes that his life wouldn't be the same without The Vampire Diaries. Speaking to Variety shortly before the show's final ever episode aired, Paul admitted that the thought of leaving it behind for good actually made him cry on a couple of occasions! This was apparently very notable, as Wesley had become infamous amongst the cast and crew for never shedding a tear - even when they were filming emotionally charged scenes. The actor also confessed that TVD has left him "a completely different person," and that it's "always going to be ingrained in my personality. Ultimately, Wesley is "very grateful for it" and the opportunities it gave him. We're grateful too, Paul!
10 Calista Flockhart Didn't Like The Supergirl Producers' Demands
For Calista Flockhart, the fact that Supergirl moved over to The CW from CBS was reason enough to leave the show entirely - well, temporarily, at least. As Nerdist notes, the actress was incredibly prominent in this superhero series' first season: she portrayed Cat Grant, the former boss of Supergirl. The two characters became close, despite Grant's often abrasive personality! This bond made it all the more disappointing when Flockhart announced that she'd be leaving Supergirl at the start of its second season.
Ultimately, Flockhart felt that she could no longer continue on the show because its network change meant filming was moved to Canada. According to Nerdist, the actress didn't want to leave Los Angeles for Vancouver, so she chose to quit Supergirl.
It was a real shame that this logistical issue led Flockhart to regret taking a part in the show! However, Cat Grant fans' disappointment didn't last forever. As The Hollywood Reporter noted back in 2017, Flockhart was convinced to return to Supergirl at the end of Season Two as a guest star. The smaller filming commitment involved in this was enough to overcome the actress' doubts, and she cropped up once again in Supergirl's current third series. All's well that ends well!
9 Fan-Favorite John Barrowman Enjoyed His Time On Arrow
At the end of superhero series Arrow's fifth season, fans were left devastated when Malcolm Merlyn - the villain we all loved to hate - seemingly perished in a huge explosion. Turns out they weren't the only one left upset by this turn of events! Malcolm actor John Barrowman was also upset by his exit from the show. According to ComicBook.com, the actor told fans that he was "very sad to be leaving the Arrowverse", stating that he loved portraying Merlyn and would miss doing so greatly. Despite, Barrowman's own wishes, it looked like he had been cut from the show for good.
However, things have become a little murkier since then regarding Merlyn's fate. Digital Spy reported last year that Arrow's producers had revealed that Barrowman is welcome back on the show at any time - something that was news to the actor himself! Still, it was good news, with Barrowman posting on Instagram that "if they have changed their mind, awesome!" While there's been no news of a confirmed return for his character since these initial rumors, Barrowman would be happy to do so - he said that he was sad to be currently missing out on working with "a fantastic team and show." Don't worry, John - there's hope for Malcolm Merlyn yet!
8 Jessica Biel Felt Restricted By 7th Heaven's Rules
Although Jessica Biel appeared in the teen drama 7th Heaven for ten of its eleven seasons, it's well known that things got pretty frosty between the actress and the show's producers towards the end of her run. As Metro reports, when Biel was 17 she posed topless for the cover of Gear magazine - and the 7th Heaven producers were NOT pleased. This act was seen as a threat to the show's wholesome, family-friendly imagine, and Biel was forced to apologize to showrunner Aaron Spelling and other members of the crew.
Shortly after this incident, it was announced that Biel would not be returning for 7th Heaven's eleventh and final season. The actress recently revealed to E! Online that looking back, this moment of rebellion was always going to come for her.
Biel recalled that there were numerous "limitations on boundaries" on the show that begin to stifle her and that eventually, she "just wanted to do something different."
This began with the young actress cutting her hair as a teen - something that may seem minor but was prohibited by her 7th Heaven contract. Eventually, Biel claims, she ended up "always apologizing" for her conduct. If that's not a recipe for regret, I don't know what is!
7 Adelaide Kane Called Filming Reign Wonderful And Rewarding
The CW's historical drama Reign may have only lasted for four seasons, but it's still a much-loved show. Following the fictionalized exploits of Mary, Queen of Scots, Reign gave us passion, intrigue, heartbreak, and plenty of drama. What more could you want from a show, really? Oh, that's right - gorgeous, historical costumes, of course! Starring Australian actress Adelaide Kane as Mary herself, Reign quickly gained a cult following when it first aired back in 2013, and fans were devastated when it got canceled.
As it happens, Kane was pretty upset when Reign came to an end too! According to JustJared Jr., the actress admitted that she was "deeply saddened" by the decision, and went on to sing the praises of the cast, crew, and production team. Kane gushed that she'd "grown up" on the Reign set, with her colleagues becoming like her "friends and family." In an interview with The Wrap, Kane elaborated that it was the "best set I've ever worked on" and felt that the show was the "most challenging" yet "most rewarding" project she'd ever worked on. While we always knew that Reign would have to come to an end eventually - things didn't end well for Mary, Queen of Scots - it's a shame that it had to happen so quickly!
6 Hilarie Burton Made Dark Claims About One Tree Hill
Hilarie Burton is a familiar face to One Tree Hill fans. Appearing as cheerleader Peyton Sawyer, Burton became hugely popular due to her portrayal of this troubled but good-hearted character. Fans were disappointed when the character departed the show in season six, a decision that showrunner Mark Schwahn told TV Line was down to Burton's commitments as a new mother. However, based on recent claims that the actress has made in the wake of the #MeToo movement, it sounds like something far darker could have been at play.
As Variety reported back in November 2017, Burton was just one of numerous OTH cast and crew members who accused Schwahn of varying degrees of wildly inappropriate behavior. Burton claimed that Schwahn acted inappropriately in full view of his wife; forced kisses onto her on multiple occasions; and tried to make her character raunchier than she really needed to be. This was paired with a culture "in which Schwahn pitted women against each other."
All in all, Burton's claims have turned out to be the tip of the iceberg: dozens of men and women have come forward with their own tales of witnessing or experiencing Schwahn's behavior.
According to Deadline, Schwahn has since been fired from his most recent TV production, The Royals, a move that Burton welcomed.
5 Tom Welling Felt Lucky To Get His Role On Smallville
Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe made the superhero genre of TV and film "cool" again, Tom Welling was nailing the part of a young Clark Kent - aka Superman - in The CW's drama Smallville. Running for ten seasons, Smallville chronicled the early life of Kent before he took on his Superman identity. The show was so popular that even when it finished airing in its TV form, a comic book series continued the storyline for a few more years!
Prior to his casting in Smallville, Tom Welling was a pretty much unknown actor. While we now all know and love him thanks to his turn as Clark Kent and his role on Lucifer, he was really just a newbie when Smallville premiered in 2001! Speaking to the LA Times, Welling admitted that he felt "so grateful" to land his role as Kent - although he initially didn't want the part! The actor worried that if he donned Superman's famous costume, he'd be typecast for the rest of his career. However, when it turned out that Smallville would focus on the pre-costumed days, Welling was totally convinced. He went on to become totally dedicated to the show, becoming a "leader" on-set and even directing a couple of episodes. We're so glad Welling changed his mind and took that part!
4 Ricky Whittle Didn't Like The Atmosphere On The Set Of The 100
Ricky Whittle's departure from The 100 has to be one of the most notorious exits an actor has made from any CW show. Whittle had portrayed popular character Lincoln for three seasons before his explosive exit made headlines - and not necessarily for the right reasons. According to E! Online, Whittle claimed that he left The 100 not because he thought it was time for a career change, but because executive producer Jason Rothenberg "bullied him" off the show.
According to Whittle, Rothenberg "abused his position" as the show's creator to make the actor's life totally miserable.
The producer allegedly consistently cut Whittle's storylines and lines without warning, eventually trying to make the actor's character as unimportant to the show as possible. Whittle felt that Rothenberg was "belittling myself and my character and jeopardizing the show", so made the choice to leave after Season Three. He'd tried to quit a season earlier, but The CW hadn't allowed it. Wow! So much drama! Rothenberg's response to these allegations was to simply wish Whittle the best of luck in his future endeavors. Interesting...
3 Mischa Collins Speaks Fondly Of His Time On Supernatural
Alongside Dean and Sam, possibly the best-loved character in Supernatural history is Castiel. This angel of the lord has been portrayed by Mischa Collins since the show's fourth season, and it doesn't look like he'll be going anywhere any time soon. While Cas has perished numerous times since his introduction, he always finds a way to come back! Thank goodness - the fans would riot if he left the show for good...
Over the years, Mischa Collins has generally had nothing but positive things to say about his time with The CW. He did come into conflict with Supernatural's producers once in the past: according to SciFiNow, Collins openly criticised the show at a 2013 event due to its generally pretty poor treatment of female characters.
However, in general, the actor is more than happy to keep on working on this popular show. In an interview with Access, Collins spoke of the light-hearted atmosphere on set, recalling a time when Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki jokingly pied him in the face mid-filming. Nice! He also described the crew as "great" and expressed joy at being able to turn his hand to directing episodes of the show. Seriously... Is there anything this guy can't do? Actor, director, pop culture phenomenon...
2 Taylor Momsen's Lack Of Enthusiasm Got Her Written Out Of Gossip Girl
Another Gossip Girl star, another slightly awkward relationship with the show. Back in the day, young actress Taylor Momsen got her big break portraying Jenny Humphrey on the show. However, as Momsen grew up, things started to go downhill pretty quickly. According to Hollywood Life, the actress began to behave "erratically" on set and became incredibly unreliable. On top of that, she got caught flashing the audience at one of her concerts with The Pretty Reckless, a move that didn't impress CW executives. Eventually, Gossip Girl's producers became convinced that Momsen "wasn't giving it her all", so fired her as a series regular. Ouch!
As it turns out, Momsen was actually pretty relieved to be released from her contract with the show. In 2014, she told the Riverfront Times that her acting days were long behind her.
Instead, she's currently throwing all of her time and energy into her rock band, The Pretty Reckless. Momsen told the publication that she was frankly sick of people bringing up her Gossip Girl past, which she now simply sees as a thing of her "childhood." She says that the show "helped in one way and hurt in another", but ultimately "feels like forever ago." It sounds like Momsen has well and truly moved on!
1 Hart of Dixie's Rachel Bilson Loved Her Role - And Was Gutted When The Show Got Cancelled
Hart of Dixie is another CW show that was canceled well before its time. This fairly light-hearted drama followed the adventures of Zoe Hart, a New York doctor who moved to the tiny Southern town of Bluebell, Alabama for a fresh start. What followed was four seasons of love affairs, family drama, heartache, and incredible fashion. The show's dedicated fanbase was highly disappointed when the show was dropped pretty suddenly by The CW in 2015.
At the time, nobody quite knew why the show had been canceled. As People reported, Zoe actress Rachel Bilson had to deny rumors that it was her who'd caused the show to come off the air. There had been whispers that Bilson had hastened the end of the show either by requesting its cancelation or due to the fact she was then pregnant with her first child. These claims turned out to be totally false. In fact, Bilson used this furor as an opportunity to gush about the show and how much she was going to miss it! She claimed that she "loved my show and loved playing Zoe Hart", adding that she already missed working on the series. According to E!, it's much more likely that the show was actually scrapped due to falling ratings, a common fate for many TV shows out there.
References: Who What Wear; E! Online; The Hollywood Reporter; E! Online; E! Online; Variety; The Guardian; Penn Badgley on Twitter; Salon; Access Online; Variety; Nerdist; The Hollywood Reporter; ComicBook.com; Digital Spy; E! Online; Metro; JustJared Jr.; The Wrap; Variety; TV Line; Deadline; LA Times; E! Online; SciFiNow; Access Online; Hollywood Life; Riverfront Times; People; E! Online
