Penn Badgley was almost forced to believe that Steven Tyler was his father in a “remarkable prank” played on him by Blake Lively, one so “stunning” that several people, including his “management team” and his own mother, were involved.
He You The star shared the story on last Thursday’s (May 23) episode of his crushed pod podcast before welcoming prankster BJ Novak to the show.
“I get an email, like, you know, totally like, ‘Oh, there’s a news article that we’re trying to take down, but just so you know, someone thinks or thinks it’s your dad,'” he revealed. “I don’t remember the phrase, but I just remember… [I] I didn’t even think about it for a moment because who in their right mind would think that’s true?
He noted that his publicist followed up a few days later to warn him that the rumor wasn’t going to “go away” and told him that “Steven believes it.”
At the time, Badgley “still didn’t even remotely think it was true,” but then received a call from his manager and publicist, who claimed that Tyler was “adamant now.”
“At this point, of course I don’t believe it’s true, but I wonder, how can Steven Tyler believe this?” he remembered thinking.
In the end, your Gossip Girl His co-star Lively suggested calling his mother for information.
“And my mom is not an actress,” Badgley shared. “So I’m not a joker either. And she is upset. And I said, ‘Mom, why are you upset?’ And then she makes a pause that’s like, you know, the pause that she sold me. And she says, ‘Why do you think we moved out of Maryland?’”
Badgley admitted that “for about five or seven seconds, [he] was left speechless and [his] The world was reorganizing itself.”
“I was like, ‘Are you kidding me? ‘Am I Steven Tyler’s son?’” she said.
However, he finally discovered what day the whole ruse was taking place: April Fool’s Day. Additionally, he said Lively “couldn’t keep a straight face.”
While Badgley may not be related to the “Sweet Emotion” singer, Tyler is the father of four children: Liv, Mia, Chelsea and Taj, according to People.
Gossip Girl is streaming on Max.
