“Gossip Girl” mysteries live and die on the couture-clad shoulders of the actor carrying said scheme out — and no actor has kept the questions swirling like Laura Harring. As Chuck’s maybe mama Elizabeth, Laura has been lovingly maternal one moment and devilishly deceptive the next. And it’s all building up to tonight’s episode where fans will finally find out the real deal.
Keeping the spoiler under lock and key hasn’t been difficult — Laura comes from the David Lynch school of secrets, so she could pretty much teach a master class since she’s part of the reason “Mulholland Dr.” remains a mystery to this day. Although, let’s be honest, even with an elaborate explanation that movie would still be perplexing!
PopWrap: Was it as much fun playing this mysterious character as it seemed?
Laura Harring: I had such a good time, you have no idea how much fun it is to film this show. I always get the juicy characters. It’s so funny I don’t know what it is. For this character, they wanted Elizabeth to have a mysterious feel to her, so they brought in a lot of Hitchcock-style clothes.
PW: I’m glad you said that because I keep getting these noir vibes from her.
Laura: I’m so pleased, that’s what they were going for with the description they gave me on set – even though she wasn’t originally written like that. I was very, very pleased with the direction it took because she has these extremes. Elizabeth is not one-dimensional.
PW: And tonight is her big episode, right?
Laura: Tonight the truth is revealed and we’ll know if Elizabeth is working for Jack Bass or if she’s really Chuck’s mom. And they really played up the mystery.
PW: But couldn’t she be both Chuck’s mom and working for Jack?
Laura: [laughs] You know, I was the only one on set who knew what was going on and everyone kept asking. So it’s very difficult because I don’t want to spill the beans. I’m a good secret keeper! David Lynch taught me that. He was very concerned during “Mulholland Drive’s” press junket in Cannes that we keep the mystery. Not to tell anyone what the movie meant
PW: OK, but come on Laura — even if you laid it all out on the table, that movie still would not make sense!
Laura: [laughs] Well, I’m going to tell David you said that because it’s exactly what he was going for. I’ve been lucky to work with masterful writers. I’ve been blessed to have worked with amazing people, and now a whole new generation of actors. I couldn’t believe the depth of Ed Westwick, and the mystery he carries, very cool to see.
PW: You two have amazing chemistry also.
Laura: You can’t fabricate that. It just happens. It’s one of those things in life that you have to hope to have. You can’t make it happen. And I’ve been lucky to attract people I have good chemistry with.
PW: What actor do you feel like you had the best chemistry with?
Laura: Everybody says that Naomi [Watts] and I had amazing chemistry. We formed a tight friendship because “Mulholland” was made over two years. We were in contact that whole time because it was going to be a TV series, then it wasn’t.
PW: “GG” writer Stephanie Savage told me that women who’ve worked with David Lynch seem to grasp the show’s tone very well, would you agree?
Laura: I do see similarities. You know David is also very much into fashion, not consciously, but he loves beauty. And if you notice, in all his films there’s always a mood. And I find that “Gossip Girl” has that too — that edge that’s a little outrageous, a little scandalous, it’s high end.
PW: OK, so tonight the truth is revealed — but is this the last we see of Elizabeth?
Laura: I can’t say … but I don’t fall off a building! [laughs]
“Gossip Girl” airs Mondays at 9 pm on The CW
Photo: WireImage; The CW