Instagram/@pennbadgley
Penn Badgley, the lead actor of the popular series ‘You,’ has startled everyone with a revelation concerning his new book titled ‘CRUSHMORE’ and an unbelievable secret that the book has its origin in personal experiences taken from the actor’s teenage life and revealing the less-known side of him. Readers are to expect the book on October 14, 2023. The announcement video presented one of Badgley’s passionate and funny acts which soon got the notice of his huge number of followers.
Advertisement
During the online commercial, Badgley delivers a variety of sharp and enthralling lines. With a blank expression, he proclaims, “You have massively fucked me over.” The atmosphere of the video is precisely the right combination of the charming but dangerous man he had slowly perfected through his Joe Goldberg character and the self-aware irony. Not to mention, he tweeted, “My inner 12-year-old finding out I’ve exploited him for book sales #CRUSHMORE is out this OCT 14 (presale now!).” This clever approach makes the book sound like a dialogue between Badgley’s grown-up version and his child self that went through those experiences.
The viewers responded without hesitation with a lot of excitement. A lot of comments that complimented his acting skills were made, for instance, one user wrote “Penn you are so amazing in this video,” which was a perfect reflection of the expository nature of his unique screen personality. The announcement rekindled the most intense discussions regarding his most famous character. Consequently, a significant portion of the talk shifted to the calls for the next season of his Netflix series. One comment pleadingly stated “Please we all need season 6,” which signified that a lot of people wanted to see the character of Joe Goldberg unfold in the next seasons.
However, not everyone thought this way. Another user replied, “Season 6? Yall the ending was perfect , leave it be.” This sparked a little skirmish in the comments on whether the story should proceed or not, thus revealing the strong and divided opinions about the finale of the show. Although the talk around ‘You’ was mainly the focus, fans also noticed little oddities that made Badgley’s posts more lively and interactive. One viewer noticed his strange outfit and said, “A hoodie with shorts and no socks? Are you hot or are you cold, make up your mind xD.” This concentration on his genuine, ordinary quirks suggests the connection he has with his audience on a personal level.
Everyone found the joke in his post. One fan hilariously expressed the plight of his younger person: “Poor 12-year-old… finally realizing that he is the main character of a book! 🤣” Another user made a clever reference to his ‘Gossip Girl’ times by saying: “it’s like when Dan used Serena, Nate, Blair, and Chuck for Inside,” and thus connecting the new meta-narrative to a classic tale from his past. The most enthusiastic applause came from a user who exclaimed, “Just finished a rewatch of YOU S1-5 and honestly you are easily one of the best Actors of our generation 🙏🏽 SIMPLY BRILLIANT!” Such a comment reveals the great respect he has garnered for his dramatic work, which now adds to the buzz around his literary venture.
Advertisement
Penn Badgley has cleverly portrayed a character that he is introspective and explores his conscience deeply until sometimes he becomes averse to it. “CRUSHMORE” is the essence of Badgley’s characters as it allows the audience to experience the emotional healing that comes with the actor’s letting go of the past resentment he had towards his younger self. Using the perspective of his own lived experience, he immediately engages the reader by dubbing the book as ‘exploitation’ of his young self. It encapsulates nostalgia, humor, and psychological depth that Badgley’s audience has come to expect. The varied and overwhelming reaction to the revelation was a sign that Penn Badgley regardless if on screen or on the page knows how to draw in the audience. The pre-sale of ‘CRUSHMORE’ has begun already which indicates that the book will certainly be under the limelight a lot this autumn, and great discussions are anticipated.