Penn Badgley confesses his relationship with ex Blake Lively ‘saved’ him

Penn Badgley has recently opened up about how his relationship with ex Blake Lively saved him from “substance abuse”.

In a new interview with Variety, the You star reflected on his Gossip Girl days which he described both “fun and fast-paced” as well as “having a dark undercurrent that would bottom out in my later 20s”.

At the time, fans were excited to see Blake and Penn’s off-screen romance which began in 2007 and ended in 2010.

“Beyond our relationship. I don't think anybody was going to be interested in me publicly,” said Penn.

Penn also mentioned that his Gossip Girl co-star Blake had a “positive influence” on him.

“To be honest, I never struggled with substance,” stated the 36-year-old.

Penn continued, “Blake didn't drink, and I think our relationship in some ways saved me from forcing myself to go down that road.”

Penn also confessed that the darkness “originated from nothing short of a spiritual crisis”.

“Like anybody who experiences some degree of fame and wealth,” remarked the actor.

Penn explained, “I was presented with the universal truth that not only does it not make your life better or easier, it actually can greatly complicate things, and make you quite unhappy.”

Penn also disclosed how he used to feel lost but his feelings were never “suicidal”.

“I was never anything that I would define as suicidal at all, but I was certainly in a despair,” asserted the actor.

Penn noted, “It had to do with ‘Do I matter? Do I matter? Does anything matter?’ These questions do inform how we feel.”

“The answer that I came upon was 'Yes.' I think we all have to come to that. I don't know how you could come to 'No' and be happy, so we all have to come to that 'Yes' somehow. Probably repeatedly,” he added.