Lily Van Der Woodsen
Portrayed by Kelly Rutherford since the pilot, Lillian Celia "Lily" van der Woodsen (née Rhodes; previously van der Woodsen, Humphrey, Mueller, and Bass) is the multiple-divorced, ex-ballerina and socialite mother of Serena and Eric van der Woodsen, biological mother of Scott Rosson, adoptive mother of Chuck Bass, and stepmother of Dan and Jenny Humphrey. Lillian has a colored history as a former groupie of Dan and Jenny's father, Rufus, that she would rather not acknowledge. Her previous marriage before Rufus Humphrey, was to Bart Bass. Before Bart Bass, she was divorced from Dr. William van der Woodsen. Despite her constant concern for appearances and status in high society, it can be assumed that she lived as indulgently as Serena during her wild child years. Her similarity to Serena can especially be seen when she cries and is unable to make any decisions, both of which are behaviors commonly seen in Serena. It is revealed she was also institutionalized at 19 much like her son Eric. It was later revealed that it was not because of a suicide attempt, but because she was pregnant with Rufus's child. The son she gave up, Scott, came to New York to find them. Rufus and Lily returned to New York, and became a couple. The character is portrayed by Brittany Snow in flashback sequences. She adopts Chuck Bass in the second season after Bart's death. In the last episode of the second season, Lily and Rufus became engaged and married in the fifth episode of the third season. At the end of season 5, when Bart Bass is found alive and well, one of Lily's marriages needs to be annulled, and because of the recent difficulties Lily has been facing with Rufus, she chooses to end her marriage to Rufus and pursue a life with Bart. In season four, Lily becomes a "grandmother" from Georgina and Dan. Dan and Georgina name the baby Milo Humphrey. It is later discovered that Dan is not the biological father of Milo. It was revealed that Lily had put Ben Donovan in jail for having an "affair" with Serena, which was the current rumor at Serena's school in Connecticut. As revealed in the flashback sequences, she was raised in Montecito, California by her father Rick Rhodes; who was a music producer and her mother Celia "CeCe" Rhodes who was also a socialite and raised on the Upper East Side, who later dies leaving Lily heartbroken. In season six, Lily is caught between her loyalty to Chuck and her loyalty to Bart. When Bart dies, William consoles Lily as she deals with the stress. In the series finale, Lily is shown to be in a relationship with William, but is also in a good place with Rufus, who is dating Lisa Loeb.
Read more about this topic: Lillian Van Der Woodsen, Main Characters
Famous quotes containing the words lily, van and/or der:
“It is not growing like a tree
In bulk, doth make man better be,
Or standing long an oak, three hundred year,
To fall a log at last, dry, bald, and sere:
A lily of a day
Is fairer far in May
Although it fall and die that night;
It was the plant and flower of light.
In small proportions we just beauties see,
And in short measures life may perfect be.”
—Ben Jonson (1572–1637)
“Upon entering my vein, the drug would start a warm edge that would surge along until the brain consumed it in a gentle explosion. It began in the back of the neck and rose rapidly until I felt such pleasure that the world sympathizing took on a soft, lofty appeal.”
—Gus Van Sant, U.S. screenwriter and director, and Dan Yost. Bob Hughes (Matt Dillon)
“Under the lindens on the heather,
There was our double resting-place.”
—Walther Von Der Vogelweide (1170?–1230?)