Ed Westwick struck a soulful pose for the upcoming issue of Interview. He's been in London during his hiatus from Gossip Girl, taking time to talk about fashion and his guest starring role on Californication. In the magazine, he opened up about his future, his music career, and his many tattoos. Here's more:

• On pursuing other roles in movies: "Right now is a crucial time in terms of what decisions I make. I want to pursue other roles; I want to pursue different characters. I’ve been really, really pleased with what’s been happening, but I want to do other things. I’ve learned so much playing this character, but there’s so much more out there. You have to do things that excite you; you have to have a passion for your work. Otherwise you’re just a face on the screen. We’re trying to be raconteurs here — we’re trying to tell stories. . . Being from England, and being a lad, I have to say James Bond. It would be wrong of me to say anything else."
• On his band: "It’s just kind of falling apart. It’s very difficult to juggle two careers, unless you’re going to have someone put it all together for you. Because you’re on TV, somebody just gives you a record deal — that’s not how I’d want to get it, because it’s just not real, you know? There’s nothing I can’t stand more than that whole manufactured kind of thing."
• On his tattoos: "I’m a rock ’n’ roll guy, really. I’m a big fan of Elvis, man. I got “Heartbreak Hotel” tattooed on my chest. . . I’ve got “21 Grams,” “Love Me Two Times,” the song by The Doors. I have “I Heart Romance” on my forearm and “You Make Me Feel Like the One” across my shoulder. . . I saw ["I Heart Romance"] in a bathroom stall in a bar in Brooklyn. I thought it was cool, so I got it."

Sounds like Ed Westwick is just as interesting as Chuck Bass, though he certainly doesn't know as much about fashion in real life.