Spotted: The actress from your latest binge. You can find Ella Rubin (she / her) hitting the books in Netflix’s The Chair—which seriously deserves its top-10 status, FYI—and hitting the runway in Gossip Girl, where she’s bringing Blair’s style (and b*tchiness) back to life.

We called the New York native to see if working with Grey’s Anatomy royalty was a Sandra Oh-M-G moment, what it’s like on the Gossip Girl set, and how Legally Blonde is actually feminist propaganda.

Were you a fan of the original Gossip Girl?
I was! I watched it in probably 6th or 7th grade. Growing up in New York City, it was something my friends and I were all excited about, so getting to be on it is definitely wish fulfillment.

What is it like being on set?
It’s crazy. It’s really fast-paced and a ton is going on and the costumes are crazy, but it’s a lot of fun. Going into a work environment where everyone has already worked together for a long time and has established relationships is always nerve-wracking, but I think I’ve been really lucky to be on welcoming sets. And I get to work with Katherine Reis, who I’m really close with. Everybody there is super nice, too, and nothing like their characters. [Laughing.]

So Jordan Alexander isn’t as intimidating as she seems?
Oh my gosh, no! She’s genuinely the nicest.

What was it like working with Sandra Oh in The Chair?
As amazing as you’d think! [Laughing.] She’s just the most professional, talented person while being equally kind and welcoming.

Taylor Holland is also in the show. Did you know who she was when you joined the cast?
Of course! I love Legally Blonde. I actually wrote a 25-page paper on it for one of my classes in college. So I definitely knew who she was, but I only got to meet her briefly, but she was great, of course.

I’m sorry. 25 pages on Legally Blonde?! What was the essay about?
The class was about women in literature, and instead of a final, we had to write a 25-page paper on anything. I decided to write about the way femininity is portrayed in movies and how it can often be demonized, and how Legally Blonde is a shining example of not doing that. Elle Woods can be stereotypically feminine, wear a lot of pink, enjoy “girly pursuits,” and also pursue her law degree and be seen as an intellectual without having to sacrifice either. My professor called it more of a manifesto than an academic paper.

Were you intimidated to work with such big names?
Going into it, I was definitely afraid and anxious, but as soon as I stepped on the set, I could not have felt more welcome or comfortable. Before I shot my first scene, [the showrunner] Amanda Peet calmed me down and made me comfortable in a way that allowed me to enjoy it a bit despite the anxiety. I’d never worked in a place so welcoming and fun, and also with such talented people. It was crazy.

You grew up watching girls on Gossip Girl and Legally Blonde. Now you’re one of those girls. What’s it like?
Honestly, it’s kind of hard to even picture that, but thinking of it now, it definitely feels cool and scary and exciting. I think now, TV and film have a much more conscious lens, so it’s really vital that younger generations see TV and film that’s more reflective of the world.

Would you rather go to Pembroke or Constance Billard?
Pembroke, for sure. [Laughing.] Pembroke is definitely not so far from my college. I see a lot of similarities. And I think I would absolutely drown at Constance.