Has an older half sister. Who is 13 years his senior.

Attended Charles Wright Academy in Tacoma, Washington.

Upon being asked how his name originated, he says his father was bouncing a Pilot Penn tennis fall in frustration while trying to think of baby names. When his mother got her ultrasound he referred to the baby looking like the size of the tennis ball. And thus, they named him Penn.

In the US Elections 2008, Penn campaigned for Senator Barack Obama.

As of 2008, Penn resides in New York.

In his spare time, he enjoys playing soccer and writing music.

Penn claims to be very close to his parents.

Penn's first kiss was when he was only 11 years old.

Penn's dream job, besides acting, would to be a paid musician.

Penn's TV guilty pleasure is Friends reruns.

Penn got his name when his dad was bouncing a Pilot Penn tennis ball in frustration while trying to come up with baby names. When his mom got her ultrasound he referred to the baby looking like the size of the tennis ball. So they named him Penn.

Penn was nominated for a Teen Choice Award in 2008, for Choice TV Actor: Drama for Gossip Girl.

Penn is a 2008 member of the American Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet. Members of the cabinet help out using their talents and resources in furthering the cause of the organization.

Penn and the rest of the Gossip Girl young cast were featured in People magazine's World's Most Beautiful People of 2008.

Penn's mother once drove him 50 miles to appear in a community production of Music Man.

Penn has known Blake Lively, his on-screen girlfriend in Gossip Girl, since he was 11 years old.

One of Penn's favorite bands is Incubus.

Penn's inspiration for playing Gossip Girl character Dan is the show's creator Josh Schwartz. Besides him, he also draws his inspiration from the everyday, regular teenager.

Penn admits that among all the actors of Gossip Girl, he's the one who adlibs the most due to the awkward nature of his character.

In a CW source interview on October 2007, Penn revealed that he is single. In May 2008, Gossip Girl onscreen couple Penn Badgley and Blake Lively began dating.

Penn highly admires TV actresses Tina Fey and Parker Posey.

Penn has been living in Manhattan since the start of the filming of his CW show Gossip Girl.

Penn turned down the role of Dan Humphrey twice before accepting.

Penn was chosen as one of People Magazine's Sexiest Men Alive for 2007.

He has an older half sister.

Penn's most embarrassing moment was forgetting the words to "The Star-Spangled Banner" while singing at a minor-league baseball game.

Penn is 5' 10½" (1.79 m) tall. He has black hair and is left-handed.

In 2001, Penn was nominated for a Young Artist Award for his performance in the TV series The Young and the Restless.

Penn owns an Audi.

Penn did some voice acting in some of the Mario games like Mario Tennis in 2000 and Mario Golf 64 in 1999.

Penn has appeared in the following videos as himself: Kodiak Yearbook and Grrrl Power.

Penn got his GED at the age of 13, so he and his mom could move to LA, so he could start auditioning.

Once lived in Richmond, Virginia and Seattle, Washington

His middle name "Dayton" is a family name.

Around Penn's 'Do Over' days he had a email address set up. Where he would reply to fanmail via emails and stay in touch with his fans