'Gossip Girl' Defection: Conor Paolo Gone

Connor Paolo, who plays Blake Lively's little brother Eric Van Der Woodsen on "Gossip Girl," will be leaving the show, the actor told television critics recently.

Paolo has a new part in the new ABC thriller "Revenge" and apparently doesn't think he'll be able to juggle the two competing roles.

"Gossip Girl" has seen several high-profile defections over the run of the show, including recent departures by Taylor Momsen and Jessica Szohr.

Paolo said his departure will happen rather naturally, as he left for college at Sarah Lawrence at the end of last season.

"Eric's going to college and he's going to stay there," Paolo told reporters. "He doesn't come home for Christmas anymore."

When TVLine asked him if he would come back should "Revenge" fail, he said “I’m done. You should never go back in life. Only forward.”

Outside of "Gossip Girl," Paolo is very familiar to soap opera fans. He appeared on "One Life to Live" as Travis O'Connell and had a role on "All My Children" at age nine.

He has also appeared in movies like "Alexander" as Young Alexander and "Mystic River" as Young Sean.