We’ve made no secret of our love for Chuck Bass/Ed Westwick on this blog, so we’re thrilled to wish him a very happy 21st birthday today! Recent pics taken in the Hamptons like this one make it look like Ed’s having a good time:

Over the past year, Ed’s made us major Chuck fans. Can you imagine anyone else playing Chuck? We adore his smarmy-but-sexy ways, his rule-breaking fashion sense, and his one-liners (”I’m Chuck Bass”). He started out as a witness to the Blair/Serena/Nate triangle… until he fell for Blair, and we saw his vulnerable side thanks to Ed’s talented acting.

Chuck might not always have a great relationship with his dad, but in real life, Ed’s a family guy — check out People’s adorable shot of him with his parents. He’s got a lot going on these days — gigs with his band, The Filthy Youth, shoots in the Hamptons, and hanging out with pal, castmate, and roommate Chace Crawford in NYC.

Turning 21 is probably somewhat anticlimactic for Ed, since the drinking age in the UK is much younger, but he still has plenty of reasons to have a drink. We hope he has a great birthday celebration tonight with friends and family — maybe he’ll celebrate with his Gossip Girl castmates!