We have a mystery straight out of the Upper East Side playbook—but this time, it’s not Gossip Girl spilling the tea. Chanel Maya Banks, yes, that Chanel from “Gossip Girl,” “Blue Bloods,” and the 2010 flick “Twelve,” has officially gone missing! Cue the gasps and suspicious stares.
The Scoop So Far…
The 36-year-old actress, who graced our screens as Sawyer Bennett back in the “Gossip Girl” days, has been off the radar since October 30. Chanel, who’s been hanging out in L.A.’s Playa Vista neighborhood, apparently vanished like a Hollywood ghost, and no one’s seen a trace of her since. Her family, naturally, is flipping out—and for good reason! Chanel wasn’t one to just “go dark” on social media or anywhere else. This girl kept her people updated.
Husband in the Hot Seat 🕵️♂️
Law enforcement has already pulled up to her shared apartment not once, but twice (November 7 and November 8) for welfare checks. But her husband, CJ, seems to be on a different vibe. Let’s just say his cooperation level is hovering somewhere around “unhelpful.” He reportedly told her family, “She doesn’t want to be found,” as if he’s narrating a cheesy mystery novel. Yes, CJ is serving us all shades of shifty here.
Her cousin, Danielle-Tori Singh, isn’t buying it. In fact, she’s gone full Inspector Gadget mode on GoFundMe to get support for Chanel’s search. According to Danielle, Chanel didn’t just leave her apartment in a hurry—she left her essentials behind: her dog, her phone, her laptop, and her car. So unless Chanel is out here trying to invent a new form of “minimalist vacation,” something’s clearly off.
Chanel’s Ghosting Skills: Legendary or Alarming?
Let’s be real: if Chanel had gone somewhere voluntarily, would she really leave her besties (the dog included) hanging? She’s been known to check in with her mom and cousin like clockwork, but now, radio silence. And Chanel’s cousin is getting louder by the day, declaring that, “Five days without a word is alarming!” Try two weeks, and the drama meter is through the roof. Something’s amiss, and her family’s “spidey sense” is tingling.
LAPD: No Foul Play (But the Family Is Not Buying It)
According to LAPD, there are no “signs” of foul play. But the family isn’t exactly feeling reassured by that lukewarm update. They’re out here, drained, confused, and determined to find her. So, while the LAPD may be taking the “wait and see” approach, the family’s approach is more like “wait? I don’t think so.”
GoFundMe: Funds for Finding Chanel (and Surviving L.A.)
Danielle is pleading for some help to keep the hunt going. She’s not even from L.A.—she flew in from Toronto, while Chanel’s mom flew in from New York, and it turns out being a sleuth in Los Angeles is expensive. Between hotel bills, gas, and car rentals, the family’s starting to feel like contestants on “Survivor: L.A. Edition.”
So, if you’re looking to be part of a real-life mystery while also supporting Chanel’s family in their quest to find her, check out their GoFundMe page. As Chanel’s cousin puts it, this is about finding someone who, in her words, “would NEVER go anywhere without telling her family.”
Will Chanel Maya Banks reappear to reveal some wild Hollywood plot twist? Or are we in for a mystery that even Gossip Girl would have trouble unraveling? Stay tuned—and cross your fingers for Chanel’s safe return.