Here's what convinced 'Gossip Girl's Chace Crawford to star in 'Blood and Oil'

Actors Amber Valletta, Don Johnson and Chace Crawford answer questions at the ‘Blood and Oil’ TCA panel. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Chace Crawford stars with Don Johnson in ABC saga Blood & Oil, out in the fall. So what convinced the actor to play Billy LeFever in the show about family, drama and oil in North Dakota?

Well, there’s the fact that it’s very different from his Gossip Girl role. And there’s the persuasive Don Johnson.

“It’s nice to play an adult right? to play a real boy. It’s great,” said Crawford, at the Television Critics Association press tour our Robert Bianco attended. “And I’m from Texas, and it was the best pilot I’d read.”

Johnson– who’s also an executive producer on the show– phoned Crawford to seal the deal.

“I called him and questioned his intelligence if he didn’t (take the part)” said Johnson.

It sounds like Crawford didn’t need too much convincing, though.

“I had the biggest grin on my face,” said Crawford. “It was great. I was already in the process of heading in that direction… It’s just a blessing to have someone like that call you and be that excited about it.”