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Michelle Trachtenberg‘s iconic line from Gossip Girl has been immortalized on TikTok after she died on Feb. 26 at age 39.
Trachtenberg was known for her roles in Ice Princess and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, though she’s probably best recognized for her role as Georgina Sparks in Gossip Girl.
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Even before her death, her iconic “tell Jesus that the b—- is back” line combined with Azelia Banks’ “212” became a go-to for TikTok users across the app. The trending sound has been used for a variety of content on the app, from “get-ready-with-me” style videos to show off an outfit to straightforward videos of users dancing along to the track.
Celebrities like Dua Lipa and Taylor Hill have used the sound for their videos, but what is the exact origin of the sound and line?
Read on for a full explanation of how Georgina’s iconic line became a viral trend online.
Where did the ‘Tell Jesus the B—- is Back’ line originate?
In Gossip Girl, Georgina utters the iconic one-liner in the episode “The Wrath of Con” in Gossip Girl season 2.
In the scene, Georgina calls Blair Waldorf from the car and tells her she feels “more like herself than ever” despite her initial decision to change her ways after her time at the Christian camp. Blair asks where she is and Georgina tells her she’s “taking care of what you obviously couldn’t” while she watches Poppy Lifton enter a car.
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Blair responds that she doesn’t think “Jesus would approve of that” before Georgina tells her “you can tell Jesus that the b—- is back,” before she hangs up and has her driver follow Poppy.
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What is the meaning of the ‘Tell Jesus the B–– is Back’ trend on TikTok?
Online, Georgina’s iconic line from Gossip Girl was remixed with Azelia Banks’ song “212” and has gone massively viral online, with over 200,000 videos using the trending sound.
The sound has been seen in a variety of transitions, dances and even funny videos on TikTok. TikTok creators like Alix Earle used the sound in a TikTok post back in April 2024 to give fans a sneak peek into one of her looks at Coachella 2024 and wrote, “You guys aren’t ready for the fittttt today” in the comments.
On the other hand, YouTuber Tara Yummy used the trending sound on TikTok to dance while fellow YouTuber Johnnie Guilbert and creator Jake Webber stood behind her.
Which celebrities have used the ‘Tell Jesus the B—- is Back’ sound on TikTok?
TikTok creators and other users online aren’t the only ones who’ve used the sound.
Back in February 2024, Dua Lipa posted a TikTok using the sound back with her backup dancers from what was likely rehearsals for her performance of “Training Season” at the 2024 Grammy Awards.
During the It Ends With Us press tour in August 2024, Ryan Reynolds also used the sound on TikTok to jokingly point out that his film Deadpool vs. Wolverine was sold out at a theater in London that also advertised the film that starred his wife and Gossip Girl actress Blake Lively. In the caption, he wrote, “I spy with my little eye.”
Later on, supermodel Taylor Hill used the trending sound in her TikTok, where she gave fans a sneak peek into the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show on Oct. 15, 2024. In the video, Taylor walked through some of the wings that other models would display ahead of the show and teased “TONIGHT ✨ ” in the caption.