Michael Ausiello, who must have a red phone that connects directly to Stephanie Savage and Josh Schwartz's bat cave, gives us some exciting news today. Singer-actress (sactress?) Hilary Duff will guest star on a multi-episode arc of Gossip Girl. According to Ausiello, she'll play:

Olivia Burke, a movie star who enrolls at NYU in search of a traditional college experience. She ends up rooming with Vanessa (Jessica Szohr) so it's safe to say she'll be majoring in Drama!

Wow, Blair living with Georgina Sparks and Vanessa living with a celebrity? There are so many exciting, rich plot twists these situations could spawn — all of which will no doubt be explored, dealt with, and tossed aside in the course of two episodes.

Exclusive: Hilary Duff joins 'Gossip Girl' [Ausiello Files/EW]