What happened between Leighton Meester and Blake Lively? The rumours explained

What happened between Leighton Meester and Blake Lively? The rumours explained

The relationship between Leighton Meester and Blake Lively, stars of Gossip Girl, has sparked many rumours over the years. While their characters were best friends on screen, rumours have it that they were not as close off-screen. This has led to speculation about tension between the two actresses.

Leighton Meester in Los Angeles, California (L). Blake Lively in New York City (R).
Leighton Meester at Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles, California (L). Blake Lively in New York City (R). Photo: Aeon, Neilson Barnard (modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Key takeaways

  • Leighton Meester plays Blair Waldorf, while Blake Lively portrays Serena van der Woodsen in Gossip Girl.
  • Blake Lively and Leighton Meester’s characters on Gossip Girl were best friends, but they had a complicated relationship in real life.
  • The actresses were rumoured to be feuding behind the scenes.
  • Blake and Leighton do not follow each other on social media.

Profile summary

Full name Leighton MeesterBlake Ellender Brown
GenderFemaleFemale
Date of birth9 April 1986 25 August 1987
Age39 years old (as of 2025)37 years old (as of May 2025)
Place of birthFort Worth, Texas, United StatesTarzana, Los Angeles, California, United States
Current residenceLos Angeles, United StatesNew York, United States
NationalityAmericanAmerican
EthnicityMixedMixed
SexualityStraightStraight
ReligionChristianityChristianity
Height in inches5'5''5'10''
Height in centimetres165178
Weight in pounds120130
Weight in kilograms5459
Hair colourDark brownBlonde
Eye colourHazelBlue
FatherDouglas Meester Ernie Lively
MotherConstance MeesterElaine Lively
SiblingsLex, DouglasRobyn, Lori, Eric, Jason
Marital status MarriedMarried
Spouse Adam BrodyRyan Reynolds
EducationHollywood High School, Beverly Hills High SchoolBurbank High School, Brighton Hall School
Profession Actress, singer, modelActress
Net worth$16 million $30 million
Social mediaInstagram, FacebookInstagram, X (Twitter), Facebook

What happened between Leighton Meester and Blake Lively?

The relationship between Blake Lively and Leighton Meester, stars of Gossip Girl, has been a topic of intrigue for fans due to the contrast between their onscreen friendship and off-screen interactions. Below is a closer look at what happened and the truth behind the rumours.

Blake Lively in New York City (L). Leighton Meester in Paris, France (R).
Blake Lively in New York City (L). Leighton Meester in Paris, France (R). Photo: River Callaway, Aeon (modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

Leighton Meester and Blake Lively's onscreen vs. off-screen relationship

While their characters, Serena van der Woodsen and Blair Waldorf, were portrayed as best friends, the actresses' real-life relationship was less.

Executive producer Joshua Safran revealed the truth about Blake and Leighton’s friendship during a 2017 profile with Vanity Fair. He stated:

They were friendly, but they were not friends like Serena and Blair. Yet the second they’d be on set together, it’s as if they were.

Josh credited Blake and Leighton’s very different personalities because they did not click as best friends off-screen.

Blake is very much in the moment. Blake knows what’s happening. She knows this movie’s coming out, this band is happening. You talk to Blake on a very contemporary level, and she would be like, ‘I’m doing this thing tonight. Have you been to this restaurant?’

He added:

Leighton was very removed and very quiet, and, after the scenes were done, she would wander the stage. I had this image of her just in these gorgeous dresses with a book in her hand, sort of a little bit out of focus out in the corners.

Reports from 2008 suggested that the famous actresses "avoided each other like the plague" on set, leading to tensions among the cast and crew, who reportedly had to "choose sides". Additionally, rumours circulated about jealousy over wardrobe budgets and perceived egos, though these claims were never confirmed.

Blake Lively in Austin, Texas (L). Leighton Meester in Los Angeles, California (R).
Blake Lively at The Paramount Theatre in Austin, Texas (L). Leighton Meester at the Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles, California (R). Photo: Amanda Edwards, Tibrina Hobson (modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

Denying drama and staying professional

Both Blake and Leighton have publicly denied any animosity. In a 2008 interview with New York Magazine, Leighton denied feud rumours, suggesting that such speculation was often directed at female co-stars.

I was just reading something about, like, how Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson didn’t get along [on the set of The Other Boleyn Girl]. Why don’t they say that George Clooney and Brad Pitt don’t get along? It’s always the girls.

On 10 August 2009, co-star Chace Crawford addressed Leighton Meester and Blake Lively's feud rumours via Interview magazine. She emphasised that the cast's interactions were friendly and not as dramatic as portrayed by the media.

In the 2017 Vanity Fair profile, Blake admitted that this kind of scrutiny made her hesitant to sign on for Gossip Girl after she was chosen to play Serena.

I’m actually a very shy person, and the idea of losing my anonymity was one that was scary to me. I remember saying when I read this script, ‘Whoever does this will not be able to walk out of their house ever again and be the same as before they started this.’ You could tell it was a cultural phenomenon. That was both exciting and thrilling, but also scary.

Leighton Meester in Los Angeles, California (L). Blake Lively in New York City (R).
Leighton Meester in Los Angeles, California (L). Blake Lively in New York City, New York, USA (R). Photo: Roy Rochlin, Frazer Harrison (modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

Are Leighton and Blake still friends?

There is no public indication of a close friendship between the blonde actress and Leighton. They do not follow each other on social media, and have not made any public appearances together since the show ended. However, in 2019, Blake shared a throwback photo with Leighton from their time presenting at the Emmy Awards, suggesting a friendly relationship.

FAQs

  1. Who is Leighton Meester? She is an American actress, singer, and model, best known for her role as Blair Waldorf on the television series Gossip Girl.
  2. Who is Blake Lively? Blake is an American actress born on 25 August 1987, in Los Angeles, California.
  3. What is Leighton Meester's age? The popular singer is 39 years old as of 2025. She was born on 9 April 1986 in Fort Worth, Texas, United States.
  4. What happened between Leighton Meester and Blake Lively? Rumours of tension and jealousy between Leighton Meester and Blake Lively surfaced during the filming of Gossip Girl, but both denied any serious feud.
  5. Did Leighton Meester and Blake Lively get along in real life? The actresses were allegedly not close friends off-screen during their time on Gossip Girl.
  6. Was Leighton Meester at Blake Lively's wedding? Leighton Meester did not attend Blake Lively's wedding to Ryan Reynolds in 2012.
  7. Why don't Blake and Leighton follow each other? The Gossip Girl actresses do not follow each other on social media, reflecting their lack of a close off-screen relationship.

While Blake Lively and Leighton Meester may not have been close friends off-screen, there is insufficient evidence of a significant feud between them, and neither of them openly confirmed any bad blood.

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Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
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Night Mongina (Lifestyle writer) Night Mongina is an article writer with an experience of more than three years. She has been working as a writer in Legit.ng since August 2021. She won the Writer of the Year Award on Legit in 2023. Night worked with (KNA) Kenya News Agency as a freelance writer (2016-2017). She graduated with a Diploma in Health Records and Information from Kisii University in 2018. In 2023, Night finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. In March 2024, she completed the Google News Initiative course. Email: nightmongina@gmail.com

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