151-494: Leighton Marissa Meester ( / ˈ l eɪ t ən / LAY -tən ; born April 9, 1986) is an American actress and singer. She is known for her starring role as Blair Waldorf on Gossip Girl , which ran from 2007 to 2012. She has also appeared in films such as Killer Movie (2008), Country Strong (2010), The Roommate (2011), Monte Carlo (2011), The Oranges (2011), The Judge (2014), The Weekend Away (2022), and EXmas (2023). She portrayed Angie D'Amato on
302-521: A Nikon Coolpix series camera advertisement, and both were the faces of the Korean clothing line ASK Enquired. In April 2009, she released the song "Birthday" featuring duo Awesome New Republic . A version without her vocals was included on their Rational Geographic Vol. I album. Later that month, Meester signed a recording contract with Universal Republic . Meester provided vocals on Cobra Starship 's song " Good Girls Go Bad ", which peaked at number seven on
453-514: A halfway house , before returning to prison to complete her sentence. Her paternal grandparents cared for Meester during this period. She has maintained that her parents gave her a normal upbringing and, despite their criminal past, has stated, "It made me realize that you can't judge anyone—especially your parents—for what they've done in their past, because people change." She grew up in Marco Island, Florida , where she participated in productions at
604-416: A manga adaptation titled Gossip Girl: For Your Eyes Only , written and illustrated by HyeKyung Baek. This series adapts notable scenarios from the novel—including the triangle with Nate and Serena—but also features new material. After losing her position as queen bee, Blair attempts to regain her former status while adjusting to a less privileged lifestyle. In addition to this series, Blair also appears in
755-478: A 2009 interview, Gossip Girl creator Cecily von Ziegesar claimed to identify with Blair the most, stating, "She is so unpredictable and dramatic. Such a bitch, but we understand why she is a bitch and we like her anyway". Throughout most of the series' run, Blair grapples with a number of changes within her family. One year prior to the opening novel, Blair's parents divorced after her father ran off with another man. When her mother remarries, and her father leaves
906-563: A Drug", was digitally released on March 30, 2010, and she is also featured on Stephen Jerzak 's song "She Said". Meester did a duet with DJ Clinton Sparks on "Front Cut", which appeared on the internet in February 2011. Lil Wayne worked with her on an unreleased song titled "Make It Rain" and Jesse McCartney wrote another song. The album was produced by Polow Da Don , Harvey Mason Jr. , and Spencer Nezey. Meester began working on it in March 2009 and
1057-528: A band called Check in the Dark and had been writing for the last six months after being inspired by Country Strong . She revealed her influences, "I love Neil Young and Joni Mitchell , that style of music, and as far as songwriting I think that's where my heart is." In 2010, Meester signed on to be the spokesperson for Herbal Essences hair products. In the same year, she took part in Bulgari 's humanitarian efforts for
1208-709: A charity auction on eBay . The proceeds benefited Many Hopes, a charity organization that builds schools and homes for children in Kenya . Meester has been volunteering with the non-profit organization Feeding America since 2017. During her first two years working with Feeding America, she has volunteered at Los Angeles' Downtown Women's Center and assisted with relief efforts in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria in 2017. Meester and Adam Brody also worked with children at Para Los Niños Charter School in Los Angeles , where they helped
1359-508: A child to pursue acting. In court, the judge dismissed this claim. Constance accused her daughter of calling social services and fabricating a claim that she was abusing Alexander; investigators interviewed Meester and found no merit in the complaint. In November 2011, Constance dropped the $ 3 million claim for damages. Meester said that she would be willing to pay for her brother's medical expenses as well as his school tuition, but denied that she agreed to pay $ 10,000 each month, which she stated
1510-402: A dangerous driving stunt, despite Eric and Ari's disapproval. As a result, he crashes the car into the set, but emerges feeling emboldened and invincible. The incident also pushes Vince to seek out new thrills, including impulsively adopting a shorter haircut, sky-diving, purchasing a Harley-Davidson, popping Vicodin pills, and striking up a relationship with pornographic star Sasha Grey . Vince
1661-402: A daughter, Arlo, was born on August 4, 2015. In April 2020, it was revealed that the couple were expecting their second child. In September 2020, Brody confirmed their second child, a son, was born. Blair Waldorf Blair Cornelia Waldorf (married name Bass ) is one of the main characters of Gossip Girl , introduced in the original series of novels and also appearing as the lead in
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#17328849486321812-441: A deal with Jack that Blair could sleep with him and in exchange, Chuck gets his hotel back that Jack initially stole to 'destroy Chuck'). She later transfers to Columbia University , and learns that an emotionally reformed Chuck was responsible for her enrollment. They later team up as part of a role-playing scheme to help Serena's mother and Chuck's adopted mother, Lily. In the season finale, Chuck attempts to propose to Blair, but
1963-569: A demo. She next starred in the comedy film That's My Boy , alongside Adam Sandler , Andy Samberg , and Milo Ventimiglia , which was released in June 2012. The film received mainly negative reviews, was nominated for eight Golden Raspberry Awards , and was a box office failure, grossing less than $ 58 million, failing to recoup its production budget of $ 70 million. In August 2012, Meester, Wilmer Valderrama and Vanessa Curry appeared in house music group The Nomads' music video for "Addicted to Love". She
2114-455: A few years back however, Sloan assures E that he was creepy and they never so much as kissed. Near the end of the season, Drama finally lands his big break as he's signed on to the new TV series Five Towns . Turtle's career as a music manager ends unceremoniously when he is forcefully bought out by Saigon's original manager. Ari meanwhile has to juggle his new, initially failing, business with keeping Vince happy. Even though Ari manages to set up
2265-453: A five-city tour with Check in the Dark, which started on May 29 and ended on June 4, 2012. Reflecting on her past pop collaborations, she said she "loved" them, but that folk music was "a lot closer to [her] heart." In May 2012, she endorsed the Philippine clothing brand Penshoppe 's campaign All Stars. In June, Meester said she and the band had recorded all the songs for an album that served as
2416-518: A friendlier work environment. His newfound peace is broken when he confronts Amanda at an upper-class restaurant, accusing her of sending the tapes and stealing his NFL team. She reveals that her ex-assistant sent the tapes and that the NFL was reconsidering Ari for their team (with the help of Amanda). She has now lost complete respect for Ari, and the outburst leaves Ari looking foolish in front of many Hollywood executives. Ari's relationship with his wife ends on
2567-693: A global brand ambassador for skin care company Biotherm . In 2022 she became the face for the luxury fashion retail platform Farfetch . Meester is popular on social media and endorses products such as beauty and wellness products on Instagram . She has 6.9 million followers on Instagram, and 1.5 million followers on Twitter as of February 2024. She has partnered with several brands, including Shamrock Farms , Nexxus New York Salon and Sunglass Hut. In July 2011, Meester and her mother, Constance, filed lawsuits against each other over Meester's financial support of her younger brother, Alexander, who has multiple health problems. Meester's suit claimed that her mother used
2718-574: A guest appearance on The View . Turtle meets Jamie-Lynn Sigler on an airplane and the two hit it off, but their potential relationship is ruined when Turtle tells the guys she gave him a handjob. She eventually forgives him and is interested in a relationship. Also, Ari signs his old colleague Andrew Klein ( Gary Cole ) as a new partner in MGA. Smoke Jumpers begins filming, but after several conflicts between Vince and director Verner Vollstedt ( Stellan Skarsgård ), which leads to Verner firing Vince, production
2869-434: A heated affair and an eventual love triangle. Her inability to choose creates much of the first season's story line. There are brief mentions of Blair's past struggle with bulimia. She also begins a brief power struggle with freshman Jenny Humphrey . After she unites with Chuck and Nate in order to save Serena from the scheming Georgina Sparks , Chuck realizes that his feelings for Blair are real and suggests that they spend
3020-399: A job since his holding deal will expire in eight weeks. He finds out new shows are being made by the network, but not for him. Lloyd finds an Emmy Award -winning writer ( Jeff Garlin ) to write something for Drama, though Drama is disappointed that he hasn't written anything since 1991 and that the proposed show would be a comedy. The script turns out to be a good fit for Drama and John Stamos
3171-494: A lesbian (Meester) and a straight woman ( Gillian Jacobs ) who begin a new relationship. Meester made her Broadway debut in the stage adaptation of John Steinbeck 's novel Of Mice and Men , starring opposite James Franco and Chris O'Dowd . The production filmed and broadcast in cinemas for one night through National Theatre Live , the first Broadway production to be selected by the program. She then appeared opposite Robert Downey, Jr. , Robert Duvall , and Vera Farmiga in
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#17328849486323322-727: A limited theatrical release. In March 2016, she was cast in Fox 's comedy series Making History as Deborah Revere, a colonial woman from 1775 and the daughter of American artisan Paul Revere . The series was cancelled after one season of nine episodes. In January 2018, Meester joined the cast of Semper Fi , starring alongside Jai Courtney , Nat Wolff and Finn Wittrock , which was released in October 2019. Meester starred in ABC 's Single Parents alongside Taran Killam , which premiered in September 2018 and
3473-534: A line called "J for Waldorf", and she and Chuck are shown to have a son named Henry. While covering the book series, Janet Malcolm of The New Yorker labeled the character "an antiheroine of the first rank," and asserted that "the series belongs to awful Blair, who inspires von Ziegesar's highest flights of comic fancy." She also compared Blair to vintage film and literary figures such as Becky Sharp of Vanity Fair , and Lizzie Eustace of The Eustace Diamonds . In addition, several critics have likened Blair to
3624-667: A local playhouse. Her parents separated in 1992. When she was 11 years old, Meester and her siblings moved with their mother to New York City. She attended the Professional Children's School and began working as a model with Wilhelmina , booking a Ralph Lauren campaign shot by Bruce Weber , and working with then-photographer Sofia Coppola . Meester also booked commercials for Tamagotchi and Clearasil , and modeled for Limited Too alongside Amanda Seyfried . At age 14, she relocated to Los Angeles and attended Hollywood and Beverly Hills High Schools. Meester then transferred to
3775-567: A lot of ways, in a way that Chuck and Blair aren't." Badgley claimed that he thought "Blair [was] Dan's soul mate" but that Blair's soulmate was Chuck “because Blair and Chuck belong with each other, obviously.” He further stated that he thought the Blair and Dan storyline was "the most exciting for Dan as a person". According to producer Joshua Safran, the outcome wasn't necessarily decided ahead of time. "One thing we are very conscious of—and I know some fans get upset about this—is we really try to treat
3926-468: A manga adaptation of the novel Gossip Girl: Psycho Killer , a parody of horror stories. In 2007, Gossip Girl was adapted for television . According to Cecily von Ziegesar, the television character is largely faithful to the original. Among the aspects to be maintained are her admiration for Audrey Hepburn and her interest in Yale University. However, the series is also noted for its deviations from
4077-568: A meeting with one of Avion's owners, Carlos, Cuban gives him the $ 5 million needed. Meanwhile, Lizzie Grant ( Autumn Reeser ), the promising young agent who had a turbulent affair with Andrew Klein, quits after Ari refuses to promote her to the head of the TV department of the agency (Klein's former position) despite her stellar performance. Lizzie attempts to steal some of Ari's clients, prompting Ari to take action. Ari learns that Lizzie had gone to Amanda Daniels to try to bring down Ari; however, this alliance
4228-443: A mutual attraction, and have a relationship. When Medellin once again slips from Vince's grasp, he questions Amanda's motives. After proving her innocence, she drops him as both client and boyfriend. With the help of Ari, who is once again hired, Vince and E finally secure their dream project when they buy the rights to the film Medellin themselves. Billy Walsh is signed on as the director with E given his first shot at producer. In
4379-420: A natural blonde, dyed her hair brown before auditioning, and also studied the first novel. She has described the character as multi-faceted, labeling her "a little bit of everything which is pretty amazing." Like von Ziegesar, Meester has also claimed to relate to Blair on certain levels. Prior to the show's debut in 2007, the actress stated that, "The only way to play Blair, or any character, and make her human,
4530-551: A new company after he sells his stock from Avión. Johnny begins recording Johnny's Bananas and finds out that the show will be getting its first test screening; co-star Andrew Dice Clay signs with Scott Lavin. Dice pushes Johnny and E to ask the network for more money, they turn him down. Staying true to his word, Dice leaves the show before it airs. Johnny is not happy with his replacement. Vince meets with producer Carl Ertz ( Kim Coates ) at his house. Ertz offers to produce his TV movie for Johnny, but in return wants Vince to star in
4681-605: A part that would leave other actresses simpering themselves off the screen." Her final film of the year, The Oranges , opposite Hugh Laurie and Adam Brody , premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival . Meester's performance was again met with positive reviews, with the San Francisco Chronicle writing that she "succeeds in embodying all that is alluring and alarming about a 24-year-old woman." In April 2012, Meester announced via Twitter
Leighton Meester - Misplaced Pages Continue
4832-535: A partner for her schemes. When Serena returns home from boarding school, Blair learns from Nate that he lost his virginity to a drunken Serena over a year ago. Blair retaliates by publicly revealing Serena's connection to a rehab hospital. She then learns that the actual patient is Serena's younger brother, Eric, who had been committed after a suicide attempt. Afterward, a remorseful Blair reconciles with Serena. After learning that Nate no longer loves her, Blair sleeps with Chuck, eventually falling for him. This leads to
4983-441: A popular blogger . Leighton Meester , who portrayed the character in the television drama, has described Blair as being insecure about her social status. At times, this anxiety creates flaws and complexities which contribute to character development. In Meester's view, the true Blair is ultimately a good girl at heart. Blair has been compared to vintage film and literary figures, including Becky Sharp and Lizzie Eustace . She
5134-504: A prenuptial agreement and took over Murray Berenson's agency with Scott's help while both Eric and Scott later work together, creating the "Murphy Lavin Group". Johnny's new show, Johnny's Bananas , is a potential hit in the making. Still separated, but wanting to get back together, Ari learns his wife is seeing chef Bobby Flay . Hurt, Ari begins seeing Dana Gordon. Turtle burns down part of the house when he accidentally throws out his joint onto
5285-456: A relationship with Dan. By the end of the season, however, after a debate about which love is the best, Blair declares that she is still in love with Chuck, and chooses to pursue him. In the final season, Blair resumes her romantic relationship with Chuck, while Chuck and his father Bart—who is revealed to be alive in the previous season—become bitter rivals. Blair pursues her career as head of Waldorf Designs, with several mishaps, before staging
5436-482: A role in an upcoming porn film, he tries to land her a role in Air-Walker instead. He succeeds, but Sasha sees this as a way for Vince to control her life, as evidenced by Vince's reckless behavior on the set of Sasha's new movie. As a result, Sasha ends their relationship. The guys attempt to stage an intervention for Vince, who refuses to listen to them and decides to spend the night at a hotel. During Eminem 's party at
5587-547: A role in the animated film My Father's Dragon . She then starred in the holiday film EXmas (2023). In October 2024, she was announced to be joining the cast of The Buccaneers for season two. Meester has participated in several charitable campaigns. In 2008, she was a spokesperson for Sunsilk 's "Life Can't Wait" campaign, which aimed at motivating women to pursue their dreams. She also collaborated with Safe Horizon in 2009 to raise awareness about domestic violence. In 2015, Meester auctioned off fashion and accessories in
5738-582: A script from a pair of unknown screenwriters trying to get a break in Hollywood called Nine Brave Souls , in which Eric sees potential. Eric gets Edward Norton and Amanda Daniels ( Carla Gugino ) interested, and they change the name of the film to Smoke Jumpers . When Ari reads the script of Smoke Jumpers he convinces Eric to start a bidding war for the film with Vince attached. Amanda refuses to participate and passes on it until later reconsidering and making an offer. However, Alan Gray ( Paul Ben-Victor ), head of
5889-703: A small private school and graduated a year earlier than usual. Meester made her acting debut in 1999 as a murder victim's friend, Alyssa Turner, on an episode of Law & Order . Following this, she made her film debut as Elisha Springfield in Hangman's Curse (2003), based on the bestselling book by Frank Peretti . She had a series regular role in Tarzan , which aired for only eight episodes. A recurring role in Entourage as Justine Chapin and Veronica Mars as Carrie Bishop followed in 2004 and 2005. Meester booked guest roles in
6040-517: A star, even considering getting his calves augmented. He is eventually dropped by his agent, Adam Davies, after Vince decides to stick with Ari after Ari is fired. Turtle starts a career of his own, as manager of rapper Saigon . The third season continues with the Aquaman plotline as the film premieres and becomes a huge hit, attaining the highest-grossing opening weekend in movie history. Problems arise, however, when Medellin , Vince's dream project about
6191-539: A successful audition, receives an offer to star in his own television show pending studio approval. Ari also faces trouble at work. Lloyd, his assistant, demands a promotion to agent and Ari makes him undergo a series of demeaning tests. As a result, Lloyd quits. Meanwhile, Andrew Klein, whose standing with Barbara Miller (Ari's partner) is precarious, cheats on his wife. His marital problems interfere with his work and only Ari's intervention saves him from being fired. Klein redeems himself by signing writer Aaron Sorkin . In
Leighton Meester - Misplaced Pages Continue
6342-401: A successful line. In the penultimate episode, Bart falls to his death while trying to attack Chuck atop a building. Afterward, Blair and Chuck depart together. In the series finale, Blair marries Chuck which results in her not having to testify against him in his father's homicide case. Five years later, Blair is shown to be running her mother's successful fashion line and she works with Jenny in
6493-567: A successful new agency with the help of Barbara Miller ( Beverly D'Angelo ), it leads him to neglect his star client. After Ari introduces E to washed up producer Bob Ryan ( Martin Landau ), E discovers in Ryan's home a biographical script about punk band The Ramones , with Vince having the opportunity to play Joey Ramone. However, in the season finale, Ari is fired as Vince's agent after his abrasive methods and constant mocking of Ryan result in failure to secure
6644-437: A volatile relationship but I do not believe it is abuse [because] Chuck has never, and will never, hurt Blair. He knows it and she knows it, and I feel it's very important to know that she is not scared—if anything, she is scared for Chuck—and what he might do to himself, but she is never afraid of what he might do to her. In response to these comments, Carina MacKenzie of Zap2it stated, "We're left wondering if Safran missed
6795-462: A window after he finds out Prince Louis has proposed to Blair, which cuts Blair's face as it shatters. Afterward, Blair chooses to accept a proposal from Louis. Blair later attempts to warn Chuck about potential trouble in his family. She is then abducted by an enemy of the Basses, Raina's father Russell Thorpe. Chuck later rescues Blair and apologizes for his violent actions. Following a night out together,
6946-523: A young and rising comedian named Charlie ( Bow Wow ). Vince later apologizes after learning that Eric's persistence led to an offer by Martin Scorsese for a lead in his next feature, a re-envisioning of The Great Gatsby set in the Upper West Side of New York City . The guys return to Hollywood. The sixth season is mostly divided into individual storylines. Vince, back to A-list status after Gatsby ,
7097-562: Is Eric Murphy ( Kevin Connolly ). "E", as his friends call him, is based on Mark Wahlberg 's friend and associate producer Eric Weinstein. He's also been reported to be inspired by Stephen Levinson, Mark Wahlberg's manager. Vincent's older half-brother, Johnny "Drama" Chase ( Kevin Dillon ), is Vince's personal chef, trainer and bodyguard. Drama is a C-list actor who was in the fictional show Viking Quest during his younger days. His role in
7248-466: Is a writer. She has an older brother, Douglas Logan Meester (born 1983), and a younger brother, Alexander "Lex" Meester (born 1994). At the time of her birth, Meester's parents were serving time in a federal prison for their involvement in a drug ring that smuggled marijuana from Jamaica to the United States. Constance was able to give birth to Leighton in a hospital and nurse her for three months in
7399-661: Is commonly likened to Lila Fowler of Francine Pascal's Sweet Valley High series. Meester's portrayal has also drawn comparisons to roles played by Joan Collins and Audrey Hepburn . She is the most critically acclaimed character of the franchise, while the television character has drawn real-life attention surrounding fashion and her love life. Gossip Girl is a series of novels about socially prominent young adults in New York City . The story primarily follows Blair Waldorf and her best friend Serena van der Woodsen during their years in high school and college. Due to her fame on
7550-1275: Is credited as "starring" in the end credits. Gary Cole guest stars in three episodes of season 5 as agent Andrew Klein, and beginning with season 6 he is credited as "starring" in the end credits and returns in season 7 as a special guest star. Scott Caan guest stars in two episodes of season 6 as Scott Lavin, and in season 7 and 8, he is credited as "starring" in the end credits. Entourage features many recurring characters. Some are fictional, such as Malcolm McDowell 's "Terrance McQuewick" character, while other actors, such as Mark Wahlberg , Bob Saget , Pauly Shore , Jamie-Lynn Sigler , Mandy Moore , Sasha Grey , and Seth Green appear as fictional versions of themselves. Entourage typically has at least one celebrity guest per episode, such as actors, film directors, film producers, musicians and professional athletes playing themselves. Appearances include Peter Jackson , Christina Aguilera , Kanye West , Curtis Jackson , Tom Brady , Jessica Alba , Gary Busey , Larry David , Scarlett Johansson , James Cameron , Dennis Hopper , Martin Scorsese , Matt Damon , Eminem , LeBron James , Mark Cuban , John Cleese , Phil Mickelson , and many others. The first season chronicles Vincent Chase's adventures as he climbs
7701-415: Is enough." Blair encounters a setback during her interview at Yale by revealing the recent stress in her life, and then kissing her interviewer on the cheek upon dismissal. Her father then makes a donation to the school, though Blair is still wait-listed. In the twelfth book, I Will Always Love You , it is revealed that she has been admitted to the university. In addition to her feelings for Nate, Blair
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#17328849486327852-525: Is halted by Ellis. The boys return to New York City, where Vince pursues a role in Gus Van Sant 's new film. Eric persistently tries to convince Van Sant that Vince is right for the film, but Van Sant says not for his current film, but would love to work with him in the future. After discovering Van Sant said no, Vince becomes upset and fires Eric, believing that Eric had made him look desperate. A frustrated E returns to Hollywood to concentrate on another client,
8003-514: Is interrupted by Dan, who reveals that Chuck had slept with Jenny. Two weeks later, Blair and Serena depart for Paris intending to spend the summer together. In Season 4, Blair and Chuck become competitive once again, but eventually resume their sexual relations before recognizing their love for one another. When the relationship interferes with their business interests, she and Chuck break up once more. Chuck promises he'll wait for her, and both affirm their belief that their love will reunite them in
8154-736: Is introduced to a new project, Air-Walker , by Eric's associate Scott Lavin ( Scott Caan ), creating a hostile relationship with Eric; they eventually bury the hatchet and temporarily work together to help further Vince's career. This friendship eventually ends once Eric realizes Scott possibly supplied Vince with cocaine at a party. Now running a fledgling car service business, Turtle is frustrated when an employee named Alex ( Dania Ramirez ) causes problems for him; however, she quits after an inappropriate advance he makes towards her. Turtle's business eventually fails, but after reconciling with Alex, she introduces him to some friends in Mexico, who wish to make Vince
8305-447: Is later accepted into New York University, and her competitive relationship with Georgina is eventually renewed. As the season ends, Blair crowns Jenny the new queen of Constance Billard School. In the season finale, it is discovered that Blair slept with Chuck's uncle Jack and that Chuck had slept with Vanessa Abrams. Chuck then departs for Europe. He later returns to New York and reconciles with Blair while declaring his love for her, and
8456-490: Is nothing more than friendship between them. Though she insists that she is in love with Louis, Blair begins to seek Chuck out as the season progresses. The two eventually declare their love for each other prior to a car accident in her limousine while being chased by paparazzi. Though both recover, Blair suffers a miscarriage from the crash. After the crash Blair decides that she must commit herself to Louis, converting to Catholicism and cutting off any connection with Chuck. At
8607-546: Is offered a role, to be filmed in New Zealand, she breaks up with Turtle. Jamie-Lynn also factors into Drama's storyline, as she guest-stars on his show Five Towns . When the head of production, Dan Coakley ( Matt Letscher ), jokes to Drama about wanting to have sex with Sigler, Drama attacks him. Coakley then takes it on himself to ruin Drama's character on the show. Finally, Drama leaves Five Towns with some help from Ari, and after
8758-432: Is preparing for his next role, starring in an Enzo Ferrari biopic (to be directed by Frank Darabont ). Left to his own devices by his friends, Vince spends much of the season relaxing. Meanwhile, Eric, prompted by ex-girlfriend Sloan, moves out on his own. Midway through the season, he disbands his company, shutting it down for good, and goes to work for veteran manager Murray Berenson ( George Segal ) while also incurring
8909-481: Is short-lived, as Lizzie decides she wants no part in Amanda's revenge plots. An anonymous person sends tapes to Deadline Hollywood , revealing Ari's foul-mouthed rants. Ari, who was nearing a deal with Jerry Jones to bring an NFL team to Los Angeles, suddenly finds his life in a tailspin. This incident leads Ari's wife to "seriously re-evaluate their marriage", causing Ari to spend more time with his family and attempting
9060-399: Is shown asleep with Dan in his Brooklyn flat. Later, upon growing curious of their feelings for one another, Blair and Dan share a kiss before the mid-season hiatus. Blair eventually decides that she wants to be with Chuck, but shuns him once again after he tries to humiliate Dan. She is later courted by a prince from Monaco named Louis. During a private confrontation, a drunken Chuck punches
9211-500: Is sometimes said to feel competitive with Serena in other areas, including matters of beauty and popularity. This also leads to an occasional envy on Blair's part. It is unclear how much of Blair's perception of Serena is in line with reality; the narrative describes both characters as "hands down the two hottest girls on the Upper East Side, and maybe all of Manhattan, or even the whole world." In 2010, Yen Press began publishing
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#17328849486329362-484: Is suggested as a co-star; however, Bob Saget is given Drama's role instead due to his friendship with Stamos. Billy Walsh makes a return after starting a family and becoming an ordained minister. Looking for work so that he can provide for his family, he looks to create a new show for Drama. The show, a cartoon called Johnny's Bananas , is conceptually a hit with the network but it takes a while (and persuasion from Eric's assistant) for Drama to get on board. After accepting
9513-442: Is to find what she is inside me. And I know I have my insecurities, too." She went on to say that, "The way Blair and I are not alike when it comes to insecurities is: She pays so much attention to hers!" Meester's casting was described by Yahoo! as a star-making role which moved her "into the pop culture vanguard," while Cecily von Ziegesar has called her a perfect choice. In December 2010, Meester revealed plans to leave
9664-465: Is ultimately fired by Faris. Drama and Turtle are featured throughout the season in various subplots that see them engaging in the type of antics typical of their characters, such as procuring marijuana and engaging in furry fetishes via Craigslist on a bet. In the season finale, the entourage travels to the Cannes Film Festival to promote Medellin , and sign a distribution deal. However,
9815-543: Is unexpectedly sold on the strength of not just Vince, but the " Medellin Dream Team" — also involving E as producer and Walsh as director — at the point when animosity between E and Walsh begins to come to a head. Consequently, E must decide between jeopardizing the deal and the prospect of working on another project with Walsh, which he had previously sworn he would never do again. Meanwhile, Ari contends with various complications in his personal and professional lives, including
9966-549: The Billboard Hot 100 . In July, "Body Control" surfaced on the internet. Meester's first official single, " Somebody to Love ", featuring R&B singer Robin Thicke , was released for airplay on October 13, 2009, and became available for digital download the following day. She recorded a cover of the song " Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) " for the compilation album A Very Special Christmas 7 . Her second single, "Your Love's
10117-503: The ABC sitcom Single Parents (2018–2020). Meester made her Broadway debut in Of Mice and Men (2014). In addition to acting, Meester has ventured into music. In 2009, she was featured on the Cobra Starship single " Good Girls Go Bad ", which charted in the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 . She released solo singles " Somebody to Love " (2009) and "Your Love's a Drug" (2010) on
10268-624: The David Dobkin -directed comedy-drama film The Judge , which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and released in October 2014. Meester next appeared in Like Sunday, Like Rain directed by Frank Whaley , playing the girlfriend of Green Day 's singer Billie Joe Armstrong , and By the Gun , alongside Ben Barnes . She won the Best Actress Award for Like Sunday, Like Rain at
10419-660: The Omaze network ("Win a Coffee Date with Leighton Meester"). Meester has been included in magazine lists of the world's most beautiful women. Meester was named one of People magazine's "100 Most Beautiful" in 2008. She was ranked No. 48 on Maxim magazine's "Hot 100 of 2008" list and #12 on "Hot 100 of 2009" list. FHM magazine's ranked her #1 on their list of "Fall TV's Hottest Stars" in 2008. Meester has been included on The Independent Critics' list of "100 Most Beautiful Famous Faces". She ranked No. 21 in 2008, #14 in 2009, #4 in 2010, #36 in 2011, and #76 in 2012. Meester has graced
10570-506: The Save the Children organization with Isabella Rossellini and Maribel Verdú . She next fronted a beauty campaign for Korean brand eSpoir. Vera Wang selected her to be the face of the fragrance Lovestruck in 2011, stating that Meester's "beauty, talent and spirit will inspire all the young women that I hope will enjoy this passionate, new young fragrance." The next year, Meester shot a campaign for
10721-640: The Teen Choice Award for "Choice TV Actress Drama" in 2009, and again in 2010. In 2009, she was voted the "Best Mean Girl" in Zap2it 's first poll of the best television characters in the 2000s. In February 2012, Zap2it held another poll to determine TV's Most Crushworthy. Blair was elected TV's Most Crushworthy 1% Female over Temperance "Bones" Brennan . The 1 percenters are people that "have everything going for them with their fantastic good looks and their opulent lifestyle". Her relationship with Chuck Bass
10872-588: The Universal Republic label. Meester has also recorded songs for various soundtracks. Her debut album, Heartstrings , was independently released in 2014. She has also modeled, having been the face of the Jimmy Choo , Herbal Essences , and Vera Wang brands. Meester was born April 9, 1986 in Fort Worth, Texas , to Douglas Jay Meester and Constance Lynn (née Haas). Her father is a real estate broker; her mother
11023-501: The Upper East Side , Blair is featured on the website of "Gossip Girl," an anonymous gossip blogger whose posts appear occasionally throughout the story. In the first book, Blair is introduced as a privileged, comically vain overachiever. She is described as an alluring brunette, and occasionally models her appearance and demeanor after famous actresses, including Marilyn Monroe and, most often, Audrey Hepburn . In early novels,
11174-409: The television adaptation; she also appears in the comic adaptation. Described as "a girl of extremes" by creator Cecily von Ziegesar , she is a New York City socialite and a comical overachiever who possesses both snobbish and sensitive sides. Due to her position as queen bee of Manhattan 's social scene, Blair's actions and relations are under constant scrutiny from the mysterious Gossip Girl,
11325-548: The "Most Stylish" characters of 2008. Lifetime television ranks Blair first in its listing of "The Top 10 Best-Dressed TV Characters", while Glamour has named her among its best-dressed TV characters of all time. In a Vanity Fair interview, costume designers Eric Daman and Meredith Markworth-Pollack named Audrey Hepburn and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour as their inspirations when dressing Meester as Blair. The designers also cited New York socialites Tinsley Mortimer and Arden Wohl as influences. TV Guide named her
11476-467: The 2014 Williamsburg Independent Film Festival. She was the face of French brand Naf Naf's autumn/winter 2014 collection. On September 9, 2014, it was announced her debut album, Heartstrings , would be released independently through her own label, Hotly Wanting, on October 28. With its style compared to ethereal singer-songwriters such as Tori Amos and Joni Mitchell , the nine-song LP was written by Meester and produced by Jeff Trott. The music video for
11627-509: The Dan/Blair relationship "nomance nonsense". With regard to Chuck and Blair, Meester stated, "I can really relate to it—not necessarily because it's this dramatic, tumultuous relationship, but because the way they love each other is very real, and not for the sake of being dramatic. It's actual love. There's nobody for each other but them." Meester also expressed fondness for Dan and Blair, however, stating, "I think they're good for each other in
11778-467: The Warner Brothers Studio and the man who fired Vince from the sequel to Aquaman , outbids them. Ari, determined to get Vince the role he desires, challenges Alan to a round of golf for the part. When Alan beats Ari, they get into a heated argument, causing Alan to drop dead of a heart attack. At Alan's funeral, Ari takes the opportunity to ask John Ellis ( Alan Dale ), Alan's boss, about giving
11929-412: The actress the "Hottest TV Star" of autumn 2008, stating that as Blair Waldorf, "Leighton Meester has stolen the spotlight with her mind-blowing good looks and amazing performance." OK! magazine likened her character to Audrey Hepburn 's portrayal of Holly Golightly. The physical similarity was also noted by USA Today . In its 2009 "Hot List", Rolling Stone cited Blair as "the reason we love
12080-479: The album was initially projected to be released in the fall of 2009, but was later delayed to early 2010. It was pushed back again to late 2010, and was ultimately shelved. Meester had small roles in the comedies Date Night and Going the Distance . She then starred with Gwyneth Paltrow and Garrett Hedlund in the country music drama Country Strong . Wesley Morris of The Boston Globe described Meester as
12231-460: The back-stabby soap most." Regarding the fictional fame of Blair's friend Serena, Tim Stack of Entertainment Weekly asserted that "Serena may be the star of the media but Blair is quickly becoming the star of this show." While citing Serena's long-revered allure, Glamour and its readers compared the two characters in 2008, with Blair being recognized as more beautiful than Serena. In a review from The Atlantic , Blair and Serena's friendship
12382-507: The best part of the film, writing, "She's just doing Reese Witherspoon 's June Carter Cash in Walk the Line with dabs of Miley Cyrus and Kellie Pickler . But it's not an impersonation; it's a performance with its own comedy and sweetness." Claudia Puig of USA Today was also positive, stating "Meester shows she can do more than play one of Gossip Girl 's privileged Manhattan socialites." For
12533-493: The celebrity ladder after his first successful film: Head On . At the forefront of the first few episodes is the conflict between Vince's best friend "E" and his agent Ari, who are both working to get the best for Vince, but often differ on how to accomplish this. Vince's next project is decided halfway through the season: Queens Boulevard . Signed on is indie director Billy Walsh ( Rhys Coiro ), who comes into immediate conflict with E. Eventually their differences are put aside and
12684-458: The character Lila Fowler of the earlier Sweet Valley High series. In the 2007 book Children's Literature and Culture , writer Harry Edwin Eiss chastised the depiction of Blair's bulimia. "If handled properly, the inclusion of her illness could have provided a powerful lesson for young adult readers who worry about their weight and food consumption. Unfortunately, Cecily von Ziegesar, the author of
12835-415: The character is also written as bulimic . Blair is largely motivated by matters surrounding family, romance, and ambition. However, her tendency to overachieve can lead to feelings of paranoia, with dramatic or comical results. In a review for The New Yorker , Janet Malcolm remarked that Blair's issues made her "both a broader caricature and a more real person" than the other Gossip Girl characters. In
12986-413: The characters as living, breathing, well-rounded individuals. And we're often surprised by where their journeys take them; they open new doors for us all the time," he said. Following the twentieth episode of Season 4 , Safran spoke on Chuck's violence around Blair in the episode: The way we viewed [the violence], I think it's very clear that Blair is not afraid in those moments. [She and Chuck] have
13137-435: The content light, and avoid directly depicting Wahlberg's violent past. Vincent Chase was envisioned to be more similar to Wahlberg, but it was decided that some of his and his friends' activities (particularly some elements of their criminal past) would not work well on television. A lighter approach was subsequently decided upon. Entourage revolves around Vincent Chase ( Adrian Grenier ). His best friend and manager
13288-480: The continuation of the previous part's subplot, Drama's star rises, and Five Towns becomes a hit. E moves in with Sloan. The fourth season continues the Medellin plotline as production of the film finally begins. Conflicts quickly arise when E admits to being dissatisfied with the first cut after Walsh reluctantly agrees to a midnight screening. Vince and E subsequently clash over the creative direction and financing of
13439-410: The country, Blair has difficulty accepting her stepfather, Cyrus Rose. In addition, her stress over these matters occasionally affects her other relationships. However, Blair ultimately remains close to her father Harold, who she often turns to for comfort. By contrast, she maintains a somewhat tenser relationship with her mother Eleanor. It is also revealed that Blair has struggled with bulimia . In
13590-629: The cover of numerous international fashion magazines, including US' Lucky , Flaunt , Shape , Nylon , Allure , Teen Vogue , Harper's Bazaar and Rolling Stone ; Indonesia's Elle , Marie Claire , Cosmopolitan and CosmoGirl ; UK's Company and InStyle ; Morocco's L'Officiel ; Australia's Cleo ; Mexico's GQ and Seventeen ; Russia's Elle Girl and Joy and Italy's Glamour . She has appeared in commercials and print ads throughout her career. She has appeared in print ads for Missoni , Reebok , Herbal Essences , Vera Wang and Jimmy Choo . In 2013, she worked as
13741-432: The development, feeling that Blair had "more chemistry" with Dan than with Chuck. Tierney Bricker of E! ranked all 25 Gossip Girl couples placing 'Dair' as the third best couple after Blair and Serena (#1) and 'Chair' (#2). Dawn Fallik of The Wall Street Journal was less positive, asserting that "both characters have been so Blandified that there's no fun left in the show." A writer for E! Online 's Team WWK labeled
13892-536: The drapes, forcing the group to move into a hotel. Vince writes a script for the miner movie and receives several tips from Billy Walsh, most notably that the movie would be better served with Drama as the lead, rather than Vince himself. Eric and Sloan have one last "fling" before she tells him that she is moving to New York. Ari makes Lloyd the head of the TV department. Avión owner Carlos reluctantly pushes Turtle to retire, and reveals to him that Alex has left him for someone else. Turtle presents an idea to Vince to start
14043-718: The end of the book". The show's breakout character , Blair Waldorf has garnered much media recognition. Yahoo! proclaims Blair a member of "television's pantheon of razor-witted, solipsistic high school Alpha females." While commenting on Meester, New York magazine's 2008 cover story of the series states, "Her villain-you-want-to-root-for is the most sophisticated performance on the show." In another 2008 article, People magazine commented that "Meester has burst out of this ensemble to stardom." Variety described her performance as similar to that of "a predatory junior Joan Collins who practically breathes fire out of her pinched, perfectly WASP-ish nostrils." FHM Online ranked
14194-418: The end. Blair then teams up with Dan when the two share common goals. They also end up working together at W. magazine, where friction develops between the two. On Valentine's Day, she discovers that Chuck has romantic feelings for Raina Thorpe, the daughter of his business rival. Later, she and Dan spend the evening talking on their cell phones while watching Rosemary's Baby . Blair later quits W. and
14345-446: The entire series. Debi Mazar , who has a recurring guest star role as Shauna in season 1, is promoted to opening credits billing in season 2. Her appearances in season 3 were limited due to her pregnancy and Mazar made her final regular appearance in episode 42 (season 3 finale). Mazar made appearances in seasons 4 through 8 and is credited as a special guest star. Melissa Gold ( Perrey Reeves ) and Lloyd ( Rex Lee ) have recurring roles in
14496-461: The entourage of friends is Salvatore "Turtle" Assante ( Jerry Ferrara ), who is another of Vince's old friends from childhood. Turtle's official role is as Vince's driver and assistant, though his value as such is often brought into question. This character is based on Wahlberg's former " gofer " Donnie Carroll aka "Donkey". Carroll auditioned for the role, but the Boston native was turned down when it
14647-461: The episode "O Brother, Where Bart Thou?", Chuck is devastated by news of his father's death, prompting Blair to offer her support while telling Chuck that she loves him. He initially shuns her advances, but later turns to her for comfort. However, the two stop seeing each other due to Chuck's uncle, Jack Bass, convincing him he has an inability to commit to a relationship. After being rejected by Yale, Blair finds unexpected encouragement from Nate. She
14798-583: The eponymous title track "Heartstrings" was released on October 29. In 2015, Meester embarked on a tour to support the album, which began on January 6 in Los Angeles, California and ended on March 2 in San Francisco, California. Later that year, she appeared in advertisements for the Malaysian fashion brand Jimmy Choo . Meester was one of the 100 celebrity narrators featured in the documentary Unity , which had
14949-462: The face of their tequila company, Avión. Turtle agrees and begins promoting the product. The promotions create a huge demand for it in Southern California, which cannot be met by the company's production unless a new factory is built. Looking for potential investors, Turtle pitches the company to Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and his business partner Ken Austin ( Bob Odenkirk ), and after
15100-460: The feeling of a sports car in neutral. When she punches it for quick changes of tone from manic to wounded or around the bend, she shows how much more she is capable of." In the teen comedy film Monte Carlo , Meester portrayed Meg Kelly, Selena Gomez 's stepsister and Katie Cassidy 's friend. Movieline noted, "As in Country Strong , Meester's crack timing and irresistible poignancy illuminate
15251-499: The female lead in the horror film Drive-Thru , for which she recorded the song "Inside the Black". Meester was cast as identical twin sisters Kayla and Kelly Rhodes in the ABC crime-drama series Secrets of a Small Town , but the network decided not to forward the series. In 2007, Meester was cast in The CW 's teen drama series Gossip Girl as Blair Waldorf , based on the book series of
15402-556: The fence as well as she tells him she wants a break from him. During this, Scott wants to reconcile with Eric and offers him an opportunity to supplant Murray Berenson at the management company, having already convinced everyone else in the office to go along. Eric refuses as he gets along with Murray because he is Sloan's godfather. However, Terrence McQuewick asks Eric to sign a pre-nuptial agreement with Sloan as both he and Murray feel that Eric may just rely on Sloan's family money. This causes him to take Scott up on his offer. Drama wants
15553-411: The fifth-season premiere, Blair continues to plan her wedding, but begins to encounter problems in her relationship with Louis. It is later revealed that she is pregnant. Blair tells Chuck that the child is Louis', and states that part of her wanted Chuck to be the father. Dan becomes Blair's confidante and is shown to be in love with her, though she remains oblivious to his feelings and states that there
15704-523: The film Taxman . After realizing his mistake and feeling bad, Ertz runs off to the bathroom to get high and subsequently shoots himself in the head. After the shooting, Vince is required to take a drug test by his parole officer as there was cocaine in Ertz's house. Worried he will fail the test, as he smoked a joint earlier in the week, he ends up using a device to pass the drug test against E's approval. Ari continues his fling with former flame Dana Gordon. After
15855-552: The film adaptation of Aquaman as the eponymous hero. Ari's inability to close the contract leads to trouble, but Vince manages to convince the film's director, James Cameron , that he is right for the part. However, new problems arise when the role of the leading lady goes to Mandy Moore , Vince's ex-girlfriend, for whom he still has feelings, but who is engaged to be married. Mandy and Vince resume their romance after Mandy's engagement shows signs of problems, but she eventually returns to her boyfriend. Initially devastated, Vince finds
16006-461: The film bombs with the Cannes audience, and they are forced to accept an offer from producer Harvey Weingard ( Maury Chaykin ) of a mere one dollar for the film. Vince returns to Los Angeles ready to work after spending months relaxing in Mexico with Turtle. Medellin has gone straight-to-DVD and made numerous worst-of-the-year lists, with Vince's performance also being heavily criticized. Eric receives
16157-432: The film in an arc which escalates through the season. There is much contention over the ending of the script, and Stephen Gaghan is brought in briefly, at which point Walsh comes up with what he believes to be a good ending. When the Medellin trailer leaks to the public via YouTube , an opportunity is presented to leverage the resultant hype to broker a deal attaching Vince to a new big-budget project. The deal, however,
16308-428: The film, Meester recorded a cover of the song "Words I Couldn't Say" by Rascal Flatts as well as " A Little Bit Stronger " by Sara Evans featured on the film's soundtrack ; a promotional single titled "Summer Girl"; and a duet with Garrett Hedlund titled "Give In To Me". After wrapping, she received a guitar from Tim McGraw and decided to learn how to play it. In October 2010, Meester said she had been working with
16459-399: The film. The second part of the third season focuses almost entirely on Vince and Ari and the troubles surrounding Medellin . Attempting to get Vince back, Ari convinces him that he can secure the film after all. Vince's new agent, Amanda Daniels ( Carla Gugino ), tries to steer Vince towards a different film, but he ends up refusing. To compound their problems, Vince and Amanda both admit to
16610-406: The final episodes of the season, Ari is approached by his old boss, Terrance McQuewick, who wants him to buy out his agency. Despite bitterness from being fired over his agency revolt years before, Ari finally agrees to the buyout and reconciles with Terrance. Ari goes out firing employees who might not fit in after his takeover, with Adam Davies also getting the boot. He is now on the road to becoming
16761-413: The first two seasons. Starting in season 3, Reeves and Lee are credited as "starring" in the end credits in the episodes they appear in. Reeves receives opening credits billing starting with season 4, and Lee is added to the opening credits starting with season 5. In season 4, Rhys Coiro , who portrays recurring character Billy Walsh, is credited as "starring" in the end credits for the first six episodes of
16912-525: The follow-up fragrance, Lovestruck Floral Rush. Italian fashion house Missoni named Meester the face of their spring/summer 2011 campaign. Meester next starred in the thriller film The Roommate as Rebecca Evans, an obsessive, bipolar woman. Though the film received mainly negative reviews, Meester's portrayal was praised. Entertainment Weekly found she was the only one to bring "the slightest trace of something fascinating to her role," while Los Angeles Times wrote, "[Meester's] performance often has
17063-435: The hotel, Vince starts a fight with him, and gets beaten up by him and his security. Vince gets taken to the hospital where the police find a bag of cocaine that was in his sweater. Vince is sober after spending three months in rehab and returns home ready to work. He pitches a film idea to his friends about miners, but is not well received among his "entourage". Eric and Sloan have broken up, mainly because Eric refused to sign
17214-613: The incapacitating relationship troubles of his indispensable assistant, Lloyd, the uncertainty of his son's acceptance into the exclusive private school that his daughter attends, and interpersonal conflicts among employees of his agency. E navigates unfamiliar waters as he clumsily attempts to expand the representation of his fledgling management agency beyond Vince, his only client at the time. By chance he comes to meet and subsequently represent Anna Faris , but when his loyalty to Vince and his personal feelings for Faris are set at odds with each other and compromise his professional judgment, he
17365-430: The initial Gossip Girl manga a negative review, citing displeasure with the characters and plot. However, she acknowledged that this gave her a greater appreciation for Blair in the second volume, noting that Blair "really had to learn how to rough it" after losing her privileged lifestyle. She went on to state that "Blair is one character that is fun to hate on. So imagine my surprise when I actually started to like her by
17516-422: The life of Pablo Escobar , conflicts with the schedule of Aquaman 2 . The end result is that Vince is unable to star in either and is fired by Warner Bros. E's relationship with Sloan comes into question when he has a threesome with her and her friend Tori ( Malin Åkerman ), to whom E is attracted. Tensions rise further when E is confronted by Sloan's stalker Seth Green . Seth claims that he had been with Sloan
17667-449: The money she sent for "cosmetic procedures", such as botox and hair extensions . Her mother's suit made a counterclaim alleging breach of contract and physical abuse . Constance claimed that a verbal contract was in place where Meester had promised $ 10,000 a month, instead of the $ 7,500 she received. Her mother also claimed that she was due a larger sum in return for "sacrificing her own happiness" when she moved Meester to Los Angeles as
17818-462: The most powerful agent in Hollywood. Ari finally promotes Lloyd to agent. The season ends with Vince and Drama traveling to Rome, to start shooting the Ferrari film. Turtle is to meet them there, having traveled all the way from Auckland. Only E stays behind, having successfully proposed marriage to Sloan. As Vince shoots an action film called The Takeover directed by Nick Cassavetes , Vince performs
17969-538: The new fictional hit show Five Towns had begun to resurrect his fame and career, although he still received less acknowledgment than he would have liked for it. As the show went on, Drama got offers for more and more roles. The show ended with Drama having his own animated TV show called "Johnny's Bananas" and him landing a new TV movie with the help of Vince. Drama's character is based on Johnny "Drama" Alves (cousin of Mark Wahlberg), whom Donnie Wahlberg had hired to keep his younger brother out of trouble. Rounding out
18120-415: The offer, Drama, Turtle, Alex, Billy and Lloyd celebrate back at Vince's house, where Lloyd discovers a large bag of cocaine belonging to Vince. Vince's drug problems continue to grow, as Air-Walker director Randall Wallace becomes suspicious of Vince's behavior. Randall quits when Vince refuses to take a drug test and is replaced with Peter Berg . When Vince discovers that Sasha is seriously considering
18271-676: The opening novel, Blair learns of an affair between her friend Serena van der Woodsen and her boyfriend Nate . This marks the beginning of the story's primary love triangle , which recurs throughout the series. Blair's romantic life has various effects on her character development. After Nate repeatedly hurts her, she eventually refuses to take him back until she believes in his ability to commit to her. In pursuing Nate, however, Blair herself cheats on her new boyfriend Pete, which results in her losing both of them. She eventually begins to acknowledge her mistakes, with her father's help. She later grows closer to Chuck Bass (which initially occurred in
18422-627: The organization serve lunches to children. In January 2019, she participated in Feeding America's campaign with Subway and Shamrock Farms . In May 2019, Meester worked together with Feeding America and Los Angeles Food Bank to help families in need. "Together, we helped fill grocery baskets for families who lined up to receive important staples, like fruit, rice and cereal," Meester wrote in an Instagram post. In 2021, to encourage donations to help people with congenital central hypoventilation syndrome , Leighton Meester started promoting meetings on
18573-542: The part where she went home bleeding because Chuck was using physical intimidation to release his own emotions." While reviewing the episode, Tierney Bricker of Zap2it felt that there were "really no excuses for Chuck Bass anymore." MacKenzie also called the show's explanation "disturbing, particularly given the young, female target demographic of Gossip Girl and The CW." In a review for the Los Angeles Times , Judy Berman addressed Safran's description of Blair during
18724-405: The president, 'who would then write her a recommendation to Yale , and then Yale would fall all over themselves to accept her.' " The New Yorker 's Janet Malcolm remarked that unlike some of her forerunners in film and literature, "Blair already has all the money and position anyone could want. She is pure naked striving, restlessly seeking an object, any object, and never knowing when enough
18875-562: The role to Vince. Ellis instead offers him Alan's position as president of the studio, with Amanda as the number-two choice for the job. Rather than accepting the offer and abandoning his clients, Ari instead gets Dana Gordon ( Constance Zimmer ) the job, therefore locking up Smoke Jumpers for Vince. Meanwhile, Drama is continuing production of Five Towns while maintaining a long-distance relationship with his French girlfriend, Jacqueline. Drama's nervousness about Jacqueline possibly cheating on him leads to their break-up and his breakdown during
19026-453: The same name by Cecily von Ziegesar . She first auditioned for the role of Serena van der Woodsen , but told the producers that she could better play Blair. However, it was important that Serena was blonde and Blair was brunette, so Meester dyed her hair brown for the role. Her performance was the most critically acclaimed of the show, with Blair being cited as the series' breakout character. She also garnered media attention for her wardrobe on
19177-415: The scene. "Considering how terrified Blair looked at the end of their encounter, and how quickly she got out of there, the show is sending a mixed message at best." She went on to state, "We have no right to expect Gossip Girl to be a paragon of morality, or even realism, but the idea that true love requires taking a shard of glass to the face is disturbing even in this alternate, soap-opera dimension." In
19328-441: The season ends with the crew leaving for New York to start production on Queens Boulevard , with E having become Vince's official manager (with salary). Running subplots include: Turtle's laziness and quest for marijuana ; Drama's struggle to follow in his younger brother's footsteps; E dating Ari's assistant Emily ( Samaire Armstrong ); and Vince's many and varied girlfriends. The second season focuses on Vince's proposed role in
19479-399: The season. However, when his character returns in episode 52 (season 4, episode 10), he is again credited as a guest star; he returns in season 7 as a recurring special guest star and is credited as "starring" in the end credits again in season 8. Emmanuelle Chriqui portrays E's on-and-off girlfriend Sloan McQuewick as a recurring guest star from season 2 to 5, and beginning with season 6, she
19630-491: The series Crossing Jordan , 8 Simple Rules , 7th Heaven and 24 . She was cast as series regular in Surface as Savannah Barnett. In 2006, Meester appeared in two films, Flourish and Inside . She also guest starred in an episode of Numbers and appeared in two episodes of House as Ali Johnson, a teenager who has a crush on Gregory House . She then had guest roles on CSI: Miami and Shark , and portrayed
19781-527: The series' television adaptation), who she'd previously known for years, which leads them to briefly date one another. Blair is noted for an over-achieving nature, which often appears in humorous scenes. In a review for New York magazine, Emily Nussbaum lauded one of Blair's fantasies, which involves "joining the Peace Corps, getting a killer tan, winning the Nobel Peace Prize, and having dinner with
19932-431: The series, presents a seriously flawed treatment of the problem. In a failed attempt at humor, the writer regards Blair's sickness as just another source of gossip," he said. Emily Nussbaum of New York magazine had similar comments, calling the bulimia "more of an icky weakness than a full-fledged pathology." However, she went on to commend Blair as "hilariously self-centered". Julie Opipari of Manga Maniac Cafe gave
20083-534: The show in 2012. E! Online and other outlets speculated that her departure would possibly mark the end of the series. In Season 1 of Gossip Girl , Blair is introduced as the Upper East Side's beautiful and popular queen bee . She is the daughter of Eleanor Waldorf, a famous fashion designer. She is dating Nate Archibald, and is best friends with Serena van der Woodsen. She also finds a close companion in Nate's best friend and her childhood friend Chuck Bass, who becomes
20234-456: The show's executive producers , and its premise is loosely based on Wahlberg's experiences as an up-and-coming film star. According to Mark Wahlberg , Entourage was initially conceived when his assistant asked if he could film Wahlberg and his friends, calling them "hilarious." Other reports credit Eric Weinstein, a long-time friend of Wahlberg, with the idea of filming the actor's group of friends. However, according to Donnie Carroll, who
20385-617: The show. The series ended after six seasons and 120 episodes. Meester later starred in the television film The Haunting of Sorority Row , and had a role in the ensemble comedy-drama film Remember the Daze . In 2008, she appeared in the horror-thriller film Killer Movie and reprised her role in Entourage singing with Tony Bennett in the episode. Early in 2009, Meester partnered with Reebok to model their new Top Down sneakers. Apart from Gossip Girl , Meester worked with co-star Ed Westwick in
20536-558: The sixth most fashionable TV character. Entourage (American TV series) Entourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004, and ended on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons. The series was created and largely written by Doug Ellin and chronicles the acting career of Vincent Chase , a young A-list movie star , and his childhood friends from Queens , New York City , as they attempt to further their nascent careers in Los Angeles . Mark Wahlberg and Stephen Levinson served as
20687-428: The source material, including the exclusion of Blair's brother Tyler. The show also explores romances between Blair and multiple male leads, resulting in occasional love triangles. In the fifth season, Blair is revealed to be pregnant with Prince of Monaco , Louis Grimaldi's child. However the child later dies before birth after a car crash Blair and Chuck were in. Among fans and the media, Blair's bond with Chuck Bass
20838-877: The summer together in Tuscany . However, he is discouraged by his father at the last minute, and stands Blair up. At the launch of the second season, Blair was described by creators as the queen at the center of the Gossip Girl chess game. A large portion of her story line in Season 2 revolves around her love-hate relationship with Chuck Bass, which was labeled "the heart of GG " by People magazine. While competing with Serena, Blair forms an unexpected friendship with Jenny, who states that they each work for everything they achieve, while Serena often glides through life. During their interviews at Yale University, Blair and Serena apologize for their ill feelings and resume their friendship. In
20989-419: The two finally begin a committed relationship. In the third season, Blair joins Vanessa, Georgina, and Jenny's brother Dan at NYU. Much of her storyline concerns her inability to attain her previous status at her new school. She finds emotional support from her mother, as well as Chuck. However, she and Chuck separate once again when Blair feels that he manipulated her while competing with his uncle (Chuck made
21140-462: The two have sex before Chuck advises Blair to return to Louis, believing that she will be happier with him. However, the season ends with the revelation that Blair may be pregnant. —Joshua Safran, producer Amidst the fourth season, the romance between Dan and Blair became a polarizing topic among viewers which also drew significant media interest. Jarett Wieselman of the New York Post applauded
21291-485: The wedding, Gossip Girl releases a recording of Blair confessing her love for Chuck. Nevertheless, Louis and Blair get married, making Blair a Princess of Monaco, though Louis informs her that they will have a loveless marriage of convenience. She then receives support from Dan, leading them to share a kiss on Valentine's Day. Amidst these developments, Blair grows conflicted between her feelings for Dan and Chuck. After taking steps to end her marriage, she chooses to pursue
21442-525: The will to go on with the film in the end. However, Ari has his own problems in the form of his boss and partner, Terrance McQuewick ( Malcolm McDowell ), who is trying to steal Vince away from him. Near the end of the season, their conflict reaches a head and Ari is fired from the agency after another agent, Adam Davies, leaked information suggesting that Ari may be plotting against Terrance. E, meanwhile, begins dating Sloan ( Emmanuelle Chriqui ), McQuewick's daughter. Meanwhile, Drama continues to try to become
21593-496: The wrath of colleague Scott Lavin ( Scott Caan ) who deeply resents Eric's involvement in the company. While he starts a relationship with his neighbor Ashley ( Alexis Dziena ), Eric still pines for Sloan, and tries to win her back. Turtle, who dreams of starting his own business, starts college. He is still together with Jamie-Lynn Sigler and is quickly becoming a celebrity in his own right. While at college, he meets Brooke, who attempts to seduce him. He turns her down. When Jamie-Lynn
21744-424: Was a "ridiculous" claim. Meester obtained a default judgment on December 7, 2011. In June 2012, Meester won the lawsuit, with the judge rejecting the claims in her mother's counter-suit . Meester resides in Los Angeles. In November 2013, she became engaged to actor Adam Brody , whom she filmed The Oranges with in March 2010. The couple were married in a private ceremony on February 15, 2014. Their first child,
21895-470: Was cancelled after two seasons. In 2018, Meester had a guest role on The Last Man on Earth and in 2019, Meester was a guest star in an episode of The Orville titled "Lasting Impressions" as Laura Huggins. She reprised the role in the 2022 episode "Twice in a Lifetime". In 2022, she appeared in a recurring role of Meredith in How I Met Your Father , starred in the thriller film The Weekend Away , and voiced
22046-437: Was commonly known by the portmanteau "Chair", while her relationship with Dan Humphrey was referred to as “Dair”. The nicknames and viewer interest in these relationships were recognized by the show's producers. They were like, 'Be bitchy and nice, ugly and pretty, young and old, stupid and smart, innocent and slutty, blond and brunette. Can you be all those things?' To prepare for the part of Blair, actress Leighton Meester ,
22197-416: Was decided the actors would have to be New Yorkers. Carroll died on December 18, 2005, after an asthma attack. Ari Gold ( Jeremy Piven ) is Vince's abrasive but lovable agent. The role has led to several nominations and Emmy Awards for Piven. Ari is based on Wahlberg's real-life agent Ari Emanuel . Connolly, Grenier, Dillon, Ferrara, and Piven are credited in every episode in the opening credits of
22348-553: Was included in TV Guide 's list of "The Best TV Couples of All Time" as well as Entertainment Weekly 's "30 Best 'Will They/Won't They?' TV Couples". The character's wardrobe—credited to designers Abigail Lorick and Eric Daman —was popular, earning mentions from periodicals such as InStyle and New York , along with recognition from websites. TV Guide listed Blair among its "Best Dressed TV Characters of 2007". Entertainment Weekly named Blair Waldorf and Chuck Bass
22499-533: Was praised as "it offered a relationship whose depth and complexity approached Rory and Paris ' [from Gilmore Girls ]." In May 2009, Blair received attention from Forbes , which interviewed her via the series' writers. Television Without Pity listed Meester in their " Golden Globes 2009: Overlooked TV Shows and Performances" article, labeling Blair "so multi-faceted, well-dressed and beautifully played that she elevates this teen soap to something we don't even feel guilty about admitting we love." Meester won
22650-463: Was the inspiration for the Turtle character, the idea for a show involving an actor and his friends had come from him. It had originated as a book idea, centered on Carroll's own life and his experiences with Wahlberg, titled From the 'Hood to Hollywood, A Soldier's Story . To be more satirical of the Hollywood lifestyle, a fictional approach was chosen rather than a straight documentary in order to keep
22801-527: Was unavailable to reprise her role as Carrie Bishop in the film Veronica Mars due to scheduling issues, and was replaced by singer Andrea Estella of the band Twin Sister . In October 2013, Biotherm , a French luxury skincare company, announced Meester as its new global ambassador. In April 2014, her comedy film Life Partners premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival . It follows the friendship between
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