c





Leighton Marissa Meester (born April 9, 1986)[1] is an American actress and singer. Meester gained
fame for playing the role of Blair Waldorf in the CW young-adult television series Gossip Girl. She most
recently appeared in the 2010 country drama film Country Strong and the 2011 thriller The Roommate.
As of 2011, she is set to appear in another two big screen movies: Monte Carlo, and The
Oranges.Contents



 

Meester was born in Fort Worth, Texas, the daughter of Constance (née Haas) and Douglas
Meester.[2][3][4] At the time, her mother was serving a federal prison sentence for her involvement in a
drug ring that smuggled marijuana from Jamaica to the United States. She was able to give birth to
Leighton in a hospital and nurse her for three months in a halfway house, before returning to prison to
complete her sentence.[2][3] At this time Leighton's grandmother cared for her.

Meester has maintained that her parents gave her a normal upbringing and, despite their criminal past,
are good people with experience that has only made Meester more open-minded and non-judgmental,
"It made me realize that you can't judge anyoneͶespecially your parentsͶfor what they've done in
their past, because people change."[5] Meester has joked, "Look, I could've turned out a lot worse".[6]
She has cited her mother as her style icon.[7]

Meester grew up in Marco Island, Florida, where she participated in productions at a local playhouse.[8]
When she was 11 years old, Meester and her mother moved to New York.[8] Meester attended the
Professional Children's School and also began working as a model with Wilhemina, booking a Ralph
Lauren campaign shot by Bruce Weber and working with then photographer (now film maker) Sofia
Coppola[8][9] as well as many commercials including Tamagotchi toys and Clearasil. Meester made her
television acting debut as a murder victim's friend on an episode of Law & Order.[8][9] At 14, Meester
moved to Los Angeles, California, wanting more stable work, and attended Hollywood High School and
Beverly Hills High School.[9][10] She then transferred to a small private school and graduated a year
early.

Meester's last name is a Dutch name which means "master" or "teacher."[12]






 
 

 
 
 
After her television debut in 1999 playing Alyssa Turner in Law & Order, Meester appeared as a guest in
two more series before landing her big role in the movie Hangman's Curse, based on the best-selling
book by Frank Peretti. Meester also appeared in Tarzan, which ran for only eight episodes. Meester
started to land guest roles in other series such as Crossing Jordan, 8 Simple Rules, 7th Heaven, Veronica
Mars, 24, and Entourage.[8]

In 2005, Meester began a regular role in the series Surface as Savannah Bennet. Meester appeared in
two more 2006 movies, Flourish and Inside. She also guest appeared in Numb3rs and in three episodes
of House M.D. as Ali, a young girl who has a crush on House.[8]

After guest roles on CSI: Miami, Shark, and playing the female lead in the horror film Drive-Thru,
Meester was cast in the CW's teen drama series Gossip Girl as Blair Waldorf.[8] The show is based on
the book series by Cecily von Ziegesar about the lives of New York's privileged Upper East Side young
adults. Her performance is the most critically acclaimed of the show, with Blair being cited as the series'
breakout character, and also garnering much media recognition due to her wardrobe.[13][14]

In 2007, Meester appeared on the television film The Haunting of Sorority Row, and played a part in the
ensemble comedy/drama Remember the Daze. She also appeared in the horror/thriller film Killer Movie
in 2008.

Meester had a small role in the 2010 comedies Date Night and Going The Distance.[15] She starred in
Screen Gems' 2010 country drama Country Strong, and 2011 thriller The Roommate.[16] She will star in
The Uncatchable Cowgirl Bandits of Nottingham, Texas alongside Amber Heard; in the indie dramatic
comedy The Oranges opposite Hugh Laurie; and will star next to Selena Gomez and Katie Cassidy in the
young femme comedy Monte Carlo, loosely based on Jules Bass's young-adult book
Headhunters.[17][18]




In April 2009, Meester signed a recording contract with Universal Republic.[19] Meester's first single,
"Somebody To Love", featuring R&B singer Robin Thicke, was released for airplay on October 13, 2009
and became available for digital download on October 14, 2009.[20] Her second single, "Your Love's A
Drug", was digitally released on March 30, 2010.[21]

Meester is featured on Cobra Starship's song "Good Girls Go Bad", which reached the Top 10 on
Billboard Hot 100 peaking at #7, and on Stephen Jerzak's song "She Said".[22][23] She recorded a cover
of the song "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" for the compilation album A Very Special Christmas
7.[24] For her 2010 country drama film Country Strong, she recorded a cover of the song "Words I
Couldn't Say" by Rascal Flatts featured on the film's soundtrack; a promotional single titled "Summer
Girl"; and a duet with Garrett Hedlund titled "Give In To Me".[25]


  

Meester has fronted many charity as well as advertising campaigns. In 2008, she was a spokesperson for
Sunsilk's "Life Can't Wait" campaign[26] to motivate women to pursue their dreams and collaborated
with Safe Horizon to raise awareness about and prevent domestic violence.[27] Early in 2009, Meester
partnered with Reebok to model their new Top Down sneakers.[28] Outside of Gossip Girl, Meester has
worked with co-star Ed Westwick in a Nikon Coolpix series camera advertisement and both were faces
for a Korean clothing line called ASK Enquired.[29] Most recently, in 2010, Meester has signed on to be
the current spokesperson for Herbal Essences hair products.[30] In the same year, Meester took part in
Bulgari's humanitarian efforts for the Save the Children organization with Isabella Rossellini and Maribel
Verdútaken.[31] Vera Wang has also chosen Meester to be the face of her newest scent Lovestruck,
breaking in summer of 2011, stating that the actress's "beauty, talent and spirit will inspire all the young
women that I hope will enjoy this passionate, new young fragrance."[32] In 2011, Italian fashion house
Missoni revealed they have tapped Meester to be part of their Spring/Summer 2011 campaign.[33] She
fronts another South Korean brand, this time a beauty campaign, called eSpoir.[34]





c
 
 

   
 



2003 The Big Wide World of Carl Laemke Tanni

2003 The Jackalope Lorraine

2003 Hangman's Curse Elisha Springfield

2004 Hollywood Division Michelle TV film

2006 FlourishLucy Covner

2006 Inside Josie

2007 Drive Thru Mackenzie Carpenter

2007 Remember the Daze Tori

2007 The Haunting of Sorority Row Samantha Willows TV film

2008 Killer Movie Jaynie Hansen

2010 Date Night Katy

2010 Going The Distance Amy

2010 Country Strong Chiles Stanton

2011 The Roommate Rebecca

2011 Monte Carlo Meg Post-production

2011 The Oranges Nina Ostroff Post-production

c




 

  
 
 



1999 Law & Order Alyssa Turner Episode "Disciple"

2001 Boston Public Sarah Breen Episode "Chapter Twenty-Eight"

2002 Once And Again Amanda Episode "Gardenia"

2002 Family Affair Irene Episode "No Small Parts"

2003 Tarzan Nicki Porter 5 episodes

2004 Crossing Jordan Marie Strand Episode "Missing Pieces"

2004 7th Heaven Kendall 2 episodes

2004 North Shore Veronica Farrell Episode "Pilot"

2004ʹ2008 Entourage Justine Chapin 3 episodes

2005 24 Debbie Pendleton 4 episodes

2005 8 Simple Rules Nikki Alcott Episode "The After Party"

2005 Veronica Mars Carrie Bishop 2 episodes

2005ʹ2006 Surface Savannah Barnett 12 episodes (Recurring role)

2006 Monster AllergyPoppy Episode "House of Monster"

2006 Secrets of a Small Town Kayla Rhodes Episode "Pilot"

2006 Numb3rs Karen Camden Episode "Dark Matter"

2006 House M.D. Ali 2 episodes

2007 CSI: Miami Heather Crowley Episode "Broken Home"

2007 Shark Megan 3 episodes

2007ʹpresent Gossip Girl Blair Waldorf Main role


 

SinglesYear Single Peak positions

US Heat

[35]

2009 "Somebody to Love" (featuring Robin Thicke) 13

2010 "Your Love's a Drug" -







  
  
 
 
 
 

US AUS AUT BEL CAN FIN NL NZ UK

2009 "Good Girls Go Bad" Cobra Starship 7[36] 5[37] 37[38] 4[39] 7[40] 13[41] 61[42]
2[43] 17[44] Hot Mess

2010 "She Said" Stephen Jerzak Ͷ Ͷ Ͷ Ͷ Ͷ Ͷ Ͷ Ͷ

Ͷ She Said


 



  

 
 

US CAN

2010 "Give In to Me" (with Garrett Hedlund) 79 96 Country Strong (Soundtrack)

 

   
    
  



2008 Teen Choice Awards Choice TV Actress Drama Gossip Girl Nominated

2008 Teen Choice Awards Choice TV Breakout Star Female Gossip Girl Nominated

2009 Teen Choice Awards Choice TV Actress Drama[45] Gossip Girl Won

2009 MTV Video Music Awards Best Pop Video "Good Girls Go Bad" (with Cobra Starship)
Nominated
2010 Teen Choice Awards Choice TV Actress Drama[46] Gossip Girl Won

2010 Hollywood Awards[citation needed] Spotlight AwardCountry Strong Won