Leighton Marissa Claire Meester (born April 9, 1986) is a American actress and aspiring singer-songwriter, best known for her role as the main character Blair Waldorf in the TV show Gossip Girl.[1] Her first acting role on a television program was on NBC's legal drama Law & Order in 1999.[2] Other series in which Meester has appeared conține Surface, Entourage, CSI: Miami,[3] 8 Simple Rules, 24,[4] 7th Heaven,[5] and House.[6]
Early life
Meester's parents, Conny and Doug, were involved in a drug ring that smuggled marijuana from Jamaica to the United States. Both were arrested for their involvement in the ring, and Connie was released on bail. While out, Connie became pregnant, and once she was convicted, she spent her pregnancy in a Texas state prison. Leighton was delivered in a Texas hospital, and Connie was allowed to live with Leighton in a half-way house for three months. Connie was sentenced to ten years in prison, and once her three months with Leighton were up, her newborn was sent to live with a relative.[7] After sixteen months of her sentence, Connie was released and resumed her role in her newborn's life.[8] Leighton has always been adamant in maintaining that she has no hard feelings towards her parents for what they did in the past, and she has repeatedly said that her mother Connie is one of her best friends. She has two brothers named Lex and Douglas.
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Career
Meester became interested in acting when she appeared in a local production of The Wizard of Oz. When she was eleven, she moved with her family to New York City and soon after began working as a tip with Wilhelmina, booking a Ralph Lauren campaign shot by Bruce Webber and working with then-photographer Sofia Coppola.[2]
Other roles include a role as Savannah Barnett on Surface. She has guest starred as Debbie Pendleton on Season 4 of the FOX drama 24,[4] and as Ali, an underage teenager who has a crush on Dr. House in episode 3 and 4 of Season 3 of the FOX drama, House[6], as Carrie Bishop on Season 1 of the UPN drama Veronica Mars and Chandler's new girlfriend Kendall in Season 8 of the WB drama 7th Heaven, as well as the role of Justine Chapin in Season 1 of the HBO comedy Entourage, a role she reprised in Season 5. Meester made her film debut in the feature Hangman's Curse, based on the best-selling novel by Frank Peretti. She was also in Numb3rs as Karen Camden. She also starred in the independent comic-thriller Flourish with House co-stars Jennifer Morrison and Jesse Spencer.
In 2006, she wrapped the female lead role in the comedy/horror film Drive-Thru.[5] She has also recorded a song for the soundtrack of Drive-Thru. In the spring of 2006, she played a part in the ensemble comedy/drama entitled Remember the Daze.
Currently, Meester stars as Blair Waldorf in The CW series Gossip Girl, from Josh Schwartz, creator of The O.C.. The show is based on the book series about the lives of New York's privileged Upper East Side high school students. Meester has stated in interviews that she identifies with Blair "on every level, in one way or another," and her performance has been met with critical acclaim.[9] She has also recently guest starred on CSI: Miami[3] and has a recurring role on James Woods' court drama Shark. When on the set, Meester, who attended Beverly Hills High School, pursues her talent for music and creative writing. She currently resides in the West Village, New York.[2] She has worked with actress Kristen Bell on two TV series. In Gossip Girl, Bell provides the voice of Gossip Girl and Leighton plays Blair Waldorf, and in Veronica Mars, which starred Bell, Leighton appeared briefly as gossip queen Carrie Bishop. Additionally, she has worked with fellow Gossip Girl co-star Penn Badgley in her previous lead role film Drive-Thru, where Penn played Val Espinoza.
In March 2009 Leighton signed on as the lead in the upcoming 2009 Horror/Thriller film The Roomate. Leighton is currently recording her debut album ' The Strange' and is looking around for a recording deal.
According to MTV News[10], Meester leeked a new single off her upcoming album, entitled "Birthday", which is a cover of the single of the same name from the band Awesome New Republic's upcoming album, Rational Geographic, Vol. I.[11]
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Personal life
In Teen Vogue, Meester talked about being born in jail and stated: "It is a little bit hard to have people come up to me and say, 'So, you were born in jail.' And I know that they might think that someone with that sort of history would be crazy. But I'm not. That has nothing to do with me."[12]
Meester is currently dating actor Sebastian Stan, who guest starred on Gossip Girl as Carter Baizen.[13]
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Filmography
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FilmsYear Movie Role
2003 Hangman's Curse Elisha Springfield
2004 Hollywood Division (TV) Michelle
2006 Flourish Lucy Covner
Inside Josie
2007 Drive-Thru Mackenzie Carpenter
Remember the Daze Tori
The Haunting of Sorority Row (TV) Samantha Willows
2008 Killer Movie Jaynie Hansen
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TelevisionYear Television Show Role
1999 Law & Order Alyssa Turner
2001 Boston Public Sarah Breen
2002 Family Affair Irene
2003 Tarzan Nicki Porter
2004 Crossing Jordan Marie Strand
7th Heaven Kendall
North Shore Veronica Farrell
Entourage Justine Chapin
2005 24 Debbie Pendleton
8 Simple Rules Nikki Alcott
Veronica Mars Carrie Bishop
Numb3rs Karen Camden
2005-2006 Surface Savannah Bennett
2006 Secrets of a Small Town Kayla Rhodes \ Kelly Rhodes
House Ali (aka House's Stalker)
2007 CSI: Miami Heather Crowley
Shark Megan
2007-present Gossip Girl Blair Waldorf
2008 Entourage Justine Chapin
_________________
<center>
sweet 17
[b] thx em - luv you 2
Leighton Meester
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