Leighton Marissa Claire Meester was born on April 9, 1986 in Marco Island, Florida. The acting bug bit when she was eleven and starred in a local production of 'The Wizard of Oz'. “Up until that point I was a regular Florida kid,” Leighton recalls. That year Leighton and her family moved to New York – the setting for her current hit show “Gossip Girl”. “When you move from Florida to New York, you’re in for a big shock,” she says.

Leighton guest starring on 'Veronica Mars'

Leighton became a model with Wilhemina, booking a Ralph Lauren campaign shot by Bruce Webber and working with then-photographer Sofia Coppola. Since that moment her mom was very supportive. “She always believed in me and tried to help me pursue my dream,” Leighton recalls.

When she was thirteen, Leighton played her first Hollywood role in the hit TV series 'Law and Order'. From that moment she started rising to the top. She guest-starred in more TV Shows like 'Boston Public', '7th Heaven', 'Veronica Mars' ‘House’, 'Numb3rs', 'Shark' and ‘CSI: Miami’.

Leighton in 2003 at the Teen People Artist of the Year Awards

Leighton admits that that business is “fierce and discouraging. But I think you can grow out of that, especially if you realize the only way you find success is: Figure out what works for you and what doesn't.” And she and her mom/manager have done a good job of figuring it out, “There are a lot of things to think about, but my mom just dove right in.” Leighton went on to land roles in movies like Flourish, The Beautiful Ordinary, Killer Movie, and Drive – Thru.

A Tarzan promo

In 2003 Leighton landed a supporting role in the short lived WB drama series "Tarzan". Leighton played Nicki Porter, younger sister to police detective Jane Porter (played by "Prison Break's" Sarah Wayne Collins). Jane discovers a mysterious young man in New York City who grew up alone in the jungle after his parents were tragically killed and has been brought back to NYC by his Uncle who doesn't exactly have the best of intentions. The series lasted for only eight episodes much to the disappointment of fans.

In 2005 Leighton appeared in four episodes of '24' and in 2005 and 2006 she appeared in all 12 episodes of the series 'Surface'. 'Surface' centered around a marine biologist, an insurance salesman and a teen-aged boy who find their lives fundamentally changed by the emergence of a new, and often dangerous, species of sea life, while government agents work to keep the affair under wraps.

It was about time that Leighton had a break-through performance and she got it in the 2007 hit CW drama: 'Gossip Girl'. When Leighton was chosen as Blair Waldorf, the spoiled and rich popular girl of the Upper East Side of Manhattan, she had dye her hair brown. Meester says that

Leighton's onscreen character Blair has an intense love/hate relationship with Chuck (played by Ed Westwick). The two won out the fifth position in this months Valentine's Top 10 TV Ships feature.

“the only way to play Blair, or any character, and make her human, is to find what she is inside me, and I know I have my insecurities, too.” but she admits that Blair pays too much attention to hers.

Starting a new project is always exciting for Leighton “There's butterflies, definitely, but it's a good kind of nervous energy, because everybody's really starting to get to know each other, and starting something new that we really hope works out.”

Gossip Girl first aired on September 18th, 2007 and became a BIG hit in the teenage crowd who loved the shows edgy style, cool fashion and fun music. “I think the show will be relatable to lots of girls and even grown women, and a guilty pleasure for guys!” Leighton says, "We have a great formula" ... "Really great characters, great clothes, hot people, good locations and rich people with reallt messed-up lives. What's not to love?"

Leighton and the 'Gossip Girl' costars

Co-staring is on screen boyfriend Chace Crawford, ”I'm really close to Chace. We're really good friends. [Along with] Nicole [Fiscella], who plays Isabel on the show. We're all just really happy people. We have the same views on life.”

Despite recent rumors that the two really dislike each other in real life, on screen best friend Blake Lively recently made a similar remark on the cast members relationships, “When we see each other, we get so excited…we're dancing and singing and handing each other cookies. We're going to be so sick of each other in like six years! It's so exciting to see us now. I hope it always stays that way.”

Some "Gossip Girl" cast members where familiar faces; prior to show Leighton and co-star Penn Badgley (Dan) both starred in the 2007 horror film Drive-Thru

Promo stills of Leighton as Blair on 'Gossip Girl'

Want all the dish on "Gossip Girl"? Check out this month's Portrait Manual" Your Guide to "Gossip Girl"

Up next for Leighton is a role in the film Killer Movie about a reality television shoot that goes terrifyingly awry when its crew becomes stranded in a remote Northern town. A killer is on the loose, stalking cast and crew one by one. The release date for the film has not yet been set but is due to be released this year.

But acting isn't Leighton's only passion. She's also a published poet. "My mom is a writer so it's just sort of in my blood, but writing poetry is one of my favorite things to do and I always find time for it."

Due to the recent writers' strike only thirteen of the twenty-two episodes of season one 'Gossip Girl' have been filmed and all thirteen have aired so it will be some time until we see (new episodes of) Leighton on our TV screens again. The show is now re-running on the CW.

We're looking forward to see Leighton in many more fun and challenging roles as we see her evolve as a young and talented actress.

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