Leighton Meester

Leighton Meester on “Gossip Girl”

Like Minka Kelly (to whom she bears an uncanny resemblance), Leighton Meester found acclaim on television, namely as Blair Waldorf on “Gossip Girl,” for which she snagged back-to-back Teen Choice Awards in 2009 and 2010. Prior to landing the recurring role, Leighton guest starred on nearly every imaginable primetime television program airing at the time: “24,” “Shark,” “Veronica Mars,” “Numb3rs,” “7th Heaven,” “8 Simple Rules,” “CSI: Miami,” “Entourage,” and “Surface.” By 2010, she would be joining mainstream movies like “Date Night” and Drew Barrymore’s “Going the Distance.”

Born in Florida in 1986, Leighton was a television regular by 15. Her feature film debut came in 2003 with the TV movie “The Big Wide World of Carl Laemke,” followed by “The Jackalope” and “Hangman’s Curse.” She had a recurring role on an ill-fated “Tarzan” series in 2003 just prior to her barrage of guest starring TV roles. Finally in 2007 came the opportunity to portray Blair Waldorf, and as a series regular on “Gossip Girl,” Leighton gained serious exposure.

During her time off from “Gossip Girl,” Leighton had time to sign a recording contract with Universal Republic. Her first single was released in October 2009 called “Somebody to Love” featuring Robin Thicke. Her second single, “Your Love’s a Drug,” debuted March 2010. She is also featured in the Cobra Starship song “Good Girls Go Bad.”

In addition to her recent work in “Going the Distance” and “Date Night,” Leighton was part of the ensemble of “Killer Movie” in 2008, “Remember the Daze,” and the TV film “The Haunting of Sorority Row” in 2007.

Leighton on the Screen

Leighton has a sprawling TV resume. Her notables are: as Blair Waldorf on “Gossip Girl,” Savannah Barnett for 12 episodes of “Surface,” 4 episodes of “24” as Debbie Pendleton, and 3 episodes of “Entourage” as Justine Chapin.