Gossip Girl stands alone for being one of the best TV shows to binge-watch from the early 2000s. It often gets compared to other shows like Riverdale, Vampire Diaries, and Pretty Little Liars, to name a few, but it is almost as if those shows followed their lead with being darkly entertaining and a bit edgier.
Blake Lively played the role of Serena van der Woodsen while her on-screen bestie, Leighton Meester took on the role of Blair Waldorf. Questions about the friendship between the two actresses have been up in the air for quite some time, leaving many fans to wonder...are they actually friends in real life? Were they totally faking it for the cameras? Let's find dive in!
Updated on October 26, 2021, by Michael Chaar: Blake Lively and Leighton Meester played on-screen frenemies for 6 seasons on the hit CW series, Gossip Girl. Despite their characters appearing to be inseparable, it seems as if the two weren't nearly a close as they were on-screen. While they were certainly friendly, attending events, award shows, and photo shoots together, it was all mainly promotion for the series. When the show ended in 2012, so did their friendship. Former Gossip Girl producer, Joshua Safran made it clear that while they were both friendly and professional on set, they were not friends in real life. Although they may have not been besties, rumors about an ongoing feud weren't at all true!
9 Blake & Leighton Played Onscreen BFFs Half The Time
Half the time Blake Lively and Leighton Meester were taking on their character personas for Gossip Girl, they were playing on-screen best friends. The characters they played, Serena and Blair, totally had each other’s backs, well, sometimes. Anytime one of them needed help with a scheme, some type of revenge, or even something as simple as planning a party, they were there for each other.
They gave a beautiful and dynamic blueprint to what a classy friendship between two wealthy teenage girls would look like on the upper east side of Manhattan, however, it seems as if the other half of the time, their characters were total frenemies!
8 The Other Half Of The Time They Played Onscreen Frenemies
When Blake and Leighton's on-screen characters weren’t totally on the same page as besties, they somehow turned into total frenemies. In some cases, they were full-fledged enemies tearing each other down with rumors, backstabbing, and worse.
Since the friendship dynamic of the fictional characters they played was constantly up and down, it led fans to wonder about the friendship of the actresses behind the fictional roles— in real life.
7 They Attended The Teddy Bear Ball Together In 2007
In 2007, it seemed that Blake Lively and Leighton Meester were as close as ever. This year marked the series premiere of the CW series and it is also the year that they attended the Teddy Bear Ball together.
Other guests that were in attendance included some of their cat's numbers from Gossip Girl, like Chace Crawford! The actors seemed to be enjoying themselves together on the red carpet, leading many to believe that their time working together as on-screen pals totally transcended off-screen.
6 They Were Close At The 2009 Emmy Awards
A couple of years later at the 2009 Emmy Awards, Blake Lively and Leighton Meester seemed to be super close once again. In fact, they even went on stage together holding hands! The contrast between Blake's red dress and Leighton‘s white dress made them look as if they were totally in sync. If anyone had doubts about their friendship at this time, those doubts were instantly squashed.
5 They Answered Questions On 'TRL' Together In 2007
Blake Lively and Leighton Meester appeared on MTV’s Total Request Live together back in 2007, appearing to be each other's yin and yang. They were all smiles and laughs the entire time that they were there. They seemed to be very comfortable with each other!
Keep in mind that Gossip Girl officially came to an end in 2012 and both actresses had moved on filming other movies and TV shows. This means that they were still able to get together for an event like this five years after they finish wrapping their final episode.
4 'Gossip Girl' Producer Revealed They Were NEVER Friends
Executive producer Joshua Safran talked about the actresses saying, "Blake and Leighton were not friends. They were friendly, but they were not friends like Serena and Blair. Yet the second they'd be on set together, it's as if they were." (via Nicki Swift)
After he made this statement, fans rushed to judgment and assumed that there was some type of feud between the two. They were actually always cool and cordial with each other, just never particularly close.
3 Blake Posted A Series Of Throwbacks Of Herself With Leighton
In 2019, Blake Lively posted a series of throwback pictures of herself with Leighton Meester from their days filming Gossip Girl. The series of images was so nostalgic and sweet! Fans were quick to notice that Leighton didn’t acknowledge the post with a like or a comment.
Not too long after, Blake deleted the post. When all of this happened, it made fans scratch their heads in confusion. Was there a reason for Leighton‘s choice to ignore the post, even though she was tagged on it?
2 Michelle Trachtenberg Shut Down Rumors Of A Feud
When Michelle Trachtenberg, the actress who played Gossip Girl villain Georgina Sparks, was asked about any drama between Blake Lively and Leighton Meester, she said, “We were all chill. It was cool.” Michelle Trachtenberg spent quite a lot of time on set with the young women during the time they filmed the show so if anyone should know the truth about this, it's her!
1 They Both Aren't Involved With The 'Gossip Girl' Reboot
The Gossip Girl reboot has been well underway and fans are stoked for it. No one knows for sure if we will see Blake Lively and Leighton Meester in the reboot though.
Blake told E! News, "I think [the reboot] is happening... I don't know, I'm not a producer, I'm not involved. You've got to call them!" Leighton told the publication. “No one’s ever talked to me about it except for in interviews and I always say the same: I never say never, so I don’t know. No one’s sent me that information, it’s coming from you.” It would be great to see them reconnect for the newer version of the show.