Leighton Meester Reveals the Key to Her Strong Marriage with Adam Brody (Exclusive)
Leighton Meester opens up exclusively to Us Weekly about the key to her successful nearly decade-long marriage with Adam Brody Find out the secret behind their enduring relationship!
Leighton Meester shared insights on how she and husband Adam Brody have maintained a strong and joyful marriage.
"There's no secret, I believe it's personal," Meester, 37, revealed exclusively to We at Amazon Freevee and Prime Video's Winter Wonderland Holiday Party on December 13. "In our situation, I think we just genuinely enjoy each other's company. We have a lot of affection for each other."
Actress Leighton Meester, who has an 8-year-old daughter Arlo and a 3-year-old son with husband Brody, emphasized the importance of prioritizing her children. When asked about their holiday plans, she expressed excitement about slowing down and spending time with their kids. Meester mentioned that her daughter loves baking and they plan to do some baking together and watch Christmas movies.
This holiday season holds added significance for Meester due to the release of her new romantic comedy, EXmas, in which she stars alongside Robbie Amell. She mentioned her plan to show the movie to her daughter, as she feels she is old enough to handle the adult elements of the film.
Meester and Brody, who found love on set, have kept quiet about their marriage and kids. They got to know each other while working on The Oranges in 2011, a few years after being introduced through producer Josh Schwartz. Brody shared their first meeting story on Anna Faris' "Unqualified" podcast in March 2021.
Brody, famous for his role as Seth Cohen on Schwartz's teen drama The O.C., was unsure what to make of his now-wife when they first met in the early 2000s.
"I didn't know if she was a good person or not. In fact, I initially assumed she probably wasn't for the first few years that I didn't know her, just because, I don't know, [her character on] Gossip Girl," he explained, referring to Meester's portrayal of Blair Waldorf on The CW series.
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After reuniting in 2011, it wasn't until a year later that Meester and Brody's relationship blossomed into a romantic one. In 2013, Us Magazine revealed that the pair were officially dating, and they eventually got married one year after that.
"We got married pretty quickly after we started dating. It was an easy decision for me and my wife," said Brody during an interview on SiriusXM's The Jess Cagle Show in March. "I wasn't afraid of the idea of marriage or kids. It always felt like the path I would eventually take, and I was excited when it all came together and I met the right person."
Later, the actor expressed his instant interest in Meester, despite her needing a few "years" to feel the same way about him.
On an April episode of Stitcher Studios’ “Popcrushed” podcast, he revealed, "She had always seemed distant and unapproachable to me for such a long time. I couldn't fully understand her because even though she claimed to be interested in me and all, she never made any effort to pursue it, and she was content to let it never happen."
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Brody humorously mentioned, "She was totally OK with letting that message in a bottle go back to the sea multiple times. [Leighton] said, 'Oh, it's because I knew if we [dated] it would be a big deal.' Or, like, 'It's too intense.'"
With reporting by Hannah Kahn
