LEIGHTON MEESTER (born April 9, 1986) is an American actress and singer-songwriter, best known for her role as Blair Waldorf in the TV show Gossip Girl.
LEIGHTON MEESTER's parents, Connie 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 involvement with Heavens Devils. While out on bail, Connie became pregnant. She was later convicted to ten years in a Texas state prison, where she spent the majority of her pregnancy. LEIGHTON MEESTER was delivered in a Texas hospital and then spent three months living with her mother in a halfway house, until her mother returned to prison to complete her sentence. After serving sixteen months of her ten year sentence, LEIGHTON MEESTER's mother was released and resumed her role in LEIGHTON MEESTER's life. When LEIGHTON MEESTER was 11, she moved with her aunt to New York City and soon after began working as a model with Wilhemina, booking a Ralph Lauren campaign shot by Bruce Weber and working with then photographer (now film maker) Sofia Coppola. In 2003, LEIGHTON MEESTER's older brother, Douglas, was embroiled in the US Air Force Academy scandal. He was accused of rape, indecent assault, and sodomizing a female cadet.
LEIGHTON MEESTER made her television debut in 1999 playing Alyssa Turner in Law & Order. LEIGHTON MEESTER appeared as a guest in two more series before landing her big role in the movie called Hangman's Curse, based on the best selling book by Frank Peretti. LEIGHTON MEESTER also appeared in Tarzan, which only lasted for eight episodes. Meester started to land guest roles in other series such as, Crossing Jordan, 7th Heaven, a recurring role as the Britney Spears-like singer Justine Chapin on the hit series Entourage, 24 and Veronica Mars.
In 2005 LEIGHTON MEESTER scored a regular role in the series Surface. LEIGHTON MEESTER played Savannah Bennet, big sister of Miles Bennett. The show ran for 15 episodes. In 2006 Surface stopped airing and Meester appeared in two more movies, Flourish and Inside. She also guest appeared in Numb3rs and in two episodes of House M.D as Ali, an underage girl who has a crush on House.
LEIGHTON MEESTER appeared on the television film The Haunting of Sorority Row, and played a part in the ensemble comedy/drama Remember the Daze, released on April, 2008. LEIGHTON MEESTER also appeared on the horror/thriller film Killer Movie, released in the United States also on April, 2008 during the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City.
After a guest role on CSI: Miami, a recurring role on the James Woods court drama Shark, and appearing as the female lead in the comedy/horror film Drive-Thru, LEIGHTON MEESTER scored a regular role in the CW's hit show Gossip Girl, playing the rich and scheming Blair Waldorf. The show is based on the book series about the lives of New York's privileged Upper East Side high school students. Her performance has been met with critical acclaim and TV Guide also ranked Blair Waldorf among its "Best-Dressed TV Characters of 2007.
In April 2009, it was announced LEIGHTON MEESTER signed a recording contract with Universal Republic. The album is said to be electronic, dancey, and edgy; LEIGHTON MEESTER will be working with JR Rotem, Kara Dioguardi and several other producers. The first single will be released around July, with the album dropping by fall. LEIGHTON MEESTER is featured in the Cobra Starship song "Good Girls Go Bad", the first single from their upcoming third studio album Hot Mess. The song was digitally released on May 11, 2009.LEIGHTON MEESTER will play Rebecca in the upcoming film The Roommate. It has also been announced that she will appear in the upcoming comedy, Date Night, alongside Steve Carell and Tina Fey
In June of 2009, rumours of an apparent LEIGHTON MEESTER SEX TAPE surface on the internet spurring millions into searching for these NAKED PICTURES OF LEIGHTON MEESTER.
In Teen Vogue, LEIGHTON MEESTER talked about her past: "I wasn't born in jail; I was born in a hospital. I lived with my mother for a few months in a halfway house, and then I went to stay with my grandmother for a few more before my mom got out. But I had a normal life." LEIGHTON MEESTER was placed #12 on Maxim's Hot 100 list in 2009.
