After 12 years of marriage, questions about what makes it work are inevitable. For Leighton Meester, the answer is surprisingly simple. In a new interview with People, the 39-year-old actress shared that the foundation of her long-lasting marriage with Adam Brody comes down to one simple and heartwarming fact.
Meester on What Truly Makes Her Relationship Last
Getty“It’s so funny, because the other night somebody asked me that, and I was like, ‘I wish I had the answer,’ [but] I think just liking each other, and getting along is a big part of it.”
At its core, the “Gossip Girl” star said, the relationship has always been rooted in something uncomplicated but meaningful.
“It is sort of at a base level what it’s about. Just being like, ‘I really like this person,’ ” she added.
How Their Love Story Began & Grew
GettyMeester and Brody first met while working on the film “The Oranges,” where a professional connection quietly turned into something more.
During a March 2021 appearance on Anna Faris’ “Unqualified” podcast, Brody reflected on the first time he crossed paths with Meester.
“I was on The O.C., and that was coming to an end, and Gossip Girl was starting. Josh Schwartz produced both shows,” he said, as reported by People.
“The first time we met, that whole cast was eating at Canter’s [in Los Angeles], and I lived at Canter’s for, like, my entire 20s. I was leaving, and he introduced all of us and then [I] bumped into her, like, two or three times over the next couple of years.”
The two later reconnected in 2011 while filming “The Oranges,” though their relationship did not turn romantic right away.
“I was seeing someone at the time,” Brody told Faris. “So we met kind of through mutual work friends off and on. We didn’t get together until about a year after that movie, when I was single.”
Over the years, Broody has lovingly spoken about his wife.
By February 2013, their relationship had become public, and the next chapter unfolded quickly.
They were engaged by November of that year and married in February 2014. In the years that followed, their family grew.
The couple welcomed daughter Arlo in 2015 and, in 2020, expanded their family again with the arrival of their son, whose name they have chosen to keep private.
A Realistic Approach to Marriage
GettyAs per Meester, lasting relationships also require honesty and a clear-eyed understanding of what marriage truly involves.
“I think being with another person and knowing that they’re going to be imperfect and challenge you, and that you are far from perfect, is [important],” she told People.
GettyShe added that it is essential “to always be open and willing to work on yourself.”
That grounded mindset, Meester explains, has allowed them to grow together while avoiding unrealistic expectations about partnership and perfection.
Creative Collaboration & Mutual Admiration
GettyOver the years, Meester and Brody have continued to cross paths professionally, working together on both film and television projects.
Their collaborations include movies such as “River Wild” and “Life Partners,” as well as series like “Nobody Wants This” and “Good Cop/Bad Cop.”
GettyBrody has also been vocal about his admiration for his wife. In a past interview with People, he shared what continues to stand out to him about Meester even after more than a decade together.
“I think she surprises me with how funny she is, and then, at the same time, can go as deep as anyone,” the “The O.C.” alum told People in June 2025.
For Meester and Brody, the foundation of their marriage remains intentional and grounded. Built on mutual respect, realism, and genuine affection, their relationship has continued to thrive more than 12 years into their life together.
