You’ve probably spent years wondering if the ultimate Upper East Side duo actually liked each other. On screen, Serena van der Woodsen and Blair Waldorf were the definition of "ride or die." They shared secrets, headbands, and enough drama to fuel six seasons of television. But behind the scenes, the story of are blake lively and leighton meester friends has always been way more complicated than a simple "yes" or "no."
They weren't besties. Honestly, they weren't even really "friends" in the way we usually use that word.
The truth about the Serena and Blair dynamic
If you're looking for a fairy tale where the two leads of your favorite show are soulmates, you're gonna be a little disappointed. It’s a classic case of work colleagues who just happened to be coworkers. Think about your own job. You probably have people you’re totally professional with, maybe even grab a quick coffee with, but you aren't calling them at 2 AM to cry about your breakup. That was Blake and Leighton.
Joshua Safran, the executive producer of Gossip Girl, basically settled this debate years ago in a Vanity Fair profile. He said they were "friendly," but definitely not friends. He described their personalities as being from two different planets. Blake was very "in the moment" and social. Leighton was quiet, removed, and spent her downtime wandering the set in a ballgown while reading a book.
Basically, they just didn't vibe.
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Why everyone thinks there was a massive feud
The media loves a good "catfight." Back in 2008, New York Magazine ran a story claiming the two "avoided each other like the plague." Then there were the rumors about wardrobe budgets—people actually thought they were fighting over who got more expensive clothes.
Blake’s publicist eventually had to release a statement. It was super blunt. The statement said they’d never been best friends and never claimed to be. It essentially said Blake shows up, does her job, and goes home.
Ouch.
That awkward Paleyfest moment
People still talk about a panel from 2008 where things got... weird. Leighton was talking about her character’s hair, and Blake interjected with, "Everyone knows blondes are nicer."
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The silence in the room was deafening. Leighton’s facial expression? Pure side-eye.
Then Blake made a joke about how some of the cast "started in a cage," which people took as a jab at Leighton’s personal history (her mother was incarcerated when she was born). Was it a mean-spirited dig or just a really poorly timed, dark joke? Either way, it didn't help the "we're all friends" narrative.
Where they stand in 2026
Fast forward to today. The It Ends With Us drama in late 2024 and 2025 brought all these old rumors back to the surface. People started looking at Blake's past relationships with costars, and of course, Leighton was at the top of the list.
Here’s the reality of are blake lively and leighton meester friends right now:
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- They don't follow each other on Instagram. Leighton follows Chace Crawford, Penn Badgley, and Jessica Szohr. She does not follow Blake.
- They don't hang out. There have been zero sightings of them together in over a decade.
- They are polite. Blake posted a throwback photo of them at the Emmys a few years ago with "XOXO" emojis.
It’s just... professional.
Why the "feud" still matters to fans
We want them to be friends because their chemistry on the show was so good. It’s hard to accept that the "S and B" bond was just acting. But the truth is, Leighton has lived a very private life with her husband Adam Brody, and Blake has her whole "power couple" thing going with Ryan Reynolds.
They grew up, they moved on, and they never looked back.
What you should take away from this
If you’re still holding out hope for a reunion where they’re laughing over brunch, you might be waiting a while. The lesson here is that you don't have to be best friends with someone to create something iconic together.
- Respect the work: They were professionals who gave us one of the most famous TV friendships ever.
- Separate fiction from reality: Just because they played best friends doesn't mean they owe the public a real-life friendship.
- Look at the patterns: Leighton’s silence during Blake’s recent public controversies says a lot without saying anything at all.
If you're feeling nostalgic, go back and rewatch season one. The friendship on screen is real enough, even if the one behind the camera never quite made it past "coworker."
To stay updated on the Gossip Girl cast, you can follow Leighton Meester’s upcoming projects like The River Wild or keep an eye on Penn Badgley’s podcast Podcrushed, where he occasionally drops crumbs about the old days.