Delving into the Alleged Gossip Girl Rift: What Really Happened Between TV’s Favorite Frenemies?
We’re currently witnessing a significant moment in pop culture: the drama surrounding the It Ends With Us cast. Observant fans quickly noticed that director and star Justin Baldoni isn’t followed by any of his castmates, including co-star Blake Lively, on Instagram. They also spotted that the cast is split into two separate promo tours and hasn’t been photographed together. Since TikTok users started sharing their observations, anonymous insiders have weighed in on the on-set tensions. Some claim Blake and Justin had creative differences during post-production, others suggest her husband, Ryan Reynolds, was unusually involved in the film, and there are even rumors that Blake felt “fat-shamed” by Justin after he trained with his trainer to lift her in a scene. (Betches reached out to Justin and Blake’s teams for comment but had not received a response at the time of publication.)
Do we have the full story? Not even close. But naturally, we’re diving into all the drama loosely connected to It Ends With Us. TikTokers have started revisiting Ryan Reynolds’ past relationship with Scarlett Johansson and Blake Lively’s controversial interviews. This has led to renewed interest in the famously not so friendly relationship between Blake and her Gossip Girl co-star, Leighton Meester. What exactly went down between Blake and Leighton, you ask? It’s an important question, and I’m here to give you the scoop: Here’s a breakdown of the rumored Blake Lively and Leighton Meester feud and an update on where things stand today.
Blake Lively and Leighton Meester: The Gossip Girl Drama Unveiled
The Inside Scoop: What Really Happened Between Blake Lively and Leighton Meester?

On the 10th anniversary of Gossip Girl in August 2017, executive producer Joshua Safran revealed to Vanity Fair what fans had long suspected: “Blake and Leighton were not friends.” I appreciate the honesty here. He clarified, “They were friendly, but they weren’t close like Serena and Blair.” According to Joshua, there were no major conflicts between the actresses—they were simply two very different people. “Blake is very much in the moment,” he explained. “Blake knows what’s happening. You talk to Blake on a contemporary level, and she’d say, ‘I’m doing this tonight. Have you been to this restaurant?’” I’m still not entirely sure how being “in the moment” would cause a rift, though…
Joshua described Leighton as “very removed and very quiet,” noting that “after her scenes were done, she would wander the stage.” Honestly, same if I were on Gossip Girl. It seems he was suggesting that Blake was more outgoing while Leighton was more of an introvert, which kept them from being close.
However, some rumors hint that the tension ran deeper than just different personalities. A 2008 New York Magazine article claimed that Blake and Leighton “avoided each other like the plague” on set, leaving their castmates feeling like they had to “choose sides.”
So, either Blake and Leighton were just not that friendly, or they genuinely disliked each other. But one thing’s for sure—they didn’t have a harmonious relationship.
Are Blake Lively and Leighton Meester Friends Today?
Given that they don’t follow each other on Instagram and rarely mention one another these days, it seems unlikely. But hey, we’ll always have Serena and Blair, and that’s what really matters.