NEED TO KNOW
Leighton Meester’s relationship with Adam Brody works for a simple — and relatable — reason.
The actress, 39, tells PEOPLE in an exclusive interview that the secret to her 12-year marriage with Brody, 46, comes down to them just truly enjoying one another.
“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.”
“It is sort of at a base level what it’s about. Just being like, ‘I really like this person,’ ” Meester — who continues her ongoing partnership with Godiva — adds.
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Meester and Brody first met on the set of The Oranges, and they later made their romance public in February 2013.
The pair was engaged by November of that same year, and they later wed in February 2014.
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Meester and Brody eventually became parents to two children: a daughter named Arlo, born in 2015, and a son, whose name has not been revealed, who later expanded their family in 2020.
Over the years, Meester and Brody have worked together on various projects, such as films like River Wild and Life Partners, as well as television series including Nobody Wants This and Good Cop/Bad Cop.
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According to Meester, another big part of what makes her relationship with her husband work is that they look at it with a realistic and unfiltered eye.
“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 tells PEOPLE, adding that it is also key “to always be open and willing to work on yourself.”
Last year, Brody told PEOPLE there is one thing about his relationship with Meester that still surprises him after more than a decade of them being together — and it relates to her range as an actress.
“I think she surprises me with how funny she is, and then, at the same time, can go as deep as anyone,” The O.C. alum said.
