Leighton Messter had a tragic childhood as she had to battle for her brother’s custody with her own mom.
Leighton Meester, a renowned American actress and singer, gathered tremendous attention through her role in Gossip Girl and the movie The Roommate.
Highlights
- Meester actively supports Feeding America, an organization aiding single parents struggling with hunger issues.
- Despite her on-screen fame, Meester’s real life had challenges. Legal battles notably ensued for her brother’s custody and allegations against her mother regarding misused funds.
- Despite past challenges, she credits her experiences for shaping her into the person she is today, living a content life in 2024.
Messter is an active advocate of Feeding America, an organization for single parents who are struggling with hunger problems and food insecurity.
Leighton serves as their voice so their screams of desperation and aid can reach the concerned authorities.
Apart from being an actor, she has ventured into the music industry, encompassing songs of Pop rock, indie pop, and alternative rock genre.
Leighton Meester Has Two Brothers Doughlas Logan And Alexander
Leighton has two siblings, one elder brother, Doughlas Logan, 3 years apart and a younger brother, Alexander, 8 years apart.
She was born to her mother, Constance Meester, on April 9, 1986, in Fort Worth, Texas.
It was the time when her parents were serving time behind bars on the accusation of marijuana smuggling from Jamaica to the United States.
The actress has mentioned that she received a normal upbringing and affection from her parents despite their criminal records. However, information on her formative years says otherwise.
Although Leighton Meester has a happening and luxurious life on-screen while portraying Blair Waldorf in the Gossip Girl, her real life has not been the bed of roses as most fans anticipate.
Her childhood was way too distant from what you call picture-perfect.
She grew up in Marco Island, Florida, with her paternal grandparents along with her brothers.
Then, when she was 11, her parents divorced. After that, she and her two brothers moved to New York City to live with their mother.
In 2002, Douglas, her elder brother was charged with misconduct of a fellow military trainee at the AirForce Academy in Colorado.
Later, the charges were dropped after Douglas pleaded guilty and paid a fine of $2,000.
Leighton Meester Custody Battle With Mom Constance
Leighton had to undergo unbelievable emotional and financial struggles while growing up because her mother was not supportive at all.
She endured the misery of living in a halfway house and patchy rentals that enabled her to mature faster than normal kids.
Her relationship with her mother experienced twisted paths involving legal battles over money and custody of her brother.
Years ago, Gossip Girl star filed a lawsuit against her mother asserting that she used the money intended for her siblings’ hospital bills on multiple cosmetic surgeries.
This shows the amount of love and affection she spills for her younger brother.
On the other hand, Lex had recently undergone brain surgery at that time and suffered from a wide range of medical complications.
Because the actress was concerned about Alexander’s health, she wanted him to move in with her in New York from California.
Fortunately, she won the custody of her 17-year-old brother because all her claims were proven to be true.
Given that she was supporting her family with $7,500 per month, Leighton grew tired of her mother’s never-ending high-profile lifestyle and refusal to work.
In 2024, she’s living a happy, peaceful life and attributes her past to shaping the person she is today.
Additional Information
- Leighton Meester married to co-star Adam Brody on February 15, 2014. They have two children, a son and a daughter.
- She made her acting debut in 1999 as Alyssa Turner in one of the episodes of Law & Order. Then, in 2003, she made her film debut as Elisha Springfield in Hangman’s Curse.
- The actress’s father was a real estate agent who was convicted of drug smuggling along with her mother and aunt.
