Why Adam Brody Regrets His "Pedestrian" Proposal to Leighton Meester
Will Adam Brody & Leighton Meester Show Their Kids ‘The O.C.’ & ‘Gossip Girl’? He Says...
Adam Brody wishes he had treated Queen B with a little more romance earlier in their relationship.
As the O.C. alum looked back on his proposal to Leighton Meester, he admitted that he would have popped the question a little differently if he could go right back where they started from.
"I'll spare the details," Brody said on the Oct. 26 episode of Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast, alongside his Nobody Wants This costars. "However, rest assured, it was not as romantic as it should have been."
He didn't plan to be Lonely Boy for too long in their budding romance, noting that he and the Gossip Girl actress—who got engaged in November 2013, less than a year after going public with their relationship—wanted this more than anything, which sped up the timeline.
"The only thing romantic about it was the speed," he explained. "I proposed pretty quickly into our relationship. We got married fast, but other than that, it was very pedestrian."
Although Brody admitted that he is "certainly" not keen on that sort of pageantry, he admitted, "I do kick myself a little. She deserved a little more."
The Jennifer's Body actor—who married Meester in 2014—has more than a few XOXOs for anyone considering proposing to their significant other.
"At the time, you're like, whatever, but you're going to tell that story the rest of your life," he said. "So my advice: Do it, not even just for the moment, but for the story that you're going to tell forever."
While Brody's proposal likely wasn't exactly something for Gossip Girl to write Upper East Siders about, their love story has continued to captivate fans over the years.
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Netflix
And when the 46-year-old—who shares daughter Arlo, 11, and a 6-year-old son with Meester—won Best Actor in a Comedy Series at the Critics Choice Awards in February 2025, he put the spotlight on his wife.
"My darling, darling, darling wife Leighton," he said during his acceptance speech, "thank you for sharing this life with me and this journey with me. Thank you for our family. I love you with all my heart."
Meanwhile, the Good Cop/Bad Cop actress couldn't help but praise her husband's golden win.
"I'm just so, so proud of him and think he deserves everything," Leighton, 40, told E! News later that month. "I think the world of him."
For a look back at where Brody and Meester started from and where they've grown to, keep reading.
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Out and About
Leighton Meester and Adam Brody showed some sweet PDA while heading to a Mexican restaurant in 2013.
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Mums the Word
As romance rumors continued to swirl, the pair declined to publicly comment on the status of their relationship. But you know what they say, a picture's worth a thousand words.
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NYC Love
Spotted: After keeping under the radar for months, Meester and Brody resurfaced in New York City together.
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He Put a Ring on It
In 2013, news broke that The O.C. actor and the Gossip Girl star were engaged. Nearly a month later, they were photographed stealing a smooch in South Africa.
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Wedding Bells
Meester and Brody got married in a super-secretive ceremony in 2014.
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Red Carpet Ready
The actress supported her husband at the premiere of his movie Shazam! in 2019. No doubt their daughter, Arlo, loves that her dad is a superhero!
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Picture Perfect
Brody previously shared that becoming a father is "the best in every way."
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Do Gooders
In their spare time, this couple enjoys giving back to their community.
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Co-Stars
After working on 2011's The Oranges, the two once again reunited on the set of Meester's show Single Parents in 2019. In his guest role, Brody played her character's ex.
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Proud Parents
While the couple never announced they were expecting baby No. 2, Brody confirmed in September 2020 that Meester gave birth to their second child.
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Stylish Pair
The stars dazzle at the 2022 premiere of his show Fleishman Is In Trouble.
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XOXO
Meester and Brody also made a super duo at the March 2023 premiere of his movie Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
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Movie Night
Hey Upper East Siders, the Blair Waldorf alum and Seth Cohen actor attended the screening of his film American Fiction in December 2023.
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A Golden Evening
Meester and Brody celebrate the 2024 Golden Globes at an after-party in Beverly Hills, Calif.
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Date Night
And the award for cutest couple at the 2024 SAG Awards goes to...
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A Golden Couple
Leighton accompanied Adam, nominated for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy TV Series for his role in Nobody Wants This, at the 82nd Golden Globes held in January 2025.
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Date Night at The SAG Awards
The following month, Leighton and Adam stepped out once again for a date night to the 2025 Screen Actors Guild Awards in February.
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