Words by Blake Lively became a household name as Manhattan’s most glamorous teenager on “Gossip Girl.” Since then she has built a film career, become a fixture on best-dressed lists and launched her own businesses.
Early life
Blake Ellender Lively was born on Aug. 25, 1987, in Los Angeles into an acting family. Her parents, Ernie and Elaine Lively, were actors and acting coaches, and her siblings, including Robyn Lively and Eric Lively, also act. She planned to go to college until a role came along in her senior year of high school.
The Sisterhood
Lively’s first major role was as Bridget, the athletic, impulsive friend in “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” (2005), opposite America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn and Alexis Bledel. The film was a hit with young audiences, and the cast returned for a sequel in 2008.
Gossip Girl
In 2007, Lively was cast as Upper East Side “It girl” Serena van der Woodsen in the CW drama “Gossip Girl,” based on Cecily von Ziegesar’s novels. The series, which ran for six seasons until 2012, became a cultural phenomenon and a fashion touchstone. Designers lent the show clothing, and Lively’s on-screen wardrobe made her a style icon.
Film roles
Lively won praise for her role as a troubled single mother in Ben Affleck’s “The Town” (2010). She starred in “Green Lantern” (2011), Oliver Stone’s “Savages” (2012) and “The Age of Adaline” (2015), playing a woman who stops aging.
In “The Shallows” (2016), she carried nearly the entire film as a surfer stranded near a great white shark, and the thriller became a surprise hit. She co-starred with Anna Kendrick in Paul Feig’s “A Simple Favor” (2018) and its 2025 sequel. In 2024 she starred in “It Ends with Us,” adapted from Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel, which she also produced.
Style icon
Lively is known for doing her own red carpet styling, without a professional stylist, and for adventurous looks at the Met Gala, which she co-chaired in 2022. Her long partnerships with fashion houses and her dramatic gowns have made her one of the most photographed women at major events.
Business
Lively launched a lifestyle website, Preserve, in 2014, which closed the next year. She later became an investor and creative partner in several brands, including Betty Buzz, a line of sparkling mixers she founded in 2021. In 2024 she launched Blake Brown, a hair-care line inspired by her own routines.
Personal life
Lively married actor Ryan Reynolds in 2012 after the two met filming “Green Lantern.” They have four children. The couple is known for affectionately teasing each other on social media.
Lively and Reynolds have donated to organizations including the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, UNICEF and Water First, as well as to food banks and to groups supporting Indigenous communities in Canada.
Cooking and creativity
Lively has spoken often of her love of baking, posting elaborate homemade pies and cakes online. She has said creative hobbies like cooking help her unwind between projects and give her a sense of control she does not always have on film sets.
Advocacy
Lively has supported efforts to fight child exploitation, working with the Child Rescue Coalition, and has advocated for causes related to women’s and children’s welfare.
Television legacy
“Gossip Girl” helped define how television and social media interact, with fans dissecting outfits and plot twists online. A reboot premiered on HBO Max in 2021, a sign of the original’s lasting influence.
Legacy
From an unknown teenager cast in her first big film to the face of one of television’s most influential series, Lively has turned early fame into a lasting career. Her mix of film work, fashion influence and entrepreneurship reflects a generation of stars who are also brand builders.
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