The actress has reportedly filed a lawsuit against her mother, Constance Meester, for using the cash she had sent to her younger brother and sister. The “Monte Carlo” star claims her mother used the money for plastic surgery, hair extensions and Botox injections.

According to TMZ, Leighton was sending her mother $7,500 a month so she could provide care for her younger brother Lex, who suffers from severe medical issues. But Constance, who gave birth to Leighton while serving time in Fort Worth Prison, Texas, for her role in a drug smuggling ring, was spending the cash for expensive cosmetic procedures.

Constance reportedly threatened her daughter that’s she will file a $3 million law suit against the Gossip Girl star because they have an oral contract guaranteeing Leighton would pay her mother $10,000 a month.

The actress denied that she had a verbal contract with her mother. Leighton also claimed her mother was her “inspiration” on becoming an actress.

“My mother Connie inspires me. She’s an amazing woman. When I was a kid I wanted to be an actress and she completely backed me. She is her own person, very eccentric, very individual,” she said.

Leighton Meester is Suing her Mother originally appeared on Starmometer on July 26, 2011.

Grace (Gomez) is an ordinary girl who becomes an accidental princess when a summer trip to Paris turns into the fantasy of a lifetime. But Grace’s killjoy stepsister Meg (Leighton Meester) is involuntarily installed as chaperone by Grace’s mother. Grace and Emma, however, will not be deterred, and soon enough, the two friends, with Megan in tow, arrive in France. Scurried past famed landmarks by a hyperactive tour guide, and discouraged by their “luxury” accommodations and frequent tiffs, the trio’s spirits sag like the behinds of knit-panted American tourists.

Fortunes change, however, when Grace is mistaken for British socialite Cordelia Winthrop Scott. When the girls inadvertently take possession of Cordelia’s invitation to a ritzy charity ball in Monte Carlo, they seize the moment, they embark on a romantic adventure of yacht parties, polo matches and highly eligible bachelors.

Both girls see the presence of Meg (Meester) as an unwelcome intrusion – a fly in their sparkling glass of bubbly. Simply put, she’s never been known as the life of the party. “Meg recently lost her mother, and is still a bit traumatized over it. She’s somewhat excited to visit France, but not under these circumstances, and certainly not with these two girls,” explains Leighton Meester.

Q. You play Meg, Grace’s stepsister. What’s that character like?

Leighton: Meg starts off very differently from the way she ends up. She’s kind of a dork, and she’s a little bit uptight. She recently lost her mother, which is a really difficult thing to go through and Meg’s finding it hard. Meg only goes on trip because her father pretty much forces her to.

Q. Could you relate to her?

Leighton: Definitely! I hope I’m able to be a little more adventurous than she is at the start, but at least she’s willing and she has the potential inside her. Meg is a very practical character, and I’m totally impractical, but I admire that about her.

Q. What was the hardest scene to film?

Leighton: Honestly, the only hard part has been the long days and the early starts. Everything else has been fun. When we were in Paris we had to start filming at 3AM so we could shoot on the Eiffel Tower when no one else was there. So although getting up that day was hard, having the whole of the Eiffel Tower to ourselves was an incredible experience! We also got to be in the Louvre by ourselves, which was amazing

Q. Meg doesn’t get on with Grace and Emma straight away. How long did it take you to get to know Selena and Katie?

Leighton: Those two girls have been awesome. It’s been wonderful working with them. I knew Katie a little before, and she’s coming on Gossip Girl, which I’m so excited about. Because we’ve seen each other every day, we’ve become like a family. I think it says a lot if you can see the same people all the time and not get sick of them. I feel very protective of them both, and I think they feel the same about me.

Q. Is there any romantic gossip from the set?

Leighton: There are some very, very cute boys in this movie, but as far as I know there isn’t any gossip. I’m really pleased with how they got cast – cute and talented is a great combination. I like them all.

Q. How do Meg’s outfits compare to those of the other characters you’ve played?

Leighton: Honestly, I don’t think it matters if a character has high end or low end clothes as long as you feel like they’re definitely a part of that character’s wardrobe. In the film we’re all whisked away to Monte Carlo by accident, and we don’t get to bring many clothes with us. I’m in the same outfit for most of the film. There’s a fabulous gown I get to wear at the end. It’s beautiful, but it’s couture and really heavy. When we started filming the scene, I was so excited to wear it, but by the end my body was aching so much I would have been happy never to see it again!

Q. Have you had any time to go shopping?

Leighton: Walking down the street here is like walking through a fashion magazine! It’s tricky to make the time, but I have gone to Gucci. I bought a really cute little purse, and a sweater from Celine as well. I’ve got some great souvenirs from this trip!

“Monte Carlo” opens July 1 in theaters from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros

Q&A with Leighton Meester of the Movie ‘Monte Carlo’ originally appeared on Starmometer on June 22, 2011.

Academy Award®-nominated director Christian E. Christiansen (Råzone) crafts a finely tuned tale of madness and role reversal in “The Roommate,” packed with ingenious twists and heart-stopping surprises as Sara (Minka Kelly), a naïve college freshman begins to suspect that her roommate, Rebecca (Leighton Meester) is not what she appears to be.

“Leighton was the first person we cast for this movie,” says Christiansen. “And she is a fantastic actress. The role of Rebecca requires an actress who can go from normal to insane in very little time. Leighton did a lot of research for the role, trying to figure out what kind of person this would be.”

Meester signed on after reading an early draft of the script and speaking to Christiansen at length about the movie he wanted to make. “He was so open to everything,” she says. “It was really fun to watch the process of developing it. Everybody was bouncing ideas off of one another.”

The edge and rawness of Christiansen’s earlier films won her admiration. “His style is not overly manicured,” says Meester. “Christian does what I think of as ‘ninja’ directing. He doesn’t spell anything out. He just plants an idea in your head. Even if it’s not something that’s in the front of your mind, it’s back there, and the wheels are still turning. He conjured as much from me as he possibly could.”

Meester, who has been a successful actress since her early teens, has never been through the roommate experience herself. “Being assigned the person you’re going to live with for the next eight or nine months sounds a lot like a blind date,” she says. “It’s strange to think that when you come to college, you have to live with someone you don’t know at all. The idea of sharing some totally intimate moments with somebody you don’t know that well is disconcerting and a great jumping off point for this story. I think everyone who sees this film will interpret it a little differently. They’ll certainly be scared and intrigued.”

The role made tremendous demands on Meester, both physically and emotionally. “It wasn’t an easy movie to make, but it was always interesting,” she says. “Christian had a very specific vision of how he wanted things, which made me confident that it would turn out beautifully. He’s all about making things as real as possible and getting the most honest performance out of everyone.”

She delved into the character’s psyche, developing a personal history for Rebecca and consulting with psychiatrists to learn more about what makes her tick. “This is the story of the psychological deterioration of a human being who has no real identity of her own and is trying to appropriate another person’s,” she says. “The character has so much depth. I had to find whatever I could in her to love, because I don’t think she means anybody any harm. Her relationship with her parents was particularly interesting.”

At the start of the movie, Rebecca seems like the ideal friend for Sara. “She’s actually a good influence on her,” says Meester. “Rebecca shows Sara all around the city, not just the clubs and parties. But she grossly misinterprets the relationship, which is the beginning of a lot of problems. As they get closer, Rebecca starts to lose touch with reality.”

Opening soon across the Philippines, “The Roommate” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.

Leighton Meester is the ‘Roommate’-from-Hell in New Thriller originally appeared on Starmometer on March 8, 2011.

Oscar-nominated director Christian E. Christiansen (Råzone) crafts a finely tuned tale of madness and role reversal packed with ingenious twists and heart-stopping surprises as a naïve college freshman (Kelly) begins to suspect that her roommate (Meester) is not what she appears to be.

When the screenplay for “The Roommate” first arrived on producer Doug Davison’s desk, he immediately knew it had all the elements of a successful thriller. The script was skillfully constructed, and grounded in character and dialogue. The tension and suspense built so that, as the story progressed, the audience would feel more and more uneasy, and then, finally, out and out scared.

The producers began to search for a director who could bring a fresh point of view to a time-honored genre. “I had seen the Danish movie `Råzone,’ directed by Christian E. Christiansen, and liked it a great deal,” says Davison. “He has a European sensibility that I thought would make the look and feel of the film unconventional in a good way. We had a few phone conversations and Christian’s approach to the material was all about making it feel real.”

“Råzone,” Christiansen’s first full-length feature, explores the phenomenon of girls who bully, in a thought-provoking and disturbing way. The director proposed bringing an equally realistic point of view to “The Roommate.” “When I read the screenplay, I could see the movie from beginning to end,” says Christiansen. “I understood it completely. I understood the characters. I thought it was sexy, it was hip. And most of all, it was dark and scary, which really turned me on. I love thrillers, especially from the ’70s and ’80s, and being offered the chance to do something similar was really exciting.”

The tension, says Christiansen, comes from establishing a feeling of normalcy and then slowing upending it. “Our main character, Sara, comes to Los Angeles to go to college. She’s assigned a roommate she has never met, Rebecca. We don’t know much about Rebecca except that she’s from a wealthy family and she is interested in art.”

“We first present what Sara’s real life is like when she arrives at this dorm,” he continues. “She’s from the Midwest, and maybe a little naïve. She has big dreams about what she wants to become. She’s into fashion design. And so she’s getting to this dorm with an open mind about her roommate. “

“And then we twist it,” he continues. “It turns out Rebecca is not a normal girl. She has emotional problems. She might be bipolar; she might have some sociopath in her or maybe some schizophrenic elements. In any case, she becomes obsessed with Sara. And by the time the story is done, Sara will have learned a little about what real life may hold, and she’s not as naïve.”

The finished film incorporates all the elements Davison recognized in the first draft of the script. “Christian has made a truly frightening thriller that’s grounded in reality,” says Davison. “Anyone who has ever had a roommate can relate and go along for the ride. I think audiences will not only enjoy the experience, they’ll want to talk about it afterward.”

For his part, Christiansen says he just wants audiences to have fun watching the film. “I think they are in for a treat in the roller coaster ride sense. If you’re into creepy movies, you’ll definitely have a good time. The Roommate is a thriller about the line between friendship and obsession, as well as about finding your way when you are young and everything is new. It’s full of emotional ups and downs, full of surprises—and it’s seriously scary!”

Opening soon across the Philippines, “The Roommate” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.

A Tale of Madness, Role-Reversal in ‘The Roommate’ originally appeared on Starmometer on March 3, 2011.

Leighton Meester topbills Screen Gem’s upcoming teenage horror flick “The Roommate”.

Joining Leighton are Minka Kelly (500 Days of Summer, Black Swan) and Cam Gigandet (Burlesque).

The Roommate is about a deranged college freshman, Rebecca (Leighton Meester), who becomes dangerously obsessed with her new roommate, Sara (Minka Kelly). Matt Lanter will play Sara’s ex-boyfriend while Cam Gigandet will play her current beau. Aly Michalka will play Sara’s outgoing dormmate in the Christian E. Christiansen-directed flick.

The Roommate is set to open in theaters on February 4, 2011.

Watch the trailer here:

The Roommate – Movie Poster and Trailer originally appeared on Starmometer on February 6, 2011.

The Roommate is about a deranged college freshman, Rebecca (Leighton Meester), who becomes dangerously obsessed with her new roommate, Sara (Minka Kelly). Matt Lanter will play Sara’s ex-boyfriend while Cam Gigandet will play her current beau. Aly Michalka will play Sara’s outgoing dormmate in the Christian E. Christiansen-directed flick.

The Roommate is set to premiere on February 4, 2011.

Watch the trailer here:

Leighton Meester and Minka Kelly Star in ‘The Roommate’ originally appeared on Starmometer on September 19, 2010.

Cosmo discovered that Gossip Girl’s resident bitch, Leighton Meester, is actually sweet. The 23-year-old character actress is going to release her debut album this month. She is also gracing the silverscreen this year with “Date Night” and “The Roommate.”

The January 2010 issue of Cosmopolitan Philippines is now available nationwide wherever magazines are sold.

Leighton Meester – Cosmopolitan Philippines January 2010 originally appeared on Starmometer on January 5, 2010.

The former Disney princess will play Olivia Burke, a famous film star in search of the normal college experience. Her school of choice will be New York University, where Blair (Leighton Meester), Dan (Penn Badgley) and Vanessa (Jessica Szohr) were also accepted. Duff will be Vanessa’s roommate.

Duff will start the drama on Oct. 5.

Hilary Duff Joins Gossip Girl originally appeared on Starmometer on July 3, 2009.