Blake Lively
Biography
Blake Lively was born Blake Ellender Brown in Tarzana, California, to a show business family. Her mother, Elaine Lively (née McAlpin), is an acting coach and talent manager, and her father, Ernie Lively (born Ernest Wilson Brown, Jr.), is an actor and teacher. Her brother is actor Eric Lively, and her half-siblings are actors Lori Lively, Robyn Lively and Jason Lively. She followed her parents' and siblings' steps. Her first role was Trixie, the Tooth Fairy in the musical movie Sandman (1998), directed by her father. Her big break came along a few years later, though. Blake was up to finish high school when she got the co-starring role of Bridget in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005).
Blake was so perfect for the role of Bridget that, with no big references or even auditioning, she landed the role. According to her, all she did was walk in and leave a photo of herself. It was clear that she was the Bridget needed. After the film, Blake went back to high school for her senior year to have the life of a regular teenager -- or a very busy regular teenager. She was class president, a cheerleader, and performed with the choir.
Family
Trivia
Daughter of actor Ernie Lively and talent manager Elaine Lively, younger sister of Eric Lively, and younger half-sister of Lori Lively, Jason Lively and Robyn Lively.
Sister-in-law of Bart Johnson.
When auditioning for The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005), she walked in and gave them nothing but her photo, since she had never done anything before that, they all thought she was joking but when she left the room, they knew that she was definitely the Bridget they wanted.
She stayed busy juggling duties as class president and cheerleader as well as performing with her national championship show choir.
Has stated that she has known her Gossip Girl (2007) co-star Penn Badgley since she was 11 years old.
She was involved in a lot of activities at her high school including: cheerleading, choir, and student government. She was class president.
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005) was her first job, not just in acting.
Ranked #43 on Maxim magazine's Hot 100 Women of 2008 list.
On Live! with Kelly (1988), she stated that her older brother, Eric Lively, didn't want to go to school alone when it came time for him to be in the 1st grade. At the time, she was three but very tall for her age. Her mother lied and said Blake was 6. Blake attended 1st grade and the school reported that she was "slow" when, in reality, she was 3 and couldn't talk very well. She claims it made her brother happy, so she was happy.
Personal Quotes
My whole family's been in the business. My whole family is crazy.
(On filming racy scenes on Gossip Girl (2007)) It's the most awkward thing! There's a room of 40 people watching you, they're telling you exactly how to move your head, and it's completely silent. It's awful!
In high school, there are so many cliques. You're never safe. In between my junior and senior years, I went away to film The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005), and I came back ready to do the things with my friends that we always did, but things change. People get older, and there are some inside jokes that you don't know about that have happened. You feel lost for a while, and it's hard to come back from that. Then the friends who have "replaced" you are territorial. I've experienced that a little bit. There are catty, insecure, and gossipy girls everywhere, but for me, I don't think it's a matter of any of them being genuinely bad at heart. I just think that maybe the different ways in which people are raised make them different and insecure. They point out the bad things in others just to make themselves feel better. It's everywhere.
(After moving to New York to film Gossip Girl (2007)) I was raised in California, so this whole New York winter thing is completely new for me. I've already justified buying seven coats!
I've kissed just three people in my life, other than stuff I have done for TV or movies. I know, I'm weird! I hope Brad Pitt doesn't hear this, he is never going to want to marry me!
I'm on a very commercial show [Gossip Girl (2007)], so the last thing I want to do is a commercial movie. I wanna take risks, I don't wanna play it safe. I mean, I could probably make more money if I did more commercial projects. It would be nice to buy an apartment, but I'm 22, and I don't need to yet.
I want to have a brunch place, a bakery, and a Southern restaurant - because my family's from Georgia - and then I want a place that is all-over-the-world cuisine. I take a cooking class everywhere I travel. I find it's the best way to get to know a culture. It's what people bring to the family every day, what they break bread over - it's a very intimate thing.
I want babies. Lots of babies. Of course!
[on how she deals with any tension between work and anything else] - I love what I do. I love my work. So, you know, of course I wanted to be at the premiere [of The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009)], but I had a job to do, and so I had to be on the set in Boston and be a part of it. At the end of the day, a premiere is a premiere. It's not somebody living or dying. So for me, this other stuff - well, the perks is not the reason I do the job. Couture fashion week, getting to meet Karl Lagerfeld and John Galliano and Christian Louboutin is so exciting. It's like being a little girl and looking at these designers saying, "Can you imagine one day seeing all of those ball gowns?". But, at the end of the day, I wouldn't be there without my job. There are a few things in life that matter above all else: your family, your friends, your loved ones. But everything else comes and goes - especially in this business where everything is so of the moment.
