You know you love Leighton Meester and Adam Brody's relationship—and there's no need to gossip about the secret to their nine-year marriage.
Allow the Gossip Girl alum to tell you herself.
Admitting the pair have a "normal relationship with all the good and the hard," Leighton exclusively told E! News' Courtney Lopez for the Nov. 21 episode, "We just make it work."
"We're super, super lucky, and I think we recognize how lucky we are with one another," she continued. "We give each other a lot of respect and time and attention and focus. Like, really put our time and energy into a relationship."
And Leighton—who shares 8-year-old daughter Arlo and a 3-year-old son with the O.C. alum—added that, of course, it helps when you genuinely enjoy each other's company. (Catch more of her interview on E! News Nov. 21 at 11 p.m.)
But while she has a low-key romance with Adam, the same can't exactly be said for the characters she plays onscreen. Take her new movie EXmas, in which her character Ali secretly attends her ex Graham's (Robbie Amell) family Christmas because she simply missed his parents.
"This is the heightened reality of wish fulfillment of like, 'My ex, but we do get along, but it just didn't work out, but they love my family and family loves them,'" Leighton shared with E!. "No—real life, you're like, 'That's a stalker. That's not good.'"
Understandably, Leighton would not want to have her former flame decking the halls with her fam IRL.
"I don't even want to like think about that," she quipped. "That would be terrible."
And would Adam even allow it?
"I wouldn't allow it," she joked. "All his exes, I'm like, they seem like pretty good people. And my family, he can have ‘em. I don't think that that would be the case."
EXmas is now streaming on Amazon Freevee.
For a look back at Leighton and Adam's merry and bright romance, scroll on.
Out and About
Leighton Meester and Adam Brody showed some sweet PDA while heading to a Mexican restaurant in 2013.
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.
NYC Love
Spotted: After keeping under the radar for months, Meester and Brody resurfaced in New York City together.
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.
Wedding Bells
Meester and Brody got married in a super-secretive ceremony in 2014.
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!
Picture Perfect
Brody previously shared that becoming a father is "the best in every way."
Do Gooders
In their spare time, this couple enjoys giving back to their community.
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.
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.
Stylish Pair
The stars dazzle at the 2022 premiere of his show Fleishman Is In Trouble.
XOXO
Meester and Brody also made a super duo at the March 2023 premiere of his movie Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
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.
A Golden Evening
Meester and Brody celebrate the 2024 Golden Globes at an after-party in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Date Night
And the award for cutest couple at the 2024 SAG Awards goes to...
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.
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.