Gossip Girl's Leighton Meester: From Prison Birth to Family Tragedy and Legal Battles

Leighton Meester, famed for her role as Blair Waldorf in "Gossip Girl," has faced a tumultuous life. Born in a prison hospital in 1986 while her mother, Constance Meester, served time for marijuana smuggling, her early years were marked by family involvement in drug trafficking. Her aunt even became one of America's most wanted fugitives after escaping prison. Later, Meester sued her mother for misusing funds intended for her ill brother, spending it on cosmetic procedures instead. After a four-year legal battle, Meester won the case and sought to distance herself from her mother. Recently, she also faced the tragedy of losing her home in a Los Angeles fire, adding another layer of hardship to her life.