A decade after popping the question, Adam Brody divulges regret over Leighton Meester proposal

A proposal he would rethink

Brody discussed engagements with his “Nobody Wants This” co-stars on Shepard’s podcast. He declined to share the proposal’s details, but said it was less romantic than it should have been.

The actor, 46, said the proposal’s speed was its most romantic feature. He asked Meester to marry him less than a year after they began dating.

The story stays with them

Shepard, 51, jokingly asked whether Brody proposed at Taco Bell, but Brody did not disclose the setting. He said people may later tell the proposal story for the rest of their lives, and advised making it a good one. Brody said he kicks himself a little because Meester “deserved a little more.” The pair met while filming “The Oranges,” a 2011 film directed by Julian Farino, and began dating in 2013.

Marriage and family life

The couple became engaged in November 2013 and married privately in February 2014. They made their first appearance together as husband and wife at the Tonys that June. Their daughter, Arlo, was born in 2015, and they welcomed a son in 2020; his name has not been made public. At the 2025 Critics Choice Awards, Brody thanked Meester for sharing their life and family, and told her, “I love you with all my heart.”

Meester on their relationship

Meester has also spoken about what has helped their marriage last. In January, she told People that “just liking each other, and getting along” was a big part of it.

She said she wished she had a more definitive answer when asked about the relationship. Brody and Meester have publicly praised one another over the years.