Adam Brody Regrets His Proposal to Leighton Meester

Adam Brody, star of "The O.C.," has revealed he still harbors regret over the manner in which he proposed to his wife, Leighton Meester, over a decade ago. Speaking on Dax Shepard's "Armchair Expert" podcast, Brody disclosed that the proposal in 2013 was less than ideal.

"I’ll spare the details," Brody said. "However, rest assured, it was not as romantic as it should have been."

The actor, 46, explained that the only romantic aspect of the proposal was its speed, as he asked Meester to marry him after less than a year of dating. The couple married quickly, but Brody described the proposal itself as "very pedestrian."

While Brody kept the specific details private, he advised others to consider the lasting narrative of their proposal. "At the time, you’re like, whatever, but you’re going to tell that story the rest of your life," he stated. "So my advice: Do it, not even just for the moment, but for the story that you’re going to tell forever."

Brody admitted to "kicking" himself "a little" over the proposal, feeling Meester "deserved a little more."

Brody and Meester met on the set of the 2011 film "The Oranges" and began dating in 2013. They became engaged in November 2013 and secretly married in February 2014. The couple have two children: a daughter, Arlo, born in 2015, and a son, whose name has not been publicly revealed, born in 2020.

Despite his reservations about the proposal, Brody and Meester have frequently spoken highly of each other. In January, Meester told People that the key to their long-lasting relationship is "really" liking each other. Brody also recently expressed his gratitude for Meester during his acceptance speech for a 2025 Critics Choice Award for his role in "Nobody Wants This," thanking her for "sharing this life" and "our family."