# Blake Lively: American Actress and Producer ## Early Life and Background Blake Lively was born on August 25, 1987, in Los Angeles, California, to Ernie Lively, an actor and director, and Elaine Lively, a former agent and manager. She has four siblings: two brothers (Erica and Jason) and two sisters (Lori and Robyn), all of whom pursued acting careers. Lively attended Burbank High School from 2001 to 2005, where she was a class president, cheerleader, and member of the school choir. She attended 13 different schools throughout her education and aspired to study at Stanford University. ## Career Beginnings At age five, Lively auditioned for the role of Natalie Hillard in 'Mrs. Doubtfire' (1993) but lost to Mara Wilson. Her first acting role was in her father's 1998 film 'Sandman', which did not lead to further opportunities. In 2005, she was discovered by agent Erika Lively and cast in 'The Covenant' (2006), where she played a supporting role. Her breakthrough came with the role of Serena van der Woodsen in 'Gossip Girl' (2007-2012), earning her nominations for People's Choice and Teen Choice Awards. ## Major Film Roles Lively's film career includes starring in 'Green Lantern' (2011) as Carol Ferris, 'The Age of Adaline' (2015) as a woman who stops aging, and 'It Ends with Us' (2024) based on Colleen Hoover's novel. She has also appeared in 'Prowise' (2011), '183 Metres of Fear' (2016), and 'The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn' (2016). Her films have grossed over $197 million worldwide. ## Personal Life Lively is a Protestant Baptist. She dated Kelly Blatz (2006-2007), Penn Badgley (2010-2013), and Leonardo DiCaprio (2011-2012). She married Ryan Reynolds in September 2012, and they have three daughters (James, Inez, Betty) and one son (Olina). In 2024, she faced controversy over alleged misconduct on the set of 'It Ends with Us'.