Manila, Philippines - Gossip Girl star Leighton Meester takes us on a trip out with the girls en route to Europe in the romantic comedy Monte Carlo with Selena Gomez, Katie Cassidy and Cory Monteith of Glee.
Grace (Gomez) is an ordinary girl who becomes an accidental princess when a summer trip to Paris turns into the fantasy of a lifetime. But Grace’s killjoy stepsister Meg (Meester) is involuntarily installed as chaperone by Grace’s mother. Grace and Emma, however, will not be deterred, and soon enough, the two friends, with Megan in tow, arrive in France. Scurried past famed landmarks by a hyperactive tour guide, and discouraged by their “luxury” accommodations and frequent tiffs, the trio’s spirits sag like the behinds of knit-panted American tourists.
Fortunes change, however, when Grace is mistaken for British socialite Cordelia Winthrop Scott. When the girls inadvertently take possession of Cordelia’s invitation to a ritzy charity ball in Monte Carlo, they seize the moment, they embark on a romantic adventure of yacht parties, polo matches and highly eligible bachelors.
Both girls see the presence of Meg as an unwelcome intrusion — a fly in their sparkling glass of bubbly. Simply put, she’s never been known as the life of the party. Excerpts from Meester’s interview:
You play Meg, Grace’s stepsister. What’s that character like?
“Meg starts off very differently from the way she ends up. She’s kind of a dork, and she’s a little bit uptight. She recently lost her mother, which is a really difficult thing to go through and Meg’s finding it hard. Meg only goes on trip because her father pretty much forces her to.”
Could you relate to her?
“Definitely! I hope I’m able to be a little more adventurous than she is at the start, but at least she’s willing and she has the potential inside her. Meg is a very practical character, and I’m totally impractical, but I admire that about her.”
What was the hardest scene to film?
“Honestly, the only hard part has been the long days and the early starts. Everything else has been fun. When we were in Paris we had to start filming at 3 a.m. so we could shoot on the Eiffel Tower when no one else was there. So although getting up that day was hard, having the whole of the Eiffel Tower to ourselves was an incredible experience! We also got to be in the Louvre by ourselves, which was amazing.”
Meg doesn’t get on with Grace and Emma straight away. How long did it take you to get to know Selena and Katie?
“Those two girls have been awesome. It’s been wonderful working with them. I knew Katie a little before, and she’s coming on Gossip Girl, which I’m so excited about. Because we’ve seen each other every day, we’ve become like a family.”
Monte Carlo is now showing in theaters.