Lively has cemented her place as one of Hollywood’s most versatile and beloved actresses. With a career spanning over two decades, she has captivated audiences with her charm, and her unique approach to every role. A push from her older brother Eric led her to audition during high school, and she quickly found success.
Lively is also known for her marriage to fellow actor Ryan Reynolds, with whom she has four children.
In honor of her birthday, take a look at 10 roles that helped shape her career and made her a star.
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005)
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In her first major film role, Lively played the athletic and free-spirited Bridget Vreeland, one of four best friends who find a magical pair of jeans that fits them all perfectly. As the girls spend their first summer apart, the pants are sent between them, connecting them through their individual journeys of self-discovery. This role was pivotal for Lively as it served as her breakout performance, earning her a Teen Choice Award nomination for Breakout Movie Star and establishing her as a rising talent in Hollywood.
Gossip Girl (2007-2012)
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Her most iconic role. Lively became a household name for her iconic portrayal of Serena van der Woodsen in the hit CW teen drama Gossip Girl. The series follows the scandalous lives of privileged teenagers on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, as chronicled by an anonymous blogger known as “Gossip Girl.” Serena’s dramatic personal life, complex friendships, and fashion-forward style made her a cultural sensation. The role catapulted Lively to international fame, making her a fashion icon and one of the most recognizable faces in television.
The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009)
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In this indie drama, Lively took on the role of a young Pippa Lee in a series of flashbacks, a woman who embarks on a new life in a retirement community with her older husband. Lively’s portrayal of the troubled and rebellious younger Pippa showcased her dramatic acting range, moving beyond the teen drama genre.
The Town (2010)
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Lively continued to prove her dramatic prowess in Ben Affleck’s crime thriller The Town. She played Krista Coughlin, the troubled, drug-addicted ex-girlfriend of Affleck’s character, Doug MacRay, a bank robber from Boston’s Charlestown neighborhood. This gritty, raw performance was a significant departure from her glamorous role in Gossip Girl and garnered her widespread critical acclaim.
Green Lantern (2011)
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In this superhero film, Lively played Carol Ferris, the childhood sweetheart and business partner of test pilot Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds), who is chosen to be the first human member of the Green Lantern Corps. While the film received a mixed reception, the role was significant as it was a major blockbuster and her first foray into the superhero genre. It was also where she met her future husband, Ryan Reynolds.
Savages (2012)
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In Oliver Stone’s crime thriller, Lively took on the role of Ophelia “O” Sage, a free-spirited young woman in a polyamorous relationship with two marijuana growers. When their business is threatened by a Mexican cartel, O is kidnapped, forcing the two men to go to extreme lengths to get her back.
The Age of Adaline (2015)
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Starring as Adaline Bowman, Blake Lively plays a woman who stops aging after a miraculous accident and lives a solitary existence for eight decades to protect her secret. She must navigate a world of changing times and technology while keeping her condition hidden, until she meets a man who makes her reconsider her immortality. It was a commercial success and her first leading role since Gossip Girl.
The Shallows (2016)
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Blake Lively played Nancy Adams, a medical student grieving her mother’s death who goes surfing at a secluded beach and is attacked by a great white shark. Stranded on a rock just 200 yards from shore, she must use her wits to survive. This role was a major career highlight, as Lively carried the film almost entirely on her own, delivering a powerful and physically demanding performance.
A Simple Favor (2018)
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Lively stunned audiences with her portrayal of the mysterious and stylish Emily Nelson, a high-powered PR director who suddenly disappears, leaving her “mommy blogger” friend Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) to uncover the truth. The film, a stylish neo-noir thriller, was a critical and commercial hit. The sequel premiered in 2025.
It Ends with Us (2024)
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Blake Lively starred in and was an executive producer for this film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel. She played Lily Bloom, a young woman who, after a chance meeting with a charming neurosurgeon, finds herself navigating a relationship that begins to show unsettling parallels to her parents’ own tumultuous past.
