Leighton Meester on Toxic Work Environments in "I Love LA"
Leighton Meester plays a stereotypical LA publicist named Alyssa in the HBO series I Love LA, where she is the boss of Maia, played by Rachel Sennott. While the show doesn't draw from Meester's own experiences with publicists, parts of its depiction of office dynamics felt authentic to her.
Personal Reflection on Toxic Workplaces
Meester revealed she has encountered toxic work environments in her career. She described situations where bosses fail to support their employees, saying:
“I've been in toxic work environments. I think that a lot of people have experienced that, being around people who sort of... I don't know, just, like, you have a boss that maybe doesn't uplift you, or whatever.”
Co-star's Reaction and Safe Set Experience
During an interview with PEOPLE alongside co-star Josh Hutcherson, he expressed surprise at her admission. Hutcherson asked, “In this industry, that's happened to you?” Meester responded, “It's shocking.”
She also reflected on how working on I Love LA felt like a safe space, providing a comedic but secure way to explore challenging workplace dynamics:
“It was really fun to play with in a safe, comedic environment. In some ways, that freed me to really feel the thrill of the ride.”
Author's Summary
Leighton Meester found freedom in portraying toxic work dynamics within a safe and comedic setting, offering a personal insight into challenging professional experiences.