Adam Brody has admitted he regrets his decidedly unromantic proposal to wife Leighton Meester.
Revealing their whirlwind engagement lacked the grand gesture he now believes she deserved, the 46-year-old actor discussed his relationship with Leighton, 40, during Monday's (26.10.26) episode of the Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard podcast, where he appeared alongside his Nobody Wants This co-stars Kristen Bell, 46, Justine Lupe, 37, and Timothy Simons, 48.
The conversation turned to marriage proposals as the cast promoted the third season of their Netflix romantic comedy, prompting Adam to reflect on his own engagement more than a decade earlier.
Adam said: “I’ll spare the details. However, rest assured, it was not as romantic as it should have been.”
He added: “The only thing romantic about it was the speed. Meaning, like, I proposed pretty quickly into our relationship. We got married fast, but other than that, it was very pedestrian.”
Adam and Leighton first became publicly linked in February 2013, with news of their engagement emerging that November.
The couple married privately in Northern California in early 2014, according to a source who confirmed the wedding to People magazine at the time.
Although neither has publicly disclosed the exact date of their wedding or the location of the proposal, Adam acknowledged his understated proposal approach had left him with some regrets.
He said: “I’ve learned, the thing is, you know, at the time, you’re like, whatever, but you’re going to tell that story the rest of your life.”
Adam added: “So my advice: Do it not even just for the moment, but for the story that you’re going to tell forever.”
The podcast discussion prompted Timothy to suggest Adam's practical personality might explain his approach to proposing.
Timothy said: “I can see that from you being like, ‘Yeah, we love each other. Let’s just get married. Why are we going to do all this bulls***?’ You what I mean? Like, ‘Let’s just do it. Let’s just f****** do the thing.’”
Adam replied: “There’s that. And yet, and yet, I do kick myself a little.”
He added: “She deserved a little more.”
Adam also revealed he has little enthusiasm for Valentine's Day, questioning the expectation couples should celebrate their relationships on a designated occasion.
He said: “I’m not a big Valentine’s Day person.”
Adam added: “Everyone’s like state-sanctioned lovemaking, it’s weird.”
The actor first became widely known for playing Seth Cohen in the teen drama The O.C., while Leighton rose to fame portraying Blair Waldorf in Gossip Girl.
Both have since continued their television and film careers, with Adam enjoying renewed attention for his portrayal of rabbi Noah Roklov opposite Kristen's Joanne in Netflix's Nobody Wants This.
The romantic comedy follows the developing relationship between an unconventional rabbi and an agnostic podcast host, with their differing beliefs and family expectations creating complications.
Adam and Leighton, who have two children together, have also appeared on screen together, including in Life Partners and The Oranges.
The couple have largely kept their family life private throughout their marriage, occasionally discussing their relationship in interviews while avoiding public appearances with their children.
The third season of Nobody Wants This is now streaming on Netflix, with Adam, Kristen, Justine and Timothy returning to their roles.