Prior to the show's debut in 2007, the actress stated that, "The only way to play Blair, or any character, and make her human, is to find what she is inside me. And I know I have my insecurities, too." She went on to say that, "The way Blair and I are not alike when it comes to insecurities is: She pays so much attention to hers!"[30] Meester's casting was described by Yahoo! as a star-making role which moved her "into the pop culture vanguard,"[31] while Cecily von Ziegesar has called her a perfect choice.[32]