(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Blake Lively only acts to pay [her] bills.

The 23-year-old American actress has become an international star thanks to her role as Serena van der Woodsen in Gossip Girl, which follows the lives of a group of stylish youngsters living in New York.

The beauty has also appeared in a number of movies including Accepted and The Private Lives of Pippa Lee. Despite her burgeoning film career, the star says acting is not her only passion.

"For me acting is just a simple job, a way to pay my bills. My real passion is cooking, she said in an interview with the French edition of Elle magazine.

Blake appeared in 2010 crime thriller The Town, which was directed by Hollywood star Ben Affleck. The film, Blake notes, was poignant and allowed her to totally immerse herself in her character. The actress portrayed Krista Coughlin, the ex-girlfriend of Jeremy Renners character Jem.

"The Town changed my life! This is the kind of poignant and tragic character that I want to choose. I love nothing more than transforming myself completely, disappearing behind a character. In that particular moment, I always feel Im doing my job as an actress the best, she added. (C) Cover Media