The TV Chick

Pretty Little Liars is back tonight, and I am ridiculously excited! Aria, Emily, Spencer and Hanna have returned and they pick up right where they left off. The show (based on the book series of the same name) debuted last year to critical and huge ratings success for ABC Family. In my mind, it has everything — mystery (missing/murdered best friend), drama (every girl in Rosewood has a secret), interesting issues (each girl is going through something romantically or in school that people can relate to) and fantastic acting. The show has taken some delightful twists and turns away from the book series and each episode keeps me on the edge of my seat. I recently had the chance to visit the set, where I spoke with Lucy Hale, who plays Aria. She talked about the phenomenon the show has become, Team Mr. Fitz (and the Noel/Aria/Ezra love triangle) and how her relationship with the girls’ and her parents are going to continue to develop. She also gave some fun tidbits about what’s coming up tonight in the big premiere and the rest of the season.

So when you signed on for the role of Aria, did you anticipate the show would blow up the way it did?
You sort of have good feelings about things, and usually I’ll have a good feeling about a project that I’m a part of. And I definitely had that with this. I knew beforehand it had a huge following because it was a successful book series. I knew that the book fans would watch the show and I knew that ABC Family was super excited about it. It sort of exceeded all of our expectations. And I know that they have a lot in store for the show, and they’re just pushing it even further. It keeps taking all of us by surprise. It’s really awesome.

And would you say you are anything like Aria at all?
Yeah, we’re both really stubborn. I feel like when Aria gets something in her head, she can’t drop it or let it go, and that’s definitely me in real life. And we’re both very headstrong. I don’t think I was quite as mature as Aria at 16. But we definitely have a lot of similarities, and not a lot of differences.

Are you like any of the other characters?
I think I can identify with bits and pieces of each girl. With Hanna, she has insecurities. I feel like every girl has those. Spencer is always trying to live up to something. Her sister got all the attention, so she’s trying to live up to some unknown standard. I feel like a lot of people go through that. And with Emily, she’s confused. She’s confused about her sexuality. A lot of people go through that. So I feel like people can pick and choose from all the different storylines and be like “Oh, I’m going through that” or “I’m dealing with that” so it’s really great.

How is Aria different from any other character you’ve played?
I’ve never played someone who’s been so young but yet has a personality that’s much older. I remember reading the books and thinking this girl is really — almost like an old soul, so I definitely wanted that to come across in the show. So it’s really cool to play someone who seemingly has it together but underneath is hiding a bunch of stuff.

Obviously a big storyline from last season was your love life — you are here today filming a scene with Mr. Fitz — and I know I was rooting hard for them, but it isn’t exactly the most “allowed” or PC relationship. Why do you think people latched on to the relationship?
I always think there’s something really intriguing about a forbidden love. It’s like the classic tale like Romeo and Juliet. You just root for them. But I also think that with any other actor or actress, I don’t think [it would have worked]. Immediately with Ian and I, the chemistry was there. And I feel like that comes across. The love story is very innocent. A lot of people think they are sleeping with each other, but they really aren’t. I was talking to the writers and they were like “No, these feelings are genuine and real and they want a future together.” So I feel like people pick up on that too. It’s not just some sleazy teacher sleeping with a slutty student. (laughs) There’s more to it. People recognize that.

In the book series, it was very innocent but I think they slept together in the books –
Oh they definitely did. And I’m beginning to wonder when they are going to but I don’t know if ABC Family’s going to allow it. I don’t know. That jumps to a whole new territory of laws and people getting real upset. We’ll leave it to the imagination.

Definitely, leave it to the imagination. What would you say has been the biggest challenge to the role for you so far?
It’s definitely interesting when I do all the scenes with the girls where we’re basically being stalked. At some point, we’re like “This person’s going to kill us.” So it’s interesting and difficult tapping into that whole mindset of not knowing not necessarily if we’re going to live but just knowing that something happened to our best friend and knowing that the person is still out there, because I’ve never experienced that in real life. The whole murder aspect is a little more challenging.

And have you read the book series?
I have, I’m actually in the middle of the 8th one.

Have you taken anything you’ve read about Aria and drawn from that for your portrayal of Aria?
At first, I was like no I don’t want to read the books just because it would put things in my head that aren’t really necessary and that would have me over-thinking, but I’m actually glad I did, because you just pick up on little details of Aria and how she reacts to certain situations that aren’t necessarily in the show but you just pick up characteristics that you want to incorporate. Yeah, I definitely think it’s helped.

From episode 1 when the four girls weren’t friends at all and had grown apart to now where they have been forced to bond together — how do you think the dynamic of the girls’ relationship is going to to continue to develop?
It’s so funny you asked that, because Troian and I, who plays Spencer, were talking about the pilot yesterday because it’s almost been a year since we shot the pilot and we were thinking — when we shot the pilot, we’d grown up together. And now we were talking about how our characters have sort of changed and how the dynamic between the four of us has definitely changed over the year because we’ve gotten very close, we know each other very well and I think it’s definitely going to come across even within the next ten episodes — how comfortable we are with each other. And it’s really funny that you ask that.

And what about the dynamic with Aria and her parents? I know it was sort of rough at the end of the first half of the season.
Yeah, I mean that’s going to continue on and there’s going to be — my mom at least develops a little secret of her own. And they start dating other people and that’s awkward for me. And I don’t know how much I can say, but there’s ups and downs and big surprises on their end of the deal.

More secrets!
Of course!

What would Rosewood be without secrets right?
Totally!

Obviously I know you can’t say too much, but what would you like to see from Aria going forward?
You know, obviously, I would like for her and the other girls to find out more about Alison’s disappearance and A and everything, but on a more personal level, just maybe definitely figure out her love life because it’s a little — because I’m thinking me as a person, I would definitely cut off the relationship because it could get me and him into trouble. But I want to see it work out, so hopefully she figures [it out]. Because at the beginning of when we come back, there’s a love triangle going on. So just see her figure that out and be at peace with her parents, and maybe throw in a few surprises along the way.

So are you Team Mr. Fitz or Team Noel Kahn?
Fitz! Fitz!

Team Fitz!
Totally Team Fitz!

While you might be Team Mr. Fitz, are going to see a little bit of Noel Kahn in the upcoming episodes?
A little bit of Noel Kahn, yeah. He has quite a role. He’s playing quite a big storyline when we come back. It’s a big teaser so I can’t say what it is [Ed Note: I've seen it and it is big.] He comes in with a bang, that’s all I’ll say. And there’s a love triangle. I can’t figure out who I want to be with, because there’s a little bit of another element going on that I can’t talk about.

Eventually the word will get out that you are dating Mr. Fitz, how will the other girls handle that?
It’s a big deal for Aria to tell these other girls. And they’ve been pretty supportive of everything so far so they’re very hesitant at first because it’s weird. It’s very weird. But they’re a team, so they’re sticking together and they’re very supportive of it.

And do you think that big fans of the book are going to be expecting what’s coming this season or will there be completely new things coming our way as well?
A little of both. We’ve got some new characters coming, some big events that do happen in the book, and some new secrets and situations that don’t happen in the book at all. So it’s the best of both worlds, it keeps people on their toes, even the people who have read the books.

Well that’s exciting. And obviously I know you can’t spoil too much — so many secrets! — but can you give a little teaser of what’s coming up for Aria?
Well we pick up right where we left off. So you find out what happens to Hanna after  the car hits her, and we figure out what she saw right before she got hit and that leads to a whole new suspect on who we think is A. So over the first few episodes, we have a few different people that we know for sure could be A. So we learn about those people and each girl is sort of dealing with their own personal secrets that the other girls don’t even know about — like their love life and home life and so a little bit of everything.

I know you use twitter and connect with your fans that way. Have you gotten any interesting A theories or interesting fan reactions?
I think I’ve gotten everyone in the book — every character. And family members that are like “This is A.” They don’t understand why in the world I can’t tell them. I’m like “I would get in so much trouble, do you not understand?”

So not even your mom knows who A is?
No. Not even I do, because they won’t tell me. But even if I did, I’d have to keep it on the low down. But I definitely have people tweeting me all the time: “So excited for the premiere.” It’s awesome, all the support.

What can we expect coming up from A?
Oh that A. At the beginning, right when we come back, we think we have it figured out. We’re pretty confident on we think we know who it is. And that falls through, and we’re back at the very beginning. So it’s just a series of clues that we’re trying to figure out. It’s a huge mystery that we’re determined to get to the bottom of.

And why do you think viewers are able to relate to Pretty Little Liars?
I think not many people can relate to being stalked, but that’s what we draw in viewers with. But we also have real girl issues that a lot of people are going through, so our audience can relate to — if not all of them, to one specific girl and what she’s going through. And we also we’re not holding back from anything, we’re willing to talk about things that aren’t really being talked about with people our age, which is different.

Do you have a favorite episode?
I really liked the pilot and the finale. Because I went back and re-watched some of the episodes, and the pilot was so well done. We introduce the characters and I feel like everyone really made an impact. And the finale for obvious reasons was just insane.

Be sure to tune in tonight for the mid-season premiere of Pretty Little Liars at 8 pm (or 7:58) on ABC Family! And keep checking back here for more interviews!

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