Lucy Hale and Ian Harding “Stand Behind” Pretty Little Liars Age Gap

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Lucy Hale and Ian Harding are not apologizing for Ezria.

In fact, the actresses who portrayed Aria Montgomery and her high school English teacher, Ezra Fitz, in “Pretty Little Liars,” even went so far as to justify the questionable age gap between their characters.

Lucy stated to The Hollywood Reporter during an interview released on June 20th, “It was a different era.” She went on to question, “If that plot were developed today, would it likely be created? I’m unsure, but it’s probable that it wouldn’t.

When I landed the role of Aria back then, I was only 19 and primarily excited about being part of a television series rather than considering the larger themes. However, as I’ve grown older to the age of 36, I now appreciate the deeper messages embedded in any character I portray.

Despite the fact that Lucy might not endorse Ezra and Aria’s teacher-student relationship as readily now, she unequivocally expressed that she harbors no remorse in this matter.

She acknowledged that she wholeheartedly supports their romance, saying it was captivating to many.”

Or

“She confessed her unwavering support for their love story, adding that it had an irresistible allure for numerous others.

In response, Ian agreed with many of his co-star’s points and highlighted that their characters had a significant bond, one that did not involve Ezra exploiting the power balance between them.

He shared with the publication that what he had just said should be sufficient to explain the questionable nature of the connection, which wasn’t ideal back then. In retrospect, as society has evolved, they came to understand how incredibly inappropriate it was at the time.

He went on to say that he’s content with how things ended, finding a silver lining in the situation. He adores Ezra deeply, and as an actor, it’s essential to stand up for your character, regardless of their complexities. In the end, they both seemed to have found happiness, and there was minimal harm or distress caused by their relationship.

Indeed, despite the high-tension and nail-biting suspense throughout the show, Ian revealed that he found a sense of peace in the “safe haven” provided by Ezra and Aria’s relationship. Notably, they did end up tying the knot in the 2017 series finale.

Looking back,” the actor from ‘Our Little Secret’ reminisced, “we were immersed in this imaginary world. During my high school years, I found myself drawn to the idea of being a teacher, but merely portraying such a role on television doesn’t equate to endorsing the actions.

He stated, “I feel absolutely no remorse or need to apologize for portraying this role. While I acknowledge that the character may have been distasteful at times due to certain aspects of his knowledge, it’s important to remember that he is purely fictional.

To uncover more behind-the-scenes secrets about Pretty Little Liars, keep reading…

Sara Shepard was a ghostwriter at the renowned book publisher Alloy, best known for creating ‘Gossip Girl’, when she conceived the idea for the ‘Pretty Little Liars’ book series. This series revolves around four friends trying to cope after their group leader mysteriously vanishes. Interestingly, Shepard drew inspiration from two real-life kidnapping incidents. As she shared with Cosmopolitan, her fear of being kidnapped prompted her to ponder over what would happen if someone were to take you and what would follow.

2. Instead of unfolding the storyline from the initial book gradually, as one might expect, showrunner I. Marlene King opted to compress it all into the very first episode itself. This swift tempo, however, became a defining characteristic of the series that followed.

King stated to Cosmopolitan that Sara Shepard crafts fantastic, jaw-dropping chapter conclusions, which inspired him to end each episode on a similar suspenseful note. He aimed to replicate the tone from the books and believed that fans of the novels would transition to the TV series.

3. In my role as an ardent fan, I’d like to share that the initial cast for the show known as “The Liar” featured Lucy Hale, who didn’t need to audition due to her connection with the studio established through the short-lived CW series “Privileged.” King mentioned that she had a significant fanbase. However, Hale was initially captivated by a character other than hers, expressing in Cosmo magazine, “I was quite drawn to Aria, but I also adored Hanna; that kind of character was one I hadn’t portrayed before.

King explained, “We began matching Hale with various actors for chemistry tests, and it was during these sessions that she discovered her strong desire to portray the character Aria.

4. Initially, Shay Mitchell wasn’t the first choice for the role of Emily in “Pretty Little Liars,” as another actress was nearly cast instead. As King confessed to Cosmopolitan, “We had a tough time locating the perfect Emily. We viewed two potential candidates on tape, and I leaned towards the other individual. However, during the audition, Shay Mitchell truly embodied the character of Emily. She convinced us in the room and ultimately secured the role.

5. Troian Bellisario felt that she wasn’t suitable for the role of Spencer, as the character had some differences from what was initially written: “The scene I auditioned with involved her slipping away from a family dinner to share a cigarette with her sister’s fiancé, which didn’t make it into the pilot because it was considered too risqué!

6. One of King’s greatest conflicts with the studio arose from the cigarette-smoking scene, as she explained to Cosmo. “The major disagreement was about Wren lighting up a cigarette!,” she said, referring to Disney’s disapproval of smoking. “However, they permitted us to have him extinguish the cigarette butt in a flower pot. That was our boldest move.

7. Janel Parrish disclosed that she initially tried out for the role of Spencer, but didn’t secure it after getting several callbacks. She expressed feeling disappointed at the time because she adored the script, but a month later, she was invited to audition for the character Mona, and that was when things worked out. She’s thrilled about landing the role of Mona now, as she grew fond of portraying her.

As a lifestyle expert looking back, I find myself reflecting on the near-miss of Sasha Pieterse, who later became Alison DiLaurentis on “Pretty Little Liars.” Interestingly enough, she came so close to landing the role of Hanna before producers realized her true age – just 12 years old.

In an interview with Variety, King recollected, “I could predict what Hannah would do next and I found myself thinking, ‘Isn’t it too much for a 12-year-old?’ But since they can only work a certain number of hours before turning 16, we decided to cast her as Alison instead. She read with some of the older girls, but she managed to scare everyone in a positive manner at such a young age.

9. Ashley Benson joined the main cast as the last one to be selected. King shared with Variety that “I recall her coming in for her audition while she was in tears because she had just learned that her show, Eastwick, was cancelled and she had come over for this audition.

King went on to say, “We were looking for a blonde actress for this role since it was one of the last ones left unfilled and, apart from Alison, we didn’t have any blondes in the show. We struggled to find the right person, but she walked in…something extraordinary transpires when she appears on screen and the camera catches her striking eyes. In that moment, everyone in the room knew we had found our Hanna.

10. The PLL theme song, titled “Secret” by The Pierces, was proposed by Benson after she came across it during the filming of the pilot. Benson mentioned this to Bellisario, saying, “You expressed, ‘I’d like to share it with Marlene because I genuinely believe it could make a fantastic theme song.’

As a lifestyle expert, I’d share that Aria’s memorable “shush” pose in the initial promos was unexpectedly born from an impromptu moment and somehow managed to make the final cut, according to Hale who shared this tidbit with Cosmo. In a tweet, Aria herself admitted her discomfort with the positioning of her finger during the ‘shushing’ scene in the intro, expressing her own frustration, “Hey, have you noticed my finger isn’t centered when I shush the camera? Yeah, it bugs me too.

12. During the initial season, the first photoshoot displaying the four leading actors covered in dirt within a cemetery was so striking that some viewers mistakenly believed the series title was “Dirt on Little Liars,” as King reported.

13. Although it was Keegan Allen who made Toby a favorite among fans, James Neate initially played this role in the pilot. Interestingly, both these roles were recast during the series – Drew Van Acker replaced Parker Bagley as Jason DiLaurentis starting from season two.

14. The books portray Toby’s death as a suicide, while King initially planned to eliminate the TV character during season one. However, after noticing the enthusiastic fan reaction towards Allen and the positive feedback on the Spencer-Toby relationship, she decided to alter her original plan.

15. Due to many of her scenes being flashbacks, Pieterse often wore the same yellow ruffled tank top as Alison for extended periods. In an interview on The Talk in 2016, she openly expressed her dislike for that particular shirt, stating, “I’ve disliked it since day one, and I wish I could destroy all 13 copies of it.

16. Kylie Jenner, known for frequently expressing her interest in the show, was initially asked to make a guest appearance in 2015. However, this opportunity did not materialize because of a disagreement between Kylie and her manager, Kris Jenner, as depicted on an episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians.

From 2010, the television series PLL has always been a popular topic of conversation on social media, and its final episode was the one that generated the most tweets in 2017.)

18. Renowned for its unexpected turns and surprising plot points that sometimes seemed illogical, the cast and team were advised not to ponder over the inconsistencies. To clarify this rule, Jakub Durkoth, the production designer, shared with Cosmo, “I set up a box on the wall in the art department. If anyone asked a question that questioned the logic, they had to put a dollar in it.

19. Following an early split in their relationship, Patrick J. Adams landed a minor part on the show “Pretty Little Liars” as an attempt to reconcile with Bellisario.

[Originally], a role like that wouldn’t have been on my radar at that stage of my career due to its brief nature on ‘Pretty Little Liars.’ However, my strong desire to work with her again motivated me. With the assistance of everyone working in my industry, I pursued this role relentlessly. I had every person involved making calls, assuring that we would secure this part. My preparation for this ‘Pretty Little Liars’ audition was more intense than any other endeavor in my life.

The effort he put in was rewarded when the actor from Suits secured a part for season two, and later in 2016, they reunited and tied the knot after their reconciliation.

20. For many seasons, various characters were portrayed as “A,” but in the final episode, it was unveiled that “A.D.” (also known as “Uber A”) was none other than Spencer’s long-hidden twin sister Alex Drake, played by Bellisario. In an interview with Elle, the actress admitted she had been keeping this secret since learning about the twist in season five.

For quite some time, the question, “Who is A.D.?” would be posed, to which I’d respond, “It’s me!” This would often elicit laughter. It’s quite intriguing when one possesses a secret that only a select few – myself, Marlene, and a select few others at the time – are privy to. It allows for a unique experience of blending anonymity amidst the crowd.

21. PLL introduced two brief spin-offs, Ravenswood and The Perfectionists, before returning in 2022 with a reboot. The creator of Riverdale, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, is responsible for the latest adaptation, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, which takes place within the same universe and follows a new set of characters being tormented by a fresh take on “A.

22. In 2024, the reboot was called off, yet the unbreakable camaraderie among the original stars remains. Back in 2016, as a tribute to wrapping up ‘Pretty Little Liars’, the six main actresses got identical index finger tattoos.

Here’s what transpired, as depicted in this Instagram post by Hale: “We’re grateful to Shamrock Social Club for their hospitality. The show was unforgettable, and we just had to get tattoos to remember it! Naturally, we chose our ‘shh’ finger for the design.

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2025-06-23 00:17