25 things you didn't know about Pretty Little Liars
Despite Pretty Little Liars coming to an end in June 2017 with final episode 'Til DeAth Do Us PArt', the show is trending again on Netflix. But why? It's a good question: it might have something to do with the PLL reboot that's coming, or the fact that all seven seasons are back on the streaming service after a short hiatus.
Whether you're just getting into the show for the first time, are after some exciting new details about the reboot, or just want to reminisce over an old-school PLL obsession you had; here are 21 things you didn't know about the show.
1. Sasha Pieterse was 12 years old when she landed the role of Alison DiLaurentis. It's been alluded to in interviews that she got a little thrifty with her age in order to actually get the part, and by the time the PLL bigwigs realised how old she really was, she'd already shot the pilot. VERY Alison of her.
2. Ashley Tisdale of High School Musical fame was originally going to star in it, but eventually turned it down for a show called Hellcats, which was about cheerleading (and got cancelled after one season. Ouch).
3. Chad Lowe, who plays Aria's dad, used to be married to Hilary Swank. He's also directed a bunch of episodes of PLL.
4. PLL uses some of the same sets that Gilmore Girls used to shoot on back in the day. The Apple Rose Grille was Luke's diner, and Emily's porch was formerly the Gilmore's. Since then, they've also been used to film Netflix's You season 3 - specifically, Love's bakery.
5. It was actually Ashley Benson who suggested the show's iconic opening song. Surprisingly, 'Secret', by The Pierces wasn't written especially for PLL, but Ashley heard the song and immediately thought it was perfect. I hope she got some commission on that bad boy.
6. Brant Daugherty auditioned for the parts of Ezra and Toby before landing on Noel Kahn. We couldn't imagine him playing anyone else, tbh.
7. Ashley Benson, Lucy Hale and Janel Parrish have all appeared on The OC (at different times). They've been in the biz for YONKS.
8. Sara Shepard, the author of the original Pretty Little Liars books, made a cameo on the show once, playing a cover teacher back in season 1. You've also probably noticed that her latest mystery series, The Amateurs, has been popping up on coffee tables in The Brew during the latest episodes of PLL.
9. Troian Bellisario has directed an episode of PLL for season 7B. It's called 'In the Eye Abides the Heart' and is written by Joseph Dougherty.
10. Shay Mitchell's real name isn't actually Shay, it's Shannon. SCANDALOUS.
11. Alison's last name, DiLaurentis, is an anagram of the phrase 'Liars united'. God, even her name is mysterious.
12. Back during the casting stage, Sasha Pieterse originally auditioned for the role of Hanna. Could you imagine how different that would've been?
13. And Shay Mitchell read for the part of Spencer. The thought of Shay rocking sweater vests is genuinely harrowing.
14. Ashley Benson appeared in the film 13 Going on 30 as one of the mean girls. She dishes out her best side eye next to Oscar-winner Brie Larson.
15. Troian Bellisario's real life husband is Suits star Patrick J. Adams, and he even appeared in an episode of PLL back in season 1.
16. Patrick later admitted that the reason he guest-starred on the show in 2010 was to win back Troian, who had broken up with him at the time. Well, it clearly worked.
17. Spoby only became canon for the PLL writers after realising how well Troian and Keegan got on IRL. If that isn't #goals, we don't know what is.
18. Remember Garrett Reynolds, the dodgy cop from the earlier seasons? Well, he played the Italian popstar Pablo in the ICONIC Lizzie McGuire Movie. Mind. Blown.
19. Aria has cheated on every boyfriend she's had during the course of PLL. Probably our favourite fact out of this bunch.
20. Lucy Hale and Ashley Benson played the younger sisters of Robin and Barney on the show How I Met Your Mother. Small world, innit?
21. At 30 years old, Troian is the oldest Liar out of the bunch. She's even older than Ian Harding, which is quite funny considering he played her teacher for a few years. Can someone please tell us which moisturiser she uses?
22. Nine recurring cast members are on board with the reboot, which is titled Original Sin. They are Chandler Kinney, Bailee Madison, Maia Reficco, Malia Pyles, Zaria, Mallory Bechtel, Sharon Leal, Elena Goode, Lea Salonga, Alex Aiono and Eric Johnson, per Deadline.
23. The reboot is set within the Pretty Little Liars universe, but not in Rosewood. The official description reads, "In the dark, coming-of-age, horror-tinged drama Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, we find ourselves miles away from Rosewood, but within the existing Pretty Little Liars universe — in a brand-new town, with a new generation of Little Liars."
24. Original Sin's plot is fairly similar to Pretty Little Liars. As the synopsis explains,"Twenty years ago, a series of tragic events almost ripped the blue-collar town of Millwood apart. Now, in the present day, a group of disparate teen girls — a brand-new set of Little Liars — find themselves tormented by an unknown Assailant and made to pay for the secret sin their parents committed two decades ago...as well as their own."
25. The show runner from Riverdale, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, is behind the Original Sins scripts, while Chilling Adventures of Sabrina producer Lindsay Bring is also in on it. "We’re leaning into the suspense and horror in this reboot, which hopefully will honour what the fans loved about the hit series, while weaving in new, unexpected elements," they told Variety.
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