Lucy Hale is reflecting on her lifelong friendships with her Pretty Little Liars co-stars Shay Mitchell, Ashley Benson, Troian Bellisario, and Sasha Pieterse, saying their bond is “always and forever.” As she describes it, there’s something truly lasting about the relationships formed during her time on the show, which ran from 2010 to 2017. The Hating Game actress, known for her role as Aria Montgomery, recently shared how she keeps up with her former castmates and how those friendships have shaped her life.
i
Hale, now 34, explained that her connection to her Pretty Little Liars co-stars remains strong. In an interview with E! News’ Francesca Amiker at the Fashion Trust U.S. Awards on April 10, she revealed, “From the OG version, I talk to all of them.” Although they’re all in different places now, they reconnect at various stages in life, keeping in touch in meaningful ways.
“It’s one of those friendships that’s always there,” Lucy said, expressing just how important her Pretty Little Liars castmates are to her. Despite some changes over the years, Lucy shared that her bond with these women is rooted in “so much love” and a deep gratitude for everything they experienced together during the show. “We spent so much of our lives on that show,” she explained, adding that their shared time on the set “kickstarted all of our careers,” making those connections even more special.
Lucy has especially enjoyed seeing the new phases her friends have moved into since Pretty Little Liars wrapped up. As she notes, it’s exciting to watch them embrace new journeys and life changes. She shared an example from when she recently reconnected with Ashley Benson, who just welcomed her first child with husband Brandon Davis this past February.
“I ran into her a couple months ago, and she looked and felt better than ever,” Lucy recalled. It was a heartwarming moment, and she was genuinely thrilled for Ashley’s new step into motherhood. “It makes the most sense for her,” Lucy added, saying that Ashley “always talked about wanting kids.” For Lucy, seeing Ashley reach that goal was pure happiness.
Although she cherishes these friendships today, Lucy admitted that there were times when the road wasn’t smooth. “People always wanted to pit us against each other,” she explained in a past episode of the Call Her Daddy podcast, where she got candid about the pressures the cast faced while navigating fame in their twenties. As she explained, “Were we all best friends? No. Some of us connected, and some of us did not. Did we have rough patches? Of course.”
However, even during difficult periods, Lucy maintained her love and respect for her castmates. “I still love them to this day,” she said, comparing their dynamic to that of a family. “You don’t always vibe with every family member, but they’re still your family.” This sense of family is something that endures between Lucy and her Pretty Little Liars co-stars, creating a lasting bond.
Pretty Little Liars captivated audiences with its gripping mysteries and high drama. However, there were plenty of interesting stories happening behind the scenes that fans may not know about. Here are some of the most intriguing tidbits from the set.
The Story Behind the Book: Sara Shepard, the author of the Pretty Little Liars books, worked as a ghostwriter at Alloy when she created the story. Her inspiration came from two women she knew who had been kidnapped. The series follows four friends grappling with the disappearance of their queen bee, Alison DiLaurentis.
Turning a Book into a Show: When I. Marlene King adapted the first book for the TV pilot, she condensed its plot, which led to the show’s fast-paced storytelling style. “Sara Shepard writes these great OMG, WTF cliffhanger chapter endings,” King explained. By following that structure, she set the tone for the entire series.Lucy Hale’s Casting Journey: Lucy was the first of the main cast to be chosen for the show and was already known from her time on Privileged. Initially drawn to the character of Hanna, she ultimately found her fit as Aria after chemistry reads with potential love interests.
Shay Mitchell Almost Didn’t Get the Role of Emily: King admitted she initially leaned toward casting a different actress as Emily. However, Shay “owned the character” during her audition and changed their minds in the room, landing the part.
Troian Bellisario’s Rebellious Audition: When she auditioned for Spencer, Troian read a scene involving her character sneaking out to smoke with her sister’s fiancé. Although it didn’t make it into the final script, it made an impression on the team.
Casting the Perfect Alison: Sasha Pieterse initially auditioned for Hanna, but producers decided against casting a 12-year-old for that role. Instead, they made her Alison, finding her performance captivating and intimidating in all the right ways.
Ashley Benson’s Breakthrough as Hanna: Ashley came to her audition in tears after finding out her previous show, Eastwick, had been canceled. With her striking presence, she nailed the role of Hanna, becoming one of the most iconic Liars.
Theme Song’s Unexpected Origin: Ashley discovered “Secret” by The Pierces during the pilot and suggested it as the show’s theme song. It has since become one of the most recognizable aspects of Pretty Little Liars.
The Famous “Shush” Pose: Aria’s signature shushing pose in the show’s promos was a spur-of-the-moment idea, and Lucy later joked about how her finger placement wasn’t quite centered, something that still bugs her to this day.
Changing Characters: James Neate originally played Toby in the pilot, and Parker Bagley first appeared as Jason. They were later recast with Keegan Allen and Drew Van Acker, respectively, who became series regulars.
Kylie Jenner’s Almost-Cameo: Kylie Jenner was a huge fan of the show and nearly appeared in a guest role in 2015. However, the opportunity fell through due to a disagreement between Kylie and her mom, Kris Jenner.
Janel Parrish’s Journey to Mona: Janel initially auditioned for Spencer but was ultimately cast as Mona. She was thrilled to bring the character to life and quickly became a fan favorite.
Since its debut in 2010, Pretty Little Liars became a phenomenon, with a storyline that kept audiences on the edge of their seats. It introduced multiple shocking reveals, leading to countless theories and debates among fans. By the series finale, “A.D.”—the ultimate villain—was finally revealed to be Spencer’s secret twin, Alex Drake. Troian Bellisario, who played both roles, later shared that she had been secretly dropping hints for years.
The show even inspired two spinoffs—Ravenswood and The Perfectionists—and most recently, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, created by Riverdale’s Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. While each spinoff brought its unique spin, the original series remains iconic for its suspense, drama, and complex characters.
In 2016, Lucy and her co-stars celebrated their journey by getting matching tattoos on their “shh” fingers, commemorating a series that had been life-changing for all of them. Hale wrote on Instagram, “Thank you @shamrocksocialclub for taking care of us. We couldn’t not get tattoos to commemorate the show!” And even though they may have gone their separate ways in life, Lucy Hale and her Pretty Little Liars castmates will forever be connected by those years spent together, unraveling secrets and sharing memories.
