Today marks the 14th anniversary of the premiere of the hit teen mystery drama ‘Pretty Little Liars’! If you’re wondering what Sasha Pieterse, Shay Mitchell, Troian Bellisario, Ashley Benson, and Lucy Hale are doing in their acting careers now, we’ve got the details!
Fourteen years ago, Pretty Little Liars made its grand debut following the journey of Aria, Hanna, Emily, and Spencer as they work to uncover the truth about their fallen friend, Alison DiLaurentis. After seven successful seasons filled with twists and turns, here’s what the actresses playing the five liars have been up to on camera since the show’s ending.
Sasha Pieterse
South African actress Sasha Pieterse portrayed Rosewood “It Girl,” Alison Dilaurentis. Even after the Liars parted ways in 2017, Pieterse reprises her alpha-female character in 2019’s Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists. The sequel ran for one season, where the former queen bee takes on a teaching assistant position in a seemingly perfect town. When one of its high-class students gets murdered, Dilaurentis is once again put into a position where she must investigate the secrets of a town that turns out to not be so perfect alongside three students attending her university, and her “Pretty Little Liars” frenemy, Mona Vanderwaal (Janel Parrish) .
You can watch Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, and Google Play.
Pieterse also participated in a few television competition shows, starting in 2017, when she teamed up with professional dancer Gleb Savchenko for season 25 of Dancing with the Stars. While this dancing duo was a fan favorite, unfortunately, they were the fourth couple to be eliminated, placing 10th overall in the season.
Next Pieterse brought her impeccable cooking skills and taste to the camera when she was invited to be a celebrity judge on Beat Bobby Flay and Sugar Rush Christmas in 2020.
Pieterse also starred in several movies after her time in Pretty Little Liars, the first being The Honor List in 2018. Sasha plays Isabella Walker, one of three best friends hoping to complete their long-lost bucket in remembrance of another former friend who had collaborated on the list and recently died in a tragic accident.
You can watch The Honor List on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, and Google Play.
Sasha was also featured in Ivy + Bean: The Ghost that Had to Go (2022), the sophomore film of the Netflix adaptation of the novel series. Pieterse played Ms. Aruba-Tate, the classroom teacher of the adventurous duo Ivy and Bean.
More recently, Pieterse starred in the thriller film, The Image of You (2024), where she played the role of two twin sisters fascinated with the same guy. The love triangle becomes dangerous quickly when the sisters discover more about their gentleman’s past.
You can watch The Image of You on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, and Google Play.
Shay Mitchell
Rosewood’s sweetheart, Emily Fields, was played by Canadian actress, Shay Mitchell. After the mystery show’s ending, Mitchell didn’t stay off the film camera for long as she appeared in the hit Netflix thriller series You in 2018. Shay played Peach Salinger, a New York socialite in love with her best friend Beck (Elizabeth Lail), directly competing with the show’s protagonist/antagonist, Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley). The ferocious feud between Peach and Joe had viewers on the edge of their seats.
Shay also appeared in the Hulu series Dollface, which ran for two seasons after its premiere in 2019. The comedy series promotes feminism by emphasizing the power of a female friendship, something Shay is all too familiar with after her time on Pretty Little Liars. Shay plays Stella Cole, one of three girlfriends who have reunited after spending a long time apart. Throughout the series, the trio of best friends rely on their strong connections as they navigate their professional careers and the world of dating in their late twenties.
Currently Mitchell is starring in the new Max show Thirst with Shay Mitchell, a reality show where she travels the world sampling unique ingredients and trying the latest drink trends.
Mitchell has also appeared in a couple of movies following her time on Pretty Little Liars, the first being The Possession of Hannah Grace (2018). Mitchell plays the leading role of Megan Reed, a former police officer who is starting her new job as an overnight intake assistant at a morgue. Megan’s new job takes an unexpected turn as she must survive the tumultuous actions taken by a young woman’s corpse, Hannah Grace, who became possessed.
You can watch The Possession of Hannah Grace on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Google Play, Vudu and AMC on Demand.
Additionally, Mitchell starred in Something from Tiffany’s (2022), a romantic comedy following the love story of two couples putting their relationships to the test. During an interview with WWD, Mitchell shares her excitement about playing Vanessa and her general love of being in comedies. Mitchell mentions, “I’ve always been a fan of romantic comedies. They are fun, easy to watch, and have a bunch of laughs. We could use more romantic comedies.”
You can watch Something from Tiffany’s on Amazon Prime.
Troian Bellisario
Our favorite brainiac, Spencer Hasting, was portrayed by American actress, Troian Bellisario.
The first film camera appearance Bellisario made after the final episode of Pretty Little Liars was Feed (2017). Troian was not only given one of the movie’s leading roles, but she assisted in writing the script, marking the start of her pursuit as a screenwriter. Bellisario plays Olivia, who is learning to cope with an eating disorder in the aftermath of a traumatic event.
You can watch Feed on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Google Play and Vudu.
The following year, Troian plays the titular character in, Clara (2018). Troian’s performance was full of emotional depth and complexity as she plays a teenage girl with a curious mind determined to discover signs of life beyond Earth.
You can watch Clara on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Vudu, Google Play, The Roku Channel, Redbox, Crackle, Popcornflix, Plex, and Hoopla.
Troian also appeared in a series of short films. The first being Like Turtles (2019), where she played Molly, a homeless widow mother that must figure out a way out of her situation while never exposing her son to the awful truth.
She also performed in Poppet (2021) a horror short film about a grieving couple who’ll go to extraordinary lengths to keep their baby’s spirit alive.
Stumptown was the first television show appearance Bellisario made following Pretty Little Liars. Troian’s guest starring role was as Jenna Marshall, a bride and heiress to her family’s fortune. Jenna’s family strongly disapproves of her fiance, leading them to hiring the show’s lead Dex (Colbie Smulders) to investigate whether he has something to hide.
Troian also stars in the comedy series Doula (2022), as Deb, a pregnant woman who’s elderly doula died “unexpectedly” and ends up with a new doula her boyfriend hired who happens to be the former doula’s son. Initially, this seemed like a disaster waiting to unfold as Deb made it clear she was not fond of the new hire. Overtime Deb grew closer to the new doula and as she came closer to giving birth, a love triangle adds another exciting element to this light-hearted series.
You can watch Doula on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Vudu, Google Play and Spectrum on Demand.
Ashley Benson
Our favorite fashionista from the Liars group, Hanna Marin, was played by American actress Ashley Benson.
Benson’s first film, featured after her time with the teen girl mystery series, was Her Smell (2018). Benson plays Roxie Rotten, a member of the alpha-female punk rock music group called Akergirls. The story mainly follows the band’s leader, Becky Something’s (Elizabeth Moss) journey to fame and the general struggles of working in the music industry. Benson’s portrayal was full of authenticity and depth, highlighting the mental health difficulties musicians experience.
Watch Her Smell on Apple TV, Amazon or Google Play.
Benson goes in a very different direction in her next film, The Birthday Cake (2021). This is a crime thriller where Ashley plays Tracey, a young girl who got mixed up in the criminal activities of a mafia family.
Benson continued to pursue numerous roles in thriller/horror, including Private Property (2022), Mob Land (2023), Alone at Night” (2023), as well as the television series Wilderness (2023).
Benson also has a talent for making people laugh, as she performed in two 2022 comedy films: Angry Neighbors and The Loneliest Boy in the World.
Benson’s most recent camera appearance is in the psychological thriller, McVeigh (2024), a biographical production following the story of Timothy McVeigh. McVeigh was responsible for the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995, which took the lives of 168 people, injured 680, and decimated a portion of a federal building. McVeigh’s treacherous actions have deemed this incident the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in United States history. Benson plays Cindy, and while there isn’t much information on her role beyond the character’s name, Benson’s name alone has garnered a massive attraction for the film, which was released at the Tribeca Film Festival on Friday, June 7, 2024.
Lucy Hale
The successful published author, and the only Liar brave enough to rock hot-pink hair, Aria Montgomery was portrayed by Lucy Hale.
Hale took on a leading role in numerous television shows following her time on Pretty Little Liars starting with Life Sentence in 2018. This was a comedy drama series where Hale played the protagonist Stella Abbott, a young woman facing a miracle as her terminal cancer has been cured. The show follows Stella’s journey as she transitions into an unexpected stage of life where she now has a future to look forward to.
You can watch Life Sentence on Tubi TV or Google Play.
Lucy also starred in the Riverdale spinoff, Katy Keene (2020) as the titular character. Lucy portrays an aspiring fashion designer living in New York City hoping to become a designer one day. Keene’s journey to achieving her dreams is supported by her friends and the show explores her romantic relationships as well. Hale’s extraordinary singing talent is also displayed within Keene’s character.
Additionally, Hale appeared in British television series, Ragdoll (2021) as a Detective Sergeant (D.S) with a troubled past, Lake Edmunds. Edmunds collaborates with other detectives as they investigate a vicious murder ending with the corpse being dismembered and put back together like a ragdoll.
You can watch Katy Keene and Ragdoll on Apple TV, Vudu and Google Play.
Lucy Hale also starred in a vast collection of movies including comedy, horror, thriller, and romance. Hale’s experience on Pretty Little Liars, playing one of the members of a group of girl best friends, aided her when she performed in the Netflix film, Dude (2018). Hale plays Lily, one of four best friends, living the final moments of high school to the fullest.
That same year, Hale also appeared in The Unicorn, a comedy about a couple (played by Lauren Lapkus and Nicholas Rutherford) looking to spice up their marriage. Hale plays Jesse, a potential swinger the couple is interested in having a threesome with. Throughout the film, her character helps the couple identify problems within their relationship.
You can watch The Unicorn on Tubi TV.
Hale also appeared in the 2020 film, Son of the South, where she plays Carol Ann, the wife of Bob Zellner (Lucas Till), a civil rights activist during the Civil Rights Movement. Carol Ann served as an excellent support for her husband. At the same time, he navigated his transition from a white, privileged grandson of a Klansman to becoming a voice for change, advocating for equal rights during a period of segregation.
Hale ventured into horror films when she took on the leading roles in two Blumhouse horror films, Truth or Dare (2018) and Fantasy Island (2020). Hale also plays the leading role in the 2022 thriller, Borrego, where she plays Elly, a girl kidnapped and taken somewhere in the desert. The story follows Elly as she must do whatever it takes to escape her captor and survive.
You can watch Borrego on Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Google Play, and Fandango at Home.
Hale continued to venture into horror films when she appeared in the thriller Inside Man (2023).
Overall, Hale has expressed a clear interest in romance movies as she obtained most of her roles within this genre. She has often been cast in roles where her character is admired for her beauty, bubbly and outgoing personality, and natural humor. These roles include The Hating Game (2021), A Nice Girl Like You (2022), Puppy Love (2023), and her most recently released film in 2024, Which Brings Me You.
Hale is set to perform in the action-comedy film, F*ck Marry Kill set to be released in 2025. The story follows a true-crime junkie based out of Boulder, Colorado who must determine the motive of three potential suitors. Moreover, she uses here detective skills to navigate through a 21st century world of dating to delineate which of three men she is dating wants to have a exclusively sexual relationship with, marry her or kill her. The Lionsgate production seems to be geared towards younger viewers as the protagonist’s journey is a unique perspective representing the ups and downs of today’s dating culture.
