Sasha Pieterse – Pretty Little Liars

By: Lisa Steinberg

Q) What are the recent projects that you have been working on?

A) There is a project that might come out, but I can’t talk about it right now. I do have a movie called Burning Bodhi coming out this year. It’s a really cute indie movie I did last year and I’m really proud of it. It’s really sweet. It’s about a guy who goes to college and leaves behind a lot of drama in his hometown. One of his high school friend dies and he has to come back to town to deal with it. It was really fun to film and I’m so excited for my fans to see it.

Q) Are you ready to see how the fans will react to this new season of “Pretty Little Liars?”

A) It’s going to be really fun to see how the fans react to the flash forward because it was such a big change for us. I think they are really going to enjoy it.

Q) How would you describe where Ali is in her life and mentally where we find her?

A) It was kind of surprising for me, but the more we filmed it the more it made sense. We find her as a teacher and I thought that was ironic because she didn’t really experience high school the way other kids did. I think that is the reason she kind of resorts to that, basically trying to relive her childhood a little bit. But she becomes a teacher mainly because she has so much to offer having experienced so much in life that people at that age don’t have yet. And she’s very passionate about it! Charlotte (Vanessa Ray) is still there and she basically reconnects with her. She makes a good relationship with her. She is very loyal and they have a very special relationship. She is kind of estranged from her father with all of her family drama so it is really the only family she can connect with, even though there is so much negative history there. It’s nice to see her grow as a person. She’s very different in the way she deals with people and handles her emotion. She’s had a lot of therapy and realizes that the good things in life outweigh the negative. She’s a very positive person and cares about her family and friends. Even though everyone went their own ways, they still are close. It will be neat for the fans see them all reconnect and see how the girls go different ways and change, but at the same time how they stay the same. Obviously, they come back to Rosewood for a very specific reason. It’s a shocker and lots of people come back. We’re kind of describing this new danger as a classier, but a little more fierce villain. The way this person attacks situations is very different than the way A (Charlotte) handled things. She was very much about games and this villain is not that way. This is more of a poignant attack on the girls in different ways. It’s really quite disturbing, but I think that’s part of the reason why fans love the show so much and it’s so fun to see that side of the show. Even though our show is basically a brand new show because of the flash forward, it’s still got a lot of the same vibes that our fans adore. There is still plenty for the fans to investigate and the true nature of our show hasn’t changed. A lot of shows do flash forwards and it doesn’t really work out very well. I think our writers have written the perfect way to take our show forward. It’s really realistic to see the way people change after high school so I’m excited to see what the fans think and how they react to it.

Q) As you mentioned, Ali is estranged from her family. What will we see in regards to Ali with her husband?

A) You see this new relationship that is very honest, very sweet and very real. From the glimpse we have seen, Alison does have a new last name. You will see this love and this beautiful relationship grow. She gets engaged and gets married. I know there are a lot of Emison fans out there, but I can tell you that you will love this relationship, too. This guy really cares about her and they are there for each other. The other girls start to like it as well and they approve of it. Spencer (Troian Bellisario) and Ali have a very sweet and honest scene about how Alison feels about the relationship and I think the fans are going to like it.

Q) With the new A, what kind of strains will it put on Alison’s marriage?

A) Well, with this romance he knows everything that has happened so he knows everything that Charlotte has put her through. She still struggles with all of these new things that are happening to her because she is always so conflicted. He is very supportive and there is not much strain there. It’s unusual because you have seen all struggles with the relationship of these girls trying to maintain their relationships. They are just very truthful. She’s used to lying, manipulating and have things go her way so she is very honest with him. I think that is what really makes it special. The way he reacts to it is a little bit different and a little bit surprising. They are perfect for each other, basically.

Q) Often it is said, “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Will we be seeing any past resurfacing for Ali or is this solely moving forward a brand new Ali?

A) I think that is a very true statement and people are generally creatures of habit. Even though you have seen her change so much, you do see as the season continues that she falls back into old habits she once had. She might go a little bit crazy, which is always fun for me to play. She changes still, but there is a bit of an emotional rollercoaster.

Q) So much in the past was gained from flashbacks in the learned. Will there be any this season?

A) There will be. There are quite a few with Spencer. It’s a long time past from what we see now, but it all goes back to what happened in the last five years. It is a little bit of their journey and what made them who they are today, which I think is pretty cool. Then, it definitely helps when it comes to relationships and piecing things together. I think they have done an awesome job with that. It’s very honest with the way people change and the way they have dealt with all of their teenage years and how it has effected them as adults. It’s all about choices and the choices these girls have made have been so strong and connected with each other, but there is only so much someone can take. It’s very powerful and it is a “classy PLL” (that’s what I’ve called it). Also, I think it is kind of neat to see how the fans have grown with us. We have grown up with the show, but so have our fans. So, I think it is really neat to see us go forward and it definitely changes peoples’ perspectives. I’m really proud of that. We are not just one dimensional. I’m really proud we have been able to accomplish so much and our fans are different ages with mothers and daughters connecting, fathers and daughters and fathers and sons. It’s amazing the type of people who come up to me as fans because there is no one category and it says a lot about our writers and what they bring to the table. Joseph [Doughtery] one of our writers, is amazing and he did the black and white episode. The fact we pulled that off is a throwback to them using the same lights, makeup artists, costumes, etc. To have good feedback on that was amazing. There were a lot of Hitchcock references and black and white quotes. All of that are things the older generation will pick up on and the younger generation will learn about movies and what has inspired shows and movies today. I think that’s also what makes the flash forward more special compared to other flash forwards on other shows.

Q) Is there anything else fans should look out for this season?

A) You have to engross yourself in the story. There is a lot you can miss out on if you are not paying attention. There is a lot we have to offer when it comes to little clues. Most importantly, it’s going to be about really understanding how each character ticks. There is a little bit of a different shift. I think it is really exciting and I can’t wait to see how fans react. And a lot of that depends on their feedback when it comes to our seventh season. It’s so awesome they are connected on social media and I just want them to know their opinion matters.