What’s old is new again. Pretty Little Liars will be rebooted with HBO Max’s Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, and OG star Lucy Hale revealed that she’ll support the new show — even if the mere existence of a remake has her feeling ancient.
“Oh my God, it’s so depressing that I already have to give advice to a new generation,” Hale, 32, told TVLine with a laugh in an interview released on Saturday, November 26. “But I think it’s great. It’s an honor that they want to continue the legacy of Pretty Little Liars. Like, how cool is that?”
The Hating Game star played Aria Montgomery on Freeform’s Pretty Little Liars from the show’s pilot 2010 until the series finale in 2017. The show’s spinoff starring Janel Parrish and Sasha Pieterse, Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists, was canceled after a 10-episode first season in 2019.
Hale hopes the new cast can learn from her mistakes during the original show’s run.
“When I was doing Pretty Little Liars, I was always thinking about the next year,” the Tennessee native explained. “I was never in the moment, so I missed a lot of the little moments. We were worrying about things we shouldn’t be worrying about. It’s very vague, but my advice is just to enjoy it. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. People are going to love you guys, and I’m definitely going to be watching. All the love to everyone involved.”
HBO Max announced Original Sin in September 2020 with Riverdale showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina writer Lindsay Calhoon Bring penning the new mystery. While the show is still set in the universe that Aria and her Liars are in, it’s a new town with a 20-year-old secret. A group of teenagers in the fictional town of Millwood find themselves haunted by a decision their parents made before they were born, and someone wants to make them pay for their guardians’ mistakes.
PLL: Original Sin has rounded out their cast with Chandler Kinney, Maia Reficco, Malia Pyles, Zaria, Mallory Bechtel, Sharon Leal, Elena Goode, Lea Salonga, Alex Aiono, Eric Johnson and Bailee Madison. Hale is particularly excited to see the Good Witch alum on the small screen.
“I also know Bailee Madison, who’s in the show, and I adore her,” the Ragdoll star added. “I’ll always support other artists and actors, no matter what the venture is. I think it’s important that we do that, because there’s not enough of that. And I’m as curious as anyone to see what they’re going to do with it.”
Hale echoed what she exclusively told Us Weekly in November 2020, shortly after the plans for a new PLL were announced. “I sincerely wish everyone the best and I hope it’s a huge success,” she said at the time. “Some people get angry about a reboot, but I think it’s important to be supportive of up-and-coming artists. I’m curious to see what they do with it!”
HBO Max has not yet announced a premiere date.