Pretty Little Liars: Cast and Creator Reflect on Controversial Age Gap Relationships
Fifteen years after its premiere, Pretty Little Liars remains a cultural touchstone, known for its mystery, fashion, and, notably, its controversial relationships. As part of a look back for the show’s 15th anniversary, the cast and creator Marlene King reflected on the “wildly inappropriate” age gaps depicted in the series, acknowledging that some storylines would likely be handled differently today.
The relationship between high school student Aria Montgomery (Lucy Hale) and her English teacher Ezra Fitz (Ian Harding) – affectionately dubbed “Ezria” by fans – was arguably the most talked-about and polarizing pairing in the show’s seven-season run. Beginning when Aria was 16 and Ezra a college graduate and her teacher, their romance immediately raised eyebrows.
Acknowledging the “Crossing a Line”
Creator Marlene King openly admitted during the anniversary reflection that they were “definitely probably crossing a line I wouldn’t cross now.” She added, “What we know now about grooming, that was not something we talked about 15 years ago.”
Despite this acknowledgment, King also defended the couple’s enduring popularity. “I don’t want to take away from what they had, either,” she stated. “It was very satisfying for a lot of fans.” The show’s writers even explored the possibility of portraying the Ezra-Aria relationship more explicitly as grooming early on, but ultimately steered away from it as the couple gained traction with viewers, using it instead as a red herring for Ezra potentially being part of the mysterious “A-Team.”
The Actors’ Perspectives
Ian Harding, who played Ezra Fitz, has previously made light of the controversial nature of his character, once jokingly referring to Ezra as “America’s most beloved pedophile” in his memoir. While he recognizes that the pairing wouldn’t be easily accepted today, Harding hopes the characters’ “meaningful connection” can “justify the deeply problematic relationship that was certainly not great at the time.”
“As society has progressed, we realized how wildly inappropriate it was,” Harding commented. However, he emphasized the fictional context of the show. “Just because you depict something on TV doesn’t mean you condone the behavior… it’s fiction.” He noted the storyline sparked important discussions about “what is actually considered abuse and what is considered love.” Harding doesn’t regret playing the role, viewing Ezra’s character as “icky in some knowledge,” but ultimately fictional. He even described their relationship as seeming like a “safe haven in the storm” compared to the show’s other horrors.
Lucy Hale, who was 19 when she was cast as 16-year-old Aria, admitted she wasn’t focused on the “bigger themes” at the time, simply being excited to land a TV role. Reflecting now, her perspective has shifted. “Of course, it hits differently at my age now and I think about the bigger message in anything I play.” Yet, she stands by the characters’ appeal. “I stand behind their love story forever. That forbidden love story drew a lot of people in.”
Beyond Ezria: Other Age Gaps
“Ezria” wasn’t the only relationship raising questions about age and power dynamics in Rosewood. Troian Bellisario’s character, Spencer Hastings, was involved with older men like Ian Thomas and Wren Kingston. Sasha Pieterse, who played Alison DiLaurentis, was notably only 12 when the pilot was shot, acting opposite considerably older actors throughout her early teen years.
Pieterse shared that while filming never “felt weird in the moment” and she always “felt protected” by the cast and crew, looking back as a mother, she sees the dynamics differently. She highlighted the complexity of depicting storylines involving minors with older partners, even when the actors themselves were over 18. Pieterse also shared a concerning anecdote, mentioned during the anniversary discussions, about a fan who cited “Ezria” as justification for dating her own teacher, underscoring the real-world impact fictional relationships can have.
These reflections from the cast and creator emphasize the evolving understanding of relationships and power dynamics in media over the past decade and a half, even as they acknowledge the complex legacy and fan connections forged by Pretty Little Liars.
