Posted in: Max, streaming, TV | Tagged: exclusive, interview, Lindsay Calhoon Bring, Mallory Bechtel, max, Pretty Little Liars, pretty little liars: summer school, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Zaria

Pretty Little Liars: Bechtel & Zaria on "Summer School" Challenges

Pretty Little Liars: Summer School stars Mallory Bechtel & Zaria spoke with Bleeding Cool on Season 2 challenges, horror awareness & more.

It's easy to get lost in the shuffle when you're in an ensemble cast, but Mallory Bechtel & Zaria never feel alone when it comes to the family they have on Pretty Little Liars as part of the spinoff series Original Sin. The two reprise their respective roles as Kelly Beasley and Faran Bryant as they are part of a group of teenagers in Millwood, Pennsylvania, who team up after receiving cryptic messages from a mysterious person calling themselves "A," who holds their mothers responsible for a series of events that resulted in a classmate's death on New Year's Eve 1999. Season two, called Summer School, directly follows the events of season one. The two spoke to Bleeding Cool about retaining their characters given the gap between filming seasons, what they've learned from EPs and showrunners Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa & Lindsay Calhoon Bring, and how the series helped build their awareness of the horror genre.

Pretty Little Liars: Summer School: How EPs Nurtured a Creative & Fun Environment

Bleeding Cool: What are your biggest challenges entering season two?

Bechtel: It had been such a long time since we had shot the first season, about a year's difference. I was nervous about…you haven't stepped into the shoes for so long about whether it was going to come back to me or not. Of course, that was not the case. You read the script and it just all comes right back, but that was a fear I had to overcome, is that I was not going to know what I was doing.

Zaria: What was challenging for me was trying to figure out who Faran was. If she wasn't everything I had built on her, she was not the person with straight hair. She was not a person who loved ballet and I struggled with believing at times that I was showing up as her and not as a different character. That felt like my biggest struggle and I figured out that the reason I probably felt that way was because Faran was feeling that way, she was feeling like she was showing up as someone different and had to because of her circumstances.

What do Roberto and Lindsay bring out of you as actors? How do they, engage you with your performances and how do they make you better?

Zaria: That's such a sweet question. I will forever have the biggest spot in my heart for them. They hired me for my first big TV role. I am forever indebted to that and that is how you build as an actor in those reps. You go in, and you work with other people. That is a huge bonus to my career. On the ground, they're so supportive, funny, and such great listeners. There have been so many times where I've asked for meetings, and every single time they show up, so thanks for that group.

Bechtel: Roberto and Lindsay are such fans of the [horror] genre, and they're nerds about it. Their energy is infectious and even after having lunch about two hours ago, they're talking about culture and what they're into. They bring that energy to the set, and they are so excited about the show, and that, in turn, makes you excited about it. That's amazing to have. You don't always get that where everyone is grateful to be there and excited about the project they're working on. Lindsay and Roberto are always there. They are so excited about the show and happy to be together.

Zaria: To be with us and to create with us.

Bechtel: That feels special.

How does the series help mold your appreciation for the horror genre? How has it affected you as viewers and as fans? Has it made you a little more self-aware, like the show itself?

Bechtel: After I finished filming season one, my little sister, a big fan of horror, came and visited me in New York. I knew all these references sprinkled into our show that I didn't fully understand, and we watched a bunch of horror films. Oh, and that book that Shannon gave us after the first season is this book by Grady Hendrix called 'The Final Girl Support Group. That's referencing 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' and 'Scream.' My horror knowledge grew a lot. I hadn't seen any of that before I did the show.

Zaria: I'd have to agree with Mal. Also, the technical aspect, watching the stunt woman that plays Bloody Rose get in and out of this mask, watching how tedious the choreography can be, how safe everyone is on our set, and how much work goes into building that safety is a beautiful thing to be a part of and to witness on this side of the camera.

What has been the most difficult aspect of being part of an ensemble cast? You have two fewer episodes that you had to work with last season. How do you make the most of your moments?

Zaria: I'm a big believer that there are no small parts. Our show could not function without every single part, piece, actor – and I'm grateful for that. When the material is there and you already have characters that are so big, bold, and honest that all you have to do is show up as them and everything else falls into place.

Bechtel: We're all tight as a cast. We all have so much love for each other so if there is an episode where you know we're meant to be more supportive and then vice versa, it's always exciting to be a part of. We like being a part of an ensemble show where all of these female characters have gotten their due. They're written so well, and these characters are rich; Roberto and Lindsay have done a great job of making sure that everybody has their moment.

The first two episodes of Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, which also stars Bailee Madison, Malia Pyles, Chandler Kinney, Maia Reficco, Sharon Leal, Annabeth Gish, Elena Goode, Jordan Gonzalez, Alex Aiono, Lea Salonga, and Elia Kacavas is available to stream on Max with new episodes every Thursday.

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