Fairly Little Liars alums Lucy Hale and Ian Harding are nonetheless fervent “Ezria” shippers — regardless of the characters’ now-controversial age distinction.
“It was a special time. Would that story line exist if it have been being made now? I’m undecided, however in all probability not,” Hale, 36, advised The Hollywood Reporter in a Friday, June 20, profile. “On the time I used to be forged as Aria, I used to be 19 years previous and I wasn’t actually serious about the larger themes of all of it. I used to be simply stoked to be forged in a TV present.”
She added, “In fact, it hits otherwise at my age now and I take into consideration the larger message in something I play. I don’t have regrets, although. I stand behind their love story endlessly. That forbidden love story drew lots of people in.”
Hale performed Aria Montgomery on all seven seasons of ABC Household’s (now Freeform) PLL, wherein she met Ezra Fitz (Harding) at a bar within the pilot. She insinuated that she was a school pupil earlier than they attached within the lavatory. Days later, Ezra was revealed to be her new English instructor on her first day of junior 12 months at Rosewood Excessive College.
Freeform Fairly Little Liars is a present all about secrets and techniques — and a city the place inappropriate relationships reign free with out consequence. The teenager drama was a success all through the early 2010s, following the lives of longtime mates Spencer (Troian Bellisario), Hanna (Ashley Benson), Aria (Lucy Hale) and Emily (Shay Mitchell) as they get harassed by […]
Aria and Ezra, after all, dated on and off all through her highschool tenure with none college directors’ data. They finally obtained married within the sequence finale, which aired in 2017.
Whereas followers of the present usually questioned Aria and Ezra’s controversial age hole, the actors have been at all times on board.
“What we tried to reveal time and again was that there was a significant connection,” Harding, 38, advised THR. “Hopefully, that was sufficient to justify the deeply problematic relationship that was actually not nice on the time. Particularly as society has progressed, we realized how wildly inappropriate it was.”
He continued, “I’m proud of the best way it turned out as a result of perhaps that makes it rather less icky, which is at all times robust to say as a result of I additionally love these characters. I like Ezra and as an actor, you need to advocate for this particular person, irrespective of who they’re. They each discovered happiness, and there was little collateral harm or ache inflicted by the connection. There was loads of ache and horror in all places on the present, however oddly sufficient, their relationship appeared to be a protected haven within the storm.”
Aria and Ezra kiss within the pilot episode of ‘Fairly Little Liars.’ Eike Schroter / © ABC Household / Courtesy: Everett Assortment
Harding additional identified that their relationship was meant to be “purposely taboo.”
“We have been taking part in into this fantasy. I actually had the instructor fantasy factor once I was in highschool, however on the identical time, simply since you depict one thing on TV doesn’t imply you condone the conduct,” the Hallmark actor mentioned. “It’s a story meant for leisure, and the present was a thriller. Now that I look again on it, I see that it was similar to the present, with the twists and turns, and it had some horror components after which it additionally had this romance element. I don’t deeply remorse it as a result of it’s fiction.”
PLL was tailored from I. Marlene King’s e-book sequence of the identical title. King, 63, additionally addressed Aria and Ezra’s connection within the THR sequence retrospective.
“What we all know now about grooming, that was not one thing we talked about 15 years in the past. I’ve at all times thought that if we revisit the world, we must cope with that,” King advised the outlet. “That will be a narrative line we’d have to concentrate to and provides focus to. However, I believe they will have their fortunately ever after as a result of they have been all people’s favourite couple.”
She added, “I do know folks argue that they weren’t, however they have been very talked-about — they usually actually beloved one another despite the truth that he knew who she was earlier than she discovered. We tried to at all times make sure that there have been penalties to their relationship. It wasn’t straightforward. We have been positively in all probability crossing a line I wouldn’t cross now, however I don’t need to take away from what that they had, both. It was very satisfying for lots of followers.”
King and the remainder of the writers additionally wished to ensure that Hale had “as a lot company as doable” whereas filming intimate scenes with Harding.
Aria and Ezra’s marriage ceremony within the ‘Fairly Little Liars’ sequence finale. Freeform/Eric McCandles
“Marlene and the writers did a extremely good job of giving Lucy as a lot company as doable. I didn’t really feel as if my character initiated a whole lot of encounters along with her,” Harding recalled. “It at all times felt like she was the motive force of that a part of the connection. Half the time, the scenes she and I had have been virtually home. We have been speaking about what was taking place at college whereas I used to be cooking or we’d be journaling collectively.”
He jokingly added of Ezra’s wardrobe, “Whenever you’re placing on sweater vests, that doesn’t get the libido going. The writers and creators tried to minimize that aspect and ramp up Lucy’s sense of company. There was by no means a second the place my character was attempting to by some means leverage the facility he had.”