{"id":63218,"date":"2022-09-22T22:30:17","date_gmt":"2022-09-22T22:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/?post_type=articles&p=63218"},"modified":"2022-09-22T22:48:15","modified_gmt":"2022-09-22T22:48:15","slug":"mallory-bechtel-exclusive-interview-pretty-little-liars-original-sin","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/mallory-bechtel-exclusive-interview-pretty-little-liars-original-sin\/","title":{"rendered":"For Mallory Bechtel, Starring in ‘Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin’ Is a Full-Circle Moment"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Mallory Bechtel photographed on Sunday, July 10, 2022 by Stephanie Diani (@stephaniedianiphoto) styling by Sarah Slutksy, makeup by Rebecca Restrepo, hair by Jacob Rozenberg<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Got a secret, can you keep it?<\/em> There\u2019s a new resident mean girl in the Pretty Little Liars\u00a0<\/em>universe, and she\u2019s got an equally evil twin. 22-year-old actress Mallory Bechtel grew up watching and reading the beloved franchise, and now, she not only plays one but two roles in the new spin-off, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am just still processing that it’s Pretty Little Liars<\/em>. I was such a huge fan growing up, so it’s a huge deal,” Bechtel tells GRAZIA USA. “<\/em>To get to play two characters feels like I won the freaking lottery. I’m so grateful.\u201d<\/p>\n

The franchise began with a series of bestselling YA novels by Sara Shepard, following the harrowing tales of four girls, Spencer Hastings, Hanna Marin, Aria Montgomery, and Emily Fields, as they work to unmask their unknown tormentor, \u201cA.\u201d The books were adapted into a cult-beloved television series on the Freeform network in 2010, starring Troian Bellisario<\/a>, Ashley Benson<\/a>, Lucy Hale<\/a>, Shay Mitchell<\/a>, and Sasha Pieterse. Now, the HBO Max series follows a new generation of teenage girls who fall victim to the schemes of the anonymous villain, \u201cA.”<\/p>\n

HBO Max\u2019s reboot features Bailee Madison as the pregnant teen ring-leader Imogen Adams, Maia Reficco as Noa, Malia Pyles as Minnie, Zaria Simone as Faran, and Chandler Kinney as the cinephile Tabby. Bechtel portrays twins, Karen and Kelly Beasley, who are the daughters of the quiet town of Millwood’s vindictive Sheriff, and who find themselves on the outs with the group.<\/p>\n

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Mallory Bechtel photographed on Sunday, July 10, 2022 by Stephanie Diani (@stephaniedianiphoto) styling by Sarah Slutksy, makeup by Rebecca Restrepo, hair by Jacob Rozenberg<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bechtel relished in exploring her characters\u2019 prickly exteriors, and sank her teeth into the comically mean-spirited Karen and Kelly. \u201cI love playing the villain,\u201d Bechtel says. \u201cWhen you\u2019re playing a mean character, you have to sympathize with them if you\u2019re going to do the character justice. I loved [Karen], I still love her. She\u2019s obviously a terrible human but has a lot of pain and demons.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Beasley twins are emblematic of the evil twin mythology woven throughout the original series. The original PLL<\/em> mean girl, Pieterse, reached out to Bechtel via social media congratulating her on her new role taking over the reigns. \u201cI was on set when that happened \u2014 cast members can attest to this \u2014 I broke into a sweat, forgot how to talk,\u201d Bechtel says with a laugh. \u201cI was so truly starstruck. It was so sweet of her to do. I thought that was so kind. Now we follow each other on Instagram, so no big deal<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

In her roles, Bechtel succeeds in intricately formulating independent identities for the two Beasley sisters. \u201cIt was a lot of sitting down and having conversations with the director and just finding out what those tiny little differences between them was going to be, because they did want them to be similar and confusable and they do pose as each other,\u201d says Bechtel.<\/p>\n

Thanks to a little help from the wardrobe department, Karen and Kelly became their own people. \u201cWhen we first meet them, they dressed very differently,\u201d Bechtel explains. \u201cKelly’s always in blue, Karen’s always in pink. Karen’s always in a heel and Kelly is always in flat shoes. That would affect my posture and how I carried myself. Also, Karen wears less clothes and Kelly’s a little more conservative. That affects how you carry herself as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bechtel did a lot of character work for the girls, studying the dynamic of their sisterhood, and spitfire characters from cinema\u2019s past, like Chris from the 1976 Stephen King horror classic Carrie<\/em>. Bechtel incorporated specific details for each twin down to the minutia. Karen keeps her mouth open when she listens, while Kelly keeps hers closed. Karen\u2019s voice is deeper than Kelly\u2019s. Each little trait adds up to a fully realized character. \u201cThere is inherently so much to unpack, and that\u2019s what\u2019s fun about them,\u201d says Bechtel. \u201cYou have to do a lot of digging to find their heart, and where they\u2019re coming from \u2013 what motivates them.\u201d<\/p>\n

She didn’t have to play both roles for long \u2014 one of Bechtel\u2019s two characters meets an untimely demise in the second episode of the season. \u201cIt\u2019s so cool to die. That was one of the first things we shot. I was so stressed to be Kelly, running up to the body because it was still so early in the process. I had just met all the cast members, and everyone was on set watching,\u201d says Bechtel. \u201cThen, once I got to be Karen lying on the ground, I was as happy as a clam. I was just lying there still, and they just kept coming back and putting more blood on me.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Mallory Bechtel photographed on Sunday, July 10, 2022 by Stephanie Diani (@stephaniedianiphoto) styling by Sarah Slutksy, makeup by Rebecca Restrepo, hair by Jacob Rozenberg<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For someone who grew up in the age of PLL<\/em>\u2019s peak of popularity, the legacy of the series is immeasurable. \u201cIt’s been so amazing to be a part of something that so many people my age love. I’ve gotten to reconnect with a lot of high school friends, and it’s incredible,\u201d says Bechtel. \u201cOnce I officially got the part, I invited all my friends over and I surprised them. I was in Texas at the time, because of the pandemic I had moved home. We all watched the pilot together to celebrate. We all grew up watching Pretty Little Liars<\/em>, loving Pretty Little Liars<\/em> and loving Riverdale<\/em>. I was a huge fan of Chilling Adventures<\/em><\/a> too.\u201d<\/p>\n

The new anthology was written and produced by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Lindsay Calhoon Bring, who also worked on the teen melodramas Riverdale <\/em>and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina<\/em><\/a>. \u201cThe fact that it was Roberto was a huge deal,\u201d says Bechtel. \u201cI feel so grateful to Roberto and Lindsay, they have written so many complex female characters on the show.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Mallory Bechtel photographed on Sunday, July 10, 2022 by Stephanie Diani (@stephaniedianiphoto) styling by Sarah Slutksy, makeup by Rebecca Restrepo, hair by Jacob Rozenberg<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bechtel had a pinch-me moment when she saw the actress Lucy Hale, who played her favorite character from the original series, Aria Montgomery.<\/a> “I saw her from 20-feet back at the premiere, which was everything<\/em>. I don\u2019t need anything more than that,” Bechtel shares. “I was sitting next to my mom and told her, \u2018That\u2019s my idol right there.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cI just thought Aria was so cool,\u201d Bechtel adds. \u201cI thought her style was awesome. She was such an It girl. I also loved that she was a writer and she loved English, and that was always my favorite subject. I think I just wanted to be like her more than anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the slasher teen mystery marks Betchel\u2019s big break, the Texas-native always knew she wanted to be an actress. \u201cI was first a musical theater baby,\u201d she says. \u201cMy mom put me in musical theater when I was 5. I’ve always wanted to be an actress in that realm.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bechtel played Zoe Murphy in the Broadway production of Dear Evan Hansen<\/em> and was set to star alongside James Van Der Beek in a limited showcase of Bye Bye Birdie <\/em>at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts before COVID-19 halted production. \u201cI would love to return to the stage, says Bechtel. \u201cI love to sing, and I haven’t gotten to sing in a while.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lately, she’s turned into a bona fide scream queen in the horror genre after starring in Ari Aster\u2019s 2018 psychological horror Hereditary<\/em> and 2021\u2019s Know Fear.<\/em>\u00a0\u201cI have no idea why I\u2019ve only done horror,\u201d Bechtel admits. \u201cI think it’s coincidental, but I would say I’ve grown to love it. Pretty Little Liars<\/em> is so riddled with references and Easter eggs [from the genre]. My little sister came and visited me in the city, and every single night we watched a horror film. My siblings are huge horror buffs. I love the genre. I don’t know why I’m in it, but I love it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unlike previous Pretty Little Liars<\/em> spin-offs, like Ravenswood<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists,<\/em> which were canceled after one season, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin<\/em> has more staying power. It was officially renewed for a second season, so Bechtel will be back on screens reviving her scream queen status soon.<\/p>\n

Read GRAZIA USA\u2019s Fall issue featuring cover star Nicola Peltz Beckham:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

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