girl talk: lucy hale

psst! pretty little liars star lucy hale is young hollywood’s best-kept secret—but not anymore.

by eva chen

In this Image , Lucy Hale is wearing “Gemstone Wonderland” ring from DesarraCollection.

Despite her head-turning entrance into a luxe Beverly Hills restaurant, her L.A.-chic look (perfectly undone hair capped with a slouchy, hide-from-prying-eyes hat; a shimmery gold off-the-shoulder sweater; and the starlet-must-have combo of black skinny jeans and vintage boots), and the not-so-subtle snaps of amateur paparazzi, Tennessee-born actress Lucy Hale positively swears she’s not a typical Hollywood actress. “I’ve only been living here for a few years. I never thought about acting when I lived in Memphis—actually, pretty much the opposite. I wanted to be a singer,” Lucy reveals. “Someone randomly suggested I audition for a few things. I thought, Why not? And I got a role on [Nickelodeon's] Drake & Josh. It was literally just a sentence, but I was so excited to be an actress.”

At fifteen, Lucy moved to Los Angeles with her family, and clearly, she’s come a long way. After appearing on the short-lived Bionic Woman remake and the critically lauded Privileged, she’s finally found her place in the spotlight with ABC Family’s Pretty Little Liars.

Plenty of shows boast superfans—think Lost, Gossip Girl, or The Vampire Diaries. Then, says Lucy, there are Pretty Little Liars fans, a particularly keen—and persistent—bunch who love the dark allure of the mystery series (not to mention the boy drama, high school power plays, and, naturally, the clothes). “People on the street stop me and ask about who [character] A is. My friends try to get plot secrets—even family members try to squeeze information out of me,” the 21-year-old says. “To prevent leaks, the production staff only gives us scripts the day before we film. It’s crazy!”

The show, which starts its second season this month, became an instant hit, amassing more than 2 million fans in just a few weeks. “I was nervous to audition because I know how popular the books are,” Lucy says. “I actually read for two parts: Hanna—who’s played by Ashley Benson, one of the first friends I made when I moved here—and Aria.” The latter was a natural fit: “Hanna is the comedic relief of the show, whereas Aria is darker and edgier,” she says. “Everyone immediately said, ‘Oh, you’re so Aria.’” Lucy will admit that the casting directors were, for the most part, right. But her true personality burns brighter than her celluloid character. Thoughtful, hyperarticulate, and more than a tad sardonic, Lucy seems older than her years. “I suppose that’s another thing I have in common with Aria,” she notes. “She’s sixteen going on 35, and I feel that way too.”

Unlike Aria, Lucy has never dated one of her teachers (thankfully). But she will reluctantly admit that she has a real-life special someone. “I don’t talk too much about him because, well, it’s private. I’ve learned from my past relationships,” she says. And she’s determined not to fall into the “boyfriend trap,” as she puts it: “I’d wrap myself up in my significant other’s life and want to make his world my world. It wasn’t healthy.”

If this idea of love, loss, and learning from your mistakes sounds like the theme of a country tune, it’s no coincidence. Lucy loves Lady Antebellum, and one of her favorite singers is Taylor Swift. “She’s amazing—listening to her songs is like reading a girl’s diary. We’ve gone through a lot of the same relationship things.” Other artists that top her iTunes list are Lady Gaga and Rihanna. And Lucy definitely hasn’t lost her own musical goals; she’s in talks to test out her voice in an upcoming ABC Family movie. As for the rumors swirling about a possible record deal, Lucy deftly diverts the question with a wry smile: “All I can say is that if I ventured out into that world, it’d be a dream come true. I took guitar a while back, and my heart wasn’t in it at the time, but I’m ready to try it again. I sing in the car, at home—it’s a huge part of my life, especially since I’m from Tennessee. When I’m ready for it, I’m going to dive into it 100 percent.”

Read More http://www.teenvogue.com/industry/coverlook/2010/12/lucy-hale-teen-vogue-february-2011#ixzz1CNI21OwS

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