OMG! Lea Salonga is Joining the Cast of the ‘Pretty Little Liars’ Spin-Off

What is the Pretty Little Liars series?

The first Pretty Little Liars (PLL) series was an adaptation of the best-selling book series of the same name by Sara Shepard. It followed a group of five best friends known as the Liars who became estranged after the disappearance of their leader Allison. A year later, the remaining four are forced to reunite due to the mysterious messages signed by an anonymous figure “A” threatening to expose their deepest and darkest secrets.

The series ran for seven years from 2010 to 2017, garnering a huge following and prompting an extension of the source material beyond the initial eight novels. It starred Troian Bellisario, Ashley Benson, Lucy Hale, Shay Mitchell, and Sasha Pieterse.

So what is the new series all about?

There’s no official synopsis yet for Original Sin, but this is what the premise is: Twenty years ago, the blue-collar town of Millwood witnessed a series of tragedies. In the present day, a group of different girls are tormented by a mysterious assailant due to the “original sin” their parents committed twenty years ago. These girls will eventually be known as the brand new set of Liars.

What’s the difference between the ‘Original Sin’ and the first PLL?

For one, there’s a new generation of Liars. None of the original characters of the first PLL makes an appearance (as far as we know! But who knows, we might see a cameo). The new Liars will be played by Chandler Kinney, Maia Reficco, Bailee Madison, Zaria, and Malia Pyles. It is also set in a town far away from Rosewood, the first series’ setting, so we might not be seeing any familiar spots from the first PLL series.

Compared to the 2010 series, the Original Sin spin-off is said to be a darker version. Think Riverdale and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, which were also helmed by Original Sin’s co-creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. The original PLL series was already pretty dark, with threats, disappearances, and death happening every other episode, so we’re excited to see what direction this new spin-off will take with its “darker” tone.

Lea’s role

According to Deadline, she will play Elodie, the mother of Minnie (Malia Pyles), the youngest of the Liars who spends a lot of time in the virtual world. Because of Minnie’s childhood trauma, Elodie works hard to keep her daughter safe, though she could get overbearing sometimes.

Salonga has expressed her excitement in an Instagram post. “Can’t let the children have all the fun,” she captioned.

Another Filipino has also been cast

Filipino-American actress Sharon Leal is also joining the cast alongside Salonga. She is best known for her appearance in the movie Dreamgirls. In the Original Sin, Leal will play Sidney, the mother of Tabby, another member of the new Liars. Sidney is a real estate agent and single mother and the main Original Sin matriarch.

Fun fact: Shay Mitchell from the first PLL series is a half-Filipino, like Leal.

Who else was cast in Hollywood projects?

Recently, more Filipino actors have been enjoying new opportunities overseas. Lovi Poe was recently confirmed as a cast member of the film The Chelsea Cowboy (alongside Alex Pettyfer and Poppy Delevigne), while Iñigo Pascual will be appearing in the series Monarch (starring award-winning actress Susan Sarandon).

When and where is PLL: Original Sin coming out?

There’s no confirmed date yet for the series’ release, as the cast only started filming last month. But Original Sin will be coming out in HBO Max, so you can watch out for news, teasers, and trailers in their social media accounts.

Teaser

In the meantime, while waiting for more news and updates about this new series, watch the teaser here:

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