It’s been 15 years since the premiere of Pretty Little Liars, and fans are still talking about one of TV’s most iconic couples: Aria Montgomery (Lucy Hale) and Ezra Fitz (Ian Harding). The show’s creators and stars recently opened up about the problematic aspect of their relationship – an age gap that raised eyebrows back then.
Creator Marlene King acknowledged that if she were to remake the show today, Ezria would not be included due to its depiction of a teacher-student relationship. “What we know now about grooming is something we talked about 15 years ago,” she said. “If we revisit the world, we have to deal with it.”
Ian Harding agrees that their portrayal was problematic, but also believes they were fortunate in avoiding major backlash. In his memoir, he joked about being “America’s most beloved pedophile.” However, he emphasizes that this does not condone the behavior.
The couple’s relationship, despite its controversy, brought up a lot of discussions about what is considered abuse and love. Harding points out that their storyline had some horror elements but offered a safe haven in the midst of other painful storylines.
Lucy Hale has always been a proponent of Ezria, even acknowledging its relic status from “a different time.” She believes in the power of their forbidden love story and does not regret bringing it on screen.
However, the show also featured other couples with troubling age gaps. Star Sasha Pieterse (Spencer Hastings) experienced working with older actors during her teenage years without any issues at the time.
Overall, Ezria’s legacy as a complicated couple is now being scrutinized more closely due to societal progress and changing attitudes towards relationships involving minors.
Source: https://ew.com/pretty-little-liars-cast-creator-discuss-wildly-inappropriate-age-gap-relationships-11758601