Interview with Lesley Fera from Pretty Little Liars

Pretty Little Liars is my favorite binge-watching hit. I’ve watched all seven seasons on HBO and can I say it’s what got me through Covid? Lesley Fera plays the role of Veronica Hastings and now also has a podcast. What to do once you get through the show? Watch the podcast!

In our interview, we talk about the show as well as how to survive Covid!

MS) Pretty Little Liars has become a bit of a binge-watching/Covid hit. Why do you think it resonates and works so well for binging?

LF) Pretty Little Liars has the best of everything — interesting characters, fiercely loyal and complex female friendships, romance, and suspense. The big mystery in the show keeps people guessing and keeps them tuning in to see what happens next. And the writing is wonderful — so campy and fun but also poignant. It’s an easy show to binge watch and yet it also stimulates your brain at the same time and keeps you guessing.

MS) Do you find your podcast is also a good means to distract yourself from the wonderful times of Covid?

LF) I’m a little biased – but yes. Absolutely! Many of our listeners have told us how much it means to them to have the podcast; how it keeps them laughing through these challenging times and gives them something to look forward to every week. I can’t think of a better reason to keep producing this show than to give people a momentary escape from the strain of their lives.

MS) Now that we’re trapped at home, what tips/secrets do you have to keep your family and marriage happily flowing through Covid?

LF) Ha! I think I’d be a pretty little liar if I said that it’s been easy. I don’t think anyone was meant to be around their partner 24/7. But my husband, Ned Mochel, is my best friend. That helps. And we do particularly well when we’re faced with challenges (like this pandemic) and when we work together on a creative endeavor. If you asked me a year ago if I would eventually produce two podcasts in the span of six months during a pandemic, I would’ve laughed in your face. But here I am. And it’s been enormously gratifying in completely different ways from my work in the theater or tv/film. There’s a wonderful camaraderie between Holly, Nia, and me, as well as an authenticity that we’ve been able to achieve that’s liberating.

MS) You mentioned in a recent interview missing live theater. Do you think Broadway and live theater will come back with a bang when this is all over?

LF) Yes, indeed, I miss live theater very much. I believe theater will return with a vengeance when this pandemic is successfully manageable or behind us. But, honestly, I don’t think that will be for some time. I think it will take time to trust being around others, being “exposed” that way again, being around crowds. I think in some ways we’ve all become agoraphobics to an extent, or at least hermits. It will take time to come out of our turtle shells and be physically vulnerable to our surroundings and be able to be around large groups of people again. I hope and pray that the smaller 99-seat theaters and even the bigger theaters will be able to survive. It’s important to donate to your favorite theaters in order to sustain them through these trying times.

MS) While I’m binge-watching PLL, what do you binge-watch?

LF) Earlier in the spring, I binge-watched I’ll Be Gone In The Dark (spellbinding), and an oldie but goodie that I never watched the first time around, Game of Thrones. But lately, I’ve had zero time to binge-watch – my life has been all about producing PLWM. But we’re off from recording the next four weeks, so I look forward to doing some serious binge-watching!

Maria Spanadoris

Maria Spanadoris an experienced online writer with a passion for general entertainment stories. As a Greek mom, Maria brings her unique perspective to her writing, infusing her work with warmth and humor. She has been writing online for over 20 years, starting her career at thecelebritycafe.com. Since then, Maria has honed her skills as a writer, developing a talent for crafting engaging and informative content that keeps her readers coming back for more. Whether she's covering the latest celebrity gossip or writing about her own experiences as a mom, Maria's writing is always relatable and engaging.