Joining Sasha in the “old guard” is Janel Parrish, whose character has also undergone a transformation since the early days of PLL. Mona, once a social climber hungry for status, is now a counselor at the college. While Parrish is 30 to Pieterse’s 23, both exude a quiet confidence that comes with years of juggling personal life with the demands of a successful TV show. Both got married last year, and both revealed exclusive wedding photos in high-profile magazines.
Parrish embraces her big sister role among the cast and feels very protective of the other actors, who she calls her “littles.” But while she is the oldest cast member, she denies being the wisest: “Sasha’s not much younger than me, but I always go to her for life advice because she’s one of the wisest, most mature people I’ve ever met.”
On the day of our interview, Parrish is energetic and eager to make eye contact. She hasn’t gone through hair and makeup yet, and her beautiful bare skin indicates she’s been blessed with great genes and a natural glow.
When I ask her about how the image of fame contrasts with reality, she draws parallels between the perils of social media and the plot of her show. “Hollywood can look like — and sometimes is — a very glamorous business and a very glamorous world,” Parrish says. “But people don’t always see the things underneath, like the really long hours or shooting in the rain and being freezing, and pretending that it’s Summer.”
Being an actor requires some amount of make-believe, and that theme extends to the themes of the show. “These perfectionists, they look so beautiful and perfect — perfect grades, the perfect couple — but there’s all this darkness and struggle underneath. Trying to be a perfectionist can kind of drive you mad at times.”
Darkness, indeed. The Perfectionists follows a similar story arc as PLL: a group of students in a small, idyllic town unite to unravel an all-consuming murder. In many ways it will feel familiar to fans, but the story has graduated to a new level — and not just because it takes place on a college campus. There are far more sinister things going on among the characters, and they’re hinted at throughout the first episode.
“It is this seemingly perfect world on the exterior, and then once you crack the surface, you find imperfections and lies and darkness that we all have inside of each of us,” says Carson. “I think the darkness gets heightened in our search for perfection. I think that’s kind of infiltrated into everyone’s world now through social media. Our world consumed by this strife for this unattainable perfection. That is harmful.”