There’s a New Pretty Little Liar in Town: Malia Pyles

Complete with horror, mystery, and a cast of fresh faces, the next chapter of Pretty Little Liars is here.

Premiering July 28 and airing two episodes weekly on HBO Max, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin takes place in the town of Millwood and follows a group of teenage girls who begin receiving terror from a mysterious assailant named “A,” holding them responsible for something tragic that happened in the past. Featuring an ensemble cast, headed by Bailee Madison, Chandler Kinney, Zaria, Malia Pyles, and Maia Reficco, this spinoff is the fourth television series in the Pretty Little Liars franchise, which is based on the novel series written by Sara Shepard.

OFM had the pleasure of connecting with Pyles, who plays Minnie “Mouse” Honrada, the youngest member of the group who is internet-obsessed and has a history of trauma. Original Sin is her first leading role. Previously, she was seen recurring on the CW’s Batwoman, and playing Zach Galifianakis’ daughter in the FX comedy Baskets.

Let me begin by asking, how excited are you to be involved with Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin?

Oh my gosh, it has been a dream come true! Of course, I grew up when the show came out, so it made such an impact on my generation. It still is. I wasn’t always allowed to watch TV, so I’d sneak around and watch it (laughs). Also, what’s special about Pretty Little Liars is that it was one of the first shows where I was exposed to a queer relationship on television. So, being able to carry on that torch and hopefully be that same story for someone else who’s watching is amazing. I’m still pinching myself every day over it.

What makes Original Sin worth checking out, and how would you say it’s different from the other franchise installments?

The original show, creators, and young women created such a strong foundation for us to build upon. So, we still have the A plot line; we still have all the mystery; our show is predicated on secrets, and I think the fans will really love unraveling the mystery along with us girls. What makes it different is that it definitely leans into the horror elements a bit more.

We pay a lot of homage to 80s and 90s slasher films, and it’s been such a joy to play in that world. I’m hoping that at the end of the day, this is a coming-of-age story of five young girls that come from very different backgrounds, and very different experiences. I think there’s something that everyone can relate to.

Without giving too much away, is there an episode that you can’t wait for audiences to see?

It’s so hard with being in a mystery show because there’s so many secrets and you never want to talk about too much, but I really love episode seven. It’s a huge one for me. A lot comes to a head for my character, and it’s a crescendo of sorts. There’s horror; there’s romance, and I think people will have fun watching all the tragedy and mystery unfold.

You play Minnie. Can you tell us more about your character and how you personally relate to her?

Minnie is a very complex character. Let’s establish that first. I often refer to her as “Mouse” because that’s her nickname and what everyone calls her, but oftentimes in this industry, it feels like there’s not room for you at the table. Immediately with this role, so much of it clicked for me. She’s queer; she has a lot of the same personality traits as I do, so I wanted to make sure to be as truthful as possible when crafting her.

She is quieter, and oftentimes, I think people perceive quiet women as meek, shy, or even subservient. It was very important for me to be specific and define that she is observant, calculated, and fiercely protective. There’s a lot of complexity to Mouse. I think a lot of visibility has been forced upon her, so she finds comfort in invisible spaces, especially online. When we meet her, she’s isolated from her peers, but a few catalysts take her on a journey of finding her power and her voice.

You are also of Filipino descent. Is that mentioned with Minnie’s character as well?

It is! Lea Salonga plays my mother, and I’ve been a huge fan of her for years and years. She’s like a huge megastar in the Philippines, as well as in the States. It’s been very gratifying to be able to play a role that also comes from the same background as I do, and it was wonderful for the creators to be able to be so inclusive when it comes to different stories of people from different backgrounds.

I can’t imagine how meaningful it must have been for you to bring Filipino and LGBTQ representation to this show and character.

Oh my gosh. Not only did this experience fulfill me creatively, but it fulfilled that little girl that wanted to see those stories reflected on screen. My experiences reflected on screen. It’s been such an honor to be able to play a character that feels so close to home, and my hope is that I can be respectful to the community. It’s always so important to have queer people telling queer stories. So, it’s just been such a dream to be trusted by the creators to do it justice, and I know someone out there will be impacted by the fact that their story is finally being told.

What was it like working with the rest of the cast? Was there instant chemistry between everyone, or was there any backstage drama?

It was such a surreal experience because we all shot in upstate New York in the middle of the woods, and there was an instantaneous bond there because we were so isolated from everything else. We did lean on each other in a lot of ways. Finding our friendship along with the girls in tandem, it was such an immersive experience because as we are going through these trials in the show, us as young women were also working away from home for nine months. We had to be kind to each other and be supportive in that space.

I’ve gained friends for life. Going into a show, you never know if people will be welcoming and accepting, but everyone was so incredibly open hearted and came in with open minds.

What was one of your most memorable behind-the-scenes moments you would like to share?

Being in upstate New York, we were able to see all the seasons. One time during winter, I was driving through an ice storm with my cast member Jordan Gonzalez, and Mallory Bechtel was following us, and we would have to pull over every five minutes to scrape the ice off the car. It was such a weird, strange, beautiful word to be in, and going through these adventures in nature and then getting to do it all over again on the show was a lot of fun. At times, it felt like summer camp (laughs).

Overall, what do you hope audiences take away from Original Sin?

Being a horror show, I hope people can scream along with us and have fun with the mystery and all the secrets. I feel very empowered being able to work in a time where we’re able to be inclusive and to tell diverse stories, as well as embrace darker topics, take them head on, and not run away from the very real circumstances that happen to young women, so I hope people can find solace in seeing those stories on TV.

Oftentimes, I think there’s been an aversion to telling stories about young women that aren’t always pretty. I think the ironic part of Pretty Little Liars is that we’re often tackling subject matters that aren’t always easy to talk about, but they are necessary for people’s awareness and growth.

You have a couple other acting credits, but is this your first starring role?

Yes, this is my first lead! Coming into this and becoming a part of the Pretty Little Liars universe was daunting and intimidating, so that’s where the support of the other cast members and production was very crucial. Feeling comfortable and in control in this unique and new environment, it’s been wonderful getting to learn this process and not being afraid to ask questions and make mistakes. Again, everyone has been so wonderfully supportive, and it’s been such a ride.

Have you always had a passion for acting?

Oh my gosh, acting is the thing I’ve wanted to do my whole life. It’s been one of the only consistencies in my life. As a little girl, it was never my parents putting me into the industry. I came to them being like, “I want to do this! Please let me do it!” There was a lot of begging and pleading for them to trust that I had a good head on my shoulders, and I wouldn’t get lost in this business. For me, it’s always been about being a vessel for stories and crafting unique characters. So, to be able to be blessed with having such a complex character with such a rich storyline, it’s been wonderfully fulfilling.

What are some future goals you hope to accomplish with your career?

We did 10 episodes, and nine of those 10 were directed by women, and a lot of the creatives on our show were women. That was my first time as an actor really experiencing that and getting to work with women in power. That was very inspiring, and hopefully someday, maybe long in the future, I would love to explore the idea of being able to write or direct and continue to fill in the blanks at the spectrum of stories that need to be told.

Stay up-to-date and connect with Pyles by following her on Twitter and Instagram @maliapyles. Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin is now streaming on HBO Max.

Photos courtesy of HBO Max and Angella Choe