Aria Montgomery
Aria Montgomery (Lucy Hale) (Season 1 - present) is considered the "alternative" one of the group. She is more outgoing in fashion and what she sees as acceptable behavior. She moves back to Rosewood with her family after living in Iceland for a year. Before Alison's death, she and Alison discovered that Aria's father was having an affair with one of his former students, Meredith, who became his coworker at Hollis College. Alison encourages Aria to tell her mother the truth, but instead, Aria reluctantly agrees to keep her father's secret.
Hanna Marin
Hanna Marin (Ashley Benson) (Season 1 - present) is the "diva" and it-girl of the group, having taken Alison's place as the most popular girl at Rosewood High in Alison's absence. Prior to Alison's death, Hanna was a bulimic girl who Alison frequently mocked for being overweight. Her parents divorced, Hanna lives with her mother. She feels betrayed by her father, who has remarried, and does not get along well with his new wife and daughter, Kate. When Hanna's mother falls upon financial hardship, she steals thousands of dollars, which Hanna is forced to keep a secret.
Spencer Hastings
Spencer Hastings (Troian Bellisario) (Season 1 - present) is considered the "de facto leader" of the group. Intelligent and extremely ambitious, she strives for perfection in everything she does in an attempt to live up to the high expectations of her parents. Spencer's biggest rival is her older sister, Melissa, and the two are constantly at odds. Their relationship is often strained by the fact that Spencer has a habit of crushing on, and later kissing, Melissa's boyfriends (first Ian, then Wren).
Emily Fields
Emily Fields (Shay Mitchell) (Season 1 - present) is the "jock" of the group. A highly competitive swimmer, she is considered the star of Rosewood's swim team. Sweet and shy, she is also a lesbian, something that she takes great pains to hide for a long time. Although her parents initially struggle with her being homosexual, they eventually come to accept her for who she is. For a short time Emily lives with Hanna, after her mother moves to Texas to live with Emily's father, who is stationed in Fort Hood.
Alison DiLaurentis
Alison DiLaurentis (Sasha Pieterse) (Season 1 - present) Ambitious, beautiful, talented, smart, and popular, boys wanted her and girls admired her. She was the "Queen Bee" of Rosewood and the diva of her clique. Ruling the group with an iron fist, the vicious but charismatic Alison went missing during a slumber party at the end of summer, breaking apart the glue that held the clique together. When Aria, Hanna, Spencer, and Emily began receiving threatening messages from "A" a year after Ali went missing, they believes that she's alive and is playing a trick on them. However, shortly after the appearance of "A", Alison's body is found buried in the backyard of the former DiLaurentis house, hidden under the gazebo (which had been under construction at the time of her disappearance). The discovery of her body launches a murder investigation. Spencer had thought that Ali was killed with a field hockey stick, but the girls later learn (via police files) that Alison was hit in the head with a shovel. However, this wasn't what had immediately killed her. She was buried alive and suffocated to death, as dirt was found in her lungs. In Season 3 it is revealed she is somehow alive and is "Red Coat"- the main "A" who tortures the liars.
Spencer Hastings
Spencer Hastings (Troian Bellisario) (Season 1 - present) is considered the "de facto leader" of the group. Intelligent and extremely ambitious, she strives for perfection in everything she does in an attempt to live up to the high expectations of her parents. Spencer's biggest rival is her older sister, Melissa, and the two are constantly at odds. Their relationship is often strained by the fact that Spencer has a habit of crushing on, and later kissing, Melissa's boyfriends (first Ian, then Wren).
Emily Fields
Emily Fields (Shay Mitchell) (Season 1 - present) is the "jock" of the group. A highly competitive swimmer, she is considered the star of Rosewood's swim team. Sweet and shy, she is also a lesbian, something that she takes great pains to hide for a long time. Although her parents initially struggle with her being homosexual, they eventually come to accept her for who she is. For a short time Emily lives with Hanna, after her mother moves to Texas to live with Emily's father, who is stationed in Fort Hood.
Alison DiLaurentis
Alison DiLaurentis (Sasha Pieterse) (Season 1 - present) Ambitious, beautiful, talented, smart, and popular, boys wanted her and girls admired her. She was the "Queen Bee" of Rosewood and the diva of her clique. Ruling the group with an iron fist, the vicious but charismatic Alison went missing during a slumber party at the end of summer, breaking apart the glue that held the clique together. When Aria, Hanna, Spencer, and Emily began receiving threatening messages from "A" a year after Ali went missing, they believes that she's alive and is playing a trick on them. However, shortly after the appearance of "A", Alison's body is found buried in the backyard of the former DiLaurentis house, hidden under the gazebo (which had been under construction at the time of her disappearance). The discovery of her body launches a murder investigation. Spencer had thought that Ali was killed with a field hockey stick, but the girls later learn (via police files) that Alison was hit in the head with a shovel. However, this wasn't what had immediately killed her. She was buried alive and suffocated to death, as dirt was found in her lungs. In Season 3 it is revealed she is somehow alive and is "Red Coat"- the main "A" who tortures the liars.