Sasha Pieterse

Sasha in Good Taste: Interview with The Perfectionists Star

By Mercedes Banwart

Pretty Little Liars captivated audiences with its original plot, dark twists, and impeccable cast that brought it all together. Even though Pretty Little Liars has come to an end, fans were excited when the spinoff series, The Perfectionists, was released to continue the stories of Alison DiLaurentis and Mona Vanderwaal from Pretty Little Liars. Alison, played by the incredible Sasha Pieterse, was such an integral part of the previous series that the new show pulled fans in to discover how her life continues as a TA at Beacon Heights University. I got the chance to speak with Pieterse about The Perfectionists, as well as other big things happening in her career and her day to day life.

Since The Perfectionists is a spinoff series, I wondered what it was like for Pieterse to be part of a new project that is a continuation of a previous one. “It’s not so different from [Pretty Little Liars] but it is different [for] the right reasons,” says Pieterse. Pieterse was most content with the opportunity to work with familiar faces, such as her prior costar Janel Parrish, while still getting to meet new ones. “I love working with Janel; it feels like home. Even though this is a totally different concept and totally different show I felt at home with her and I think we were really excited to expand our roles and to dive deeper into our characters.” As for it being a spinoff of Pretty Little Liars, Pieterse mentioned the perks that come with that saying, “The benefit of it being a spinoff is a lot of the same producers and the camera crew is the same. What that brings to the table is a well-oiled machine.”

While Pieterse has spent a significant amount of time playing Alison DiLaurentis, she makes appearances in other realms of entertainment such as Dancing with the Stars. “I met a bunch of great people and it was just a really fun environment and definitely something different. I really enjoyed it and gained some really great friends.” Beyond that, Pieterse felt that the experience was also enjoyable for her parents. “My parents were dancers so in a way [it was like] being able to give them a gift because I never was interested in dancing myself. I loved watching it and seeing what they did in that community but it was never a passion of mine. I think seeing me dance was fun for them. I’m glad they got to experience that and [that I made] them happy on a level that I don’t think they ever thought they would get the chance to.”

Pieterse has already accomplished so much with her career in entertainment so I sought to find out what goals she has for the future and what she is looking forward to. “I’ve been really lucky to have had a lot of versatile roles. I’d love to get on the producing and directing side as well.” Pieterse also discussed the excitement surrounding the release of her book, Sasha in Good Taste, later this year. Speaking of Sasha in Good Taste, Pieterse also started a YouTube series of the same name less than two months ago. Throughout the channel, Pieterse offers several different videos with everything from recipes to gift guides and everything in between. “I’ve wanted to share that side of my life for a long time. With my book release approaching, it just made sense to start sharing with my fans on a digital platform as well”

Since all of this keeps a lot on Pieterse’s plate, she enjoys the simplest of things to relax and unwind. “Whenever we [including her husband, Hudson Sheaffer] get a chance our way of relaxing is catching up with friends and having people over for dinner. That is our R&R.” When she has the time, Pieterse enjoys her favorite shows and podcasts. “I’m a huge Game of Thrones fan so I’ve been super invested [and] I can’t believe it’s coming to an end. My next watch is The Handmaid’s Tale. I can’t believe I haven’t watched it yet. I love the Joe Rogan podcast [and] anything murder mystery related. We have a lot of road trips and podcasts keep us going, that’s for sure.”

To conclude I asked Pieterse if there was anything she wanted her fans to know. “Everybody deals with things that you don’t see on social media or in work. Even though our life seems so glamorous, it’s really not. I’ve been really lucky to have fans that are really supportive and invested in things that I’m interested in. It just shows the community and all the positive things we can create.” Pieterse expressed her gratitude towards getting the opportunity to speak to people all over the world and do her part to spread positivity.

Be sure to keep an eye out for Sasha in Good Taste and what more Pieterse does in the future!

Order your print copy of Bello Mag “The Romantic Summer” issue with Sasha Pieterse HERE.

Photographer Arthur Galvao @artgphoto

creative Direction Aleksandar Tomovic @alekandsteph

Stylist Luke Funtecha @official_lukatonic  Ambika Sanjana @styledbyambika

Hair Ryan Richman @ryanrichman

Makeup Nicole Walmsley @nicolewalmsley
Production @BELLOmediaGroup x @MaisonPriveePR_LA

Special thanx to Ally Marrone Petit Ermitage West Hollywood

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