Ashley Benson

A vivacious and talented ingénue, Ashley Benson spent her formative years as a daytime soap actress before her career took off after starring on the provocative teen series, "Pretty Little Liars" (ABC Family, 2010- ). Southern California native Ashley Victoria Benson was born in Long Beach on Dec. 18, 1989 - two months before her expected delivery date - and weighed only two pounds, eight ounces. Benson's parents were told she would need heart surgery on Christmas Day, but at the last minute, her heart closed up and she no longer required any procedures. The future star began performing at the age of two, competing in various dance competitions. Benson modeled for dance catalogs when she was five, which led to her signing with the Ford Modeling Agency three years later. By the time she was 10, Benson had booked numerous print ads, but she decided to pursue a full time acting career. With little time left for dancing and modeling, she quickly secured minor appearances on television, including the comedy series "Nikki" (The WB, 2000-02), to the award-winning drama "The West Wing" (NBC, 1999-2006). Benson made her feature film debut in "13 Going On 30" (2004) as a member of the "Six Chicks," a group of junior high girls who tease the film's gangly protagonist (Jennifer Garner).

That same year, Benson landed a role on the long-running daytime series "Days of our Lives" (NBC, 1965- ). For three years, she played Abby Deveraux, the daughter of the show's power couple Jack and Jennifer Deveraux (Matthew Ashford and Melissa Reeves). "Days of our Lives" viewers considered Benson's character, who was also paired up with racecar driver Max Brady (Darin Brooks), as the show's leading young heroine during her time on the show. Benson departed the role in 2007 after her character moved to London. Benson then starred in "Bring It On: In It to Win It" (2007), as an all-star cheerleader who attends a national camp and clashes with a rival team. The direct-to-DVD release was part of the "Bring It On" (2000) teen comedy franchise. Benson returned to primetime television, playing the daughter of a suburban mom with witchlike powers (Rebecca Romijn), on the short-lived "Eastwick" (ABC, 2009).

In 2010, Benson landed a starring role on ABC Family's "Pretty Little Liars," a mystery drama series based on Sara Shepard's 2006 novel of the same name. The show followed four friends whose lives begin to unravel following the mysterious disappearance of their clique's queen bee. Benson played Hanna, the once-chubby girl whose popularity soars after her group leader's disappearance. Her character struggled with her weight and often shoplifted in order to gain her absent father's attention. "Pretty Little Liars," which was described as a teen version of "Desperate Housewives" (ABC, 2004- ), struck a chord with viewers and critics for taking on real-world issues - from body image to homophobia - and giving young women hope and courage to confront their own problems. "Pretty Little Liars" also turned Benson and her co-stars Troian Bellisario, Shay Mitchell and Lucy Hale into Hollywood "It" girls, gracing the covers of magazines and attending major events.