Freeform
If you had to name one controversial Pretty Little Liars couple, pretty sure most of us would think of Ezria straight way. But turns out there’s another couple that caused some major backlash.
In a new interview with Cosmopolitan, Ian Harding revealed that a company refused to air its ads during PLL back in the early days and he thought it was because of Ezra and Aria’s scandalous relationship.
“One company dropped its advertising for our show in one of the early seasons, because they didn’t agree with [a] relationship. And I was like, ‘No s**t, [Ezra and Aria’s] relationship is illegal!” he said.
As much as we ship it, let’s be honest, their love story is pretty messed up. Apart from the fact that Ezra is Aria’s teacher, she was a minor the entire time they dated (until season seven), which, as he pointed out, is totally illegal!
But showrunner I. Marlene King explained that Ezria wasn’t actually causing all the BTS drama like he expected. “Marlene said, ‘No, it’s not yours, it’s Emily’s relationship [that’s the problem].'”
It’s likely she’s referring to Emily’s relationship with Maya in season one. How messed up is that?! Basically, the company was more concerned about Emily being a lesbian than a grown man taking advantage of his 16-year-old female student. SO WRONG! And Ian agrees.
“So I could be seen as a statutory rapist, and people are like, ‘I know, but love knows no bounds, as long as there is a penis and a vagina involved,'” Ian vented.
Advertising dollars are obviously pretty crucial to a show staying on the air but the joke’s on that homophobic company. PLL became ~insanely~ successful and pretty sure EVERYONE wanted to advertise with the network so it was their loss.
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