Even on a show that’s all about unanswered questions, Pretty Little Liars' Melissa Hastings stands out for being an extremely mysterious character. Just when you think that Spencer’s older sister is going to zig, she zags. Torrey DeVitto plays Melissa really well, and some of her mystery could stem from the fact that often, DeVitto is just as in the dark as the audience. “Unless I’m in it, I don’t really know what’s going on or what they’re planning for Melissa,” the actor tells Bustle's podcast Taking This One To The Grave about what's ahead on PLL. “My character stays in her own world … I only have information on Melissa and what’s in front of her!”
Often, what's in front of Melissa is Spencer, and suffice it to say that the sisters don’t exactly get along. When asked about the fragile nature of that relationship, DeVitto says that despite the tension, the Hastings sisters do have some kind of bond. “The taped confession [for Spencer] really spoke a lot about Melissa and explained a lot about her relationship and who she is,” DeVitto says. “I don’t think [Melissa and Spencer] are the closest, but I definitely think that that confession shows that there is sisterly love there.”
Of course, Melissa and Spencer’s relationship is more complicated than just sisters not getting along — Spencer has been caught in a kiss with not one, but two of her sister's partners. DeVitto believes that will always complicate the sisters' dynamic, saying, “I don’t think it’s something that Melissa would ever get over completely even if she moves on from it… There’s a part of Melissa that looks at Spencer and thinks, ‘You think you can just take whatever you want.’ Melissa has a lot of resentment in those situations, and rightfully so.” You can hear more of the actor's thoughts on Melissa and Spencer's relationship in her interview on Taking This One To The Grave below.
While that relationship will always be important, Pretty Little Liars fans may get to see Melissa interact with some different characters soon. Usually, when DeVitto appears on the series, she's opposite her character's various family members: Spencer, Veronica, or Peter, or her love interest. That all seems like it’s about to change, because DeVitto shot some to-be-aired scenes with Ashley Benson, who plays Hanna, and really enjoyed the experience.
"It felt like I was filming a different show!" she says. "I film with my mother, my sister, or at the time I would film with Ian or Wren, so whenever I get the opportunity to film with someone new, it feels so different! [Filming with Ashley] added a new flavor to my character and to my show.”
Another person DeVitto would love to see Melissa interact with? Ezra Fitz. “Ian Harding is my best guy friend,” she says. “We haven’t ever had a scene together in the whole six years the show has been going. It would be fun to do a Melissa-Ezra scene.”
Though DeVitto can't divulge too many details about what's actually ahead for Melissa Hastings, we can always count on her complicated relationship with Spencer, and her connection to many Pretty Little Liars mysteries.
Check out past episodes of Taking This One To The Grave below.
Image: FreeForm
