Pretty Little Liars Alum Ian Harding's Debut On Hallmark Is Causing A Buzz
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Even though it might feel like yesterday, it's been over a decade since the first episode of "Pretty Little Liars" aired on ABC Family, now Freeform (via Vulture). While the series may have centered around the four "liars," Spencer, Aria, Hanna, and Emily, and their missing friend, Alison, there was a memorable cast of Rosewood townies that consistently appeared season after season. One fan-favorite character? High school English teacher, Ezra Fitz, played by Ian Harding.
Whether we were swooning over his relationship with Aria Montgomery or lapping up the sage wisdom he bestowed on his students, Harding quickly captured our hearts and became a major heartthrob in the 2000s. While Harding might have played the "liars" teacher in the seven-season series, he was actually closer to his character's age than his cast mates were — here's how old the cast of Pretty Little Liars was during filming.
Since his time on PLL, Harding has pursued various projects and endeavors, even outside of acting. The German-born actor has starred in "Chicago Med," alongside Torrey DeVitto, and the academy-award-nominated film "Ford vs. Ferrari," as well as written a memoir titled "Odd Birds." The 36-year-old actor also became a parent for the first time this year with his wife, Sophie Hart, according to E! News. Another career highlight to add to his already impressive resume? Harding has just made his Hallmark debut in "Ghost of Christmas Always."
The Pretty Little Liars star is being referred to as the Hunk of Christmas Always
Hallmark lovers, rejoice! The most recent film just dropped on October 30, and if you haven't seen it yet, there's an exciting cast of characters in store for you (including, you guessed it, Ian Harding). "Ghost of Christmas Always" follows Peter, played by Harding, who is desperately in need of a heavy dose of holiday spirit. Cue the Ghost of Christmas Present, played by Kim Matula, as she tries to save this lost soul during the most wonderful time of the year (via IMDb).
Even though it's only been a day since this film hit the small screen, fans are already gushing about this new release, particularly regarding Harding's stellar performance. One fan tweeted, "This movie has EVERYTHING! GHOSTS! CHRISTMAS CAROL CINEMA COMMENTARY! TIME TRAVEL! SOULMATES! A LADY WHO TRIPS ON PIZZA! IAN HARDING IN SUPERB TURTLENECKS," while another shared, "Ian Harding is great!" And this Twitter user went so far as to call Harding the "Hunk of Christmas Always."
It seems as though the star's acting chops — and heartthrob status — are still alive and well. We're excited to continue following what Harding, and the other "Pretty Little Liars" stars, are doing now.