IMDB
Twitter: @shaymitch
Age: 23
Date of Birth: April 10 1987
Where You Can See Her: She's currently one of the four leads on Pretty Little Liars, a high school swimmer named Emily who is trying to figure out who she is and where she fits in.

Before getting booked for her job on Pretty Little Liars, Shay was a model, and she's been dancing since she was a little girl. She's always known that she wanted to perform, and when she got the chance to audition, she jumped at it, not believing she would actually get a call back. She originally auditioned for a different role, but eventually she proved to casting directors that she was the perfect choice for Emily. Though Shay was probably one of the most controversial casting choices for fans of the books (because she doesn't look like the novel version of Emily Fields), she has become the front runner for fan favorite actress on the show. While all four of the leads are very talented, Shay is the most natural in her role, and she plays Emily with the wide eyed innocence you would expect from the character. And with this being her first major role, Shay is quickly earning herself a loyal legion of fans. Fans that she is sure to make time for, replying to Twitter questions as often as she can.

Want more on Shay? Check out Portrait's interview with Shay from our August issue here