Exclusive: Ashley Benson On Launching An Eyewear Brand And Stepping Outside Her 'Acting Box' (2024)

Pretty Little Liars was one of those shows that defined many of our teenage years. It had the kind of drama that we so badly craved, set against the backdrop of first loves, friendship drama and a mysterious online tormentor. You know, just the usual high school things. Unsurprisingly, our hearts collectively shattered when it stopped airing in 2017, but luckily, it hasn’t been the last we’ve seen of the four friends. While the actresses lives have since diverged in various directions, Ashley Benson, who was known for playing the quick-witted, always fashionable Hanna Marin hasn’t taken a step back from the screen.

Between starring in an incredible line-up of movies including, The Birthday Cake and Her Smell, to sitting in the producers chair for the first time and co-founding a sunglasses brand, it’s fair to say that the actress has been keeping busy. We felt incredibly lucky then, to have the opportunity to speak with Ashley before she set off for yet another project, to chat about her colourful career that only continues to flourish.

As we know, the film industry has taken a huge hit over the past couple of years, courtesy of COVID. Ashley herself admits that throwing herself back into filming in a post-pandemic world has been a little different, but that definitely hasn’t slowed her down.

“Returning to the film industry was exciting but also very different,” Ashley told ELLE Australia. “With COVID, things are a little bit more intense. You have to be extra careful, but you know going back to work, I feel like everyone was so pleased to be on set so regardless of it all. Everyone was in good spirits because we’re back to doing what we love.”

While many are content spending their lives on one side of the camera, Ashley decided that the time had come for her to get behind it, taking on her first producing role for 18 & Over — a pandemic-inspired slasher film which sees a night of quarantine descend into sheer terror. It’s a side of the pandemic we’ve definitely never seen before, and given that the experience has felt hellish for almost everyone, it promises to be the movie we all need, if not deserve. Not only is the general plot enticing enough, but the film also features a slew of stars including Benson, Paris Hilton, Winnie Harlow and Pamela Anderson. Interested? We thought so.

With the movie currently in post-production, Ashley finally has the time to reflect on her first time sitting in the producers chair, and while it undoubtedly proved challenging at times, she couldn’t be more excited for it to hit our screens soon.

“Starting to produce has been something I’ve always wanted to do,” she revealed. “It was really exciting that I got to work on this project during COVID to keep me busy. I learned a lot, there were definitely difficult times and highs and lows but I’m very pleased with how the project turned out and I can’t wait to start producing more.”

While the film industry will always be one of Ashley’s first and biggest loves, her career took a turn into unfamiliar territory when she co-founded the sunglasses brand, Privé Revaux alongside entrepreneur David Schottenstein and other industry heavyweights including Jamie Foxx and Hailee Steinfeld. While it’s definitely a change of pace, Ashley says it’s something she’d been planning for a long time, and given her status as a fashion icon, it actually makes a lot of sense, giving us the opportunity to emulate her style.

“I’ve always been very interested in having other businesses and forms of work outside of being an actor. So when I had the opportunity to work with David and Privé, I was so excited to be able to do something different and also to do something for my fans,” she explained.

Better news still? The company has just launched an online store in Australia, meaning we don’t have to battle against the dreaded shipping delays and costs we’re used to when shopping internationally. With the most expensive pair in the women’s collection priced at $104.95 and the least at $75.95, the designs are both affordable and effortlessly stylish. Creating pieces that were both timeless and accessibly-priced was important to Ashley, who credits her team of creatives and passion for eyewear for the brands success so far.

“We have such a great team that we’ve put together. Being able to work alongside Jamie Foxx and Hailee Steinfeld has been an incredible journey and we’ve just been having the best time,” she said.

Given that we’re coming into summer here in Australia, and our obsession for beach life is unrelenting, we had to ask Ashley what she thought we’d love most about Privé Revaux sunglasses, now that we’re able to get our hands on them.

“The thing you will love most about Privé is the quality. When you touch our glasses or put them on you can feel that they’re not cheap. They are designed exactly like any other $600 pair of sunglasses and are the same value. That’s why I was so excited to be part of this company, because we’re creating quality glasses that anyone can afford. And if you lose them (which I do often), you’re not stressing about the cost,” Ashley explained.

Asking a celebrity to pick a favourite product from their own collection is kind of like asking someone to pick a favourite child, but did that stop us from asking Ashley that very question? No. Luckily for us, she didn’t hesitate, listing off her go-to shade selection without missing a beat (and no surprises, they’re incredibly chic).

“My favourite glasses in my personal collection are the Victoria Glasses in black. They are just a classic shape and they look good on everyone — it’s my go to,” she revealed.

While her repertoire list continues to grow, Ashley has already got her eyes set on the next thing, and isn’t planning to take her foot off the accelerator anytime soon.

“I have a few projects — one including 18 & Over and others that haven’t been announced yet. I was really lucky to be able to film three films this year and at the start of the year, I start two more back-to-back. I also have another exciting business venture that will be announced very soon which I’ve been working on for two years. I’m excited for the projects to come out that I worked on this year and for everyone to see different sides of me that they haven’t seen before,” she told ELLE Australia.

You heard her. This is just the beginning for the next evolution of Ashley Benson, and we can’t wait to see what she’s got in store.