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“Pretty Little Liars”‘ Ian Harding is the ultimate lesbro, thinks he could beat Shay Mitchell at arm wrestling

Ian Harding was the first Pretty Little Liar to land on my radar. The night ABC Family aired the pilot episode, I tweeted to say I’d be recapping the show if the character named Emily had a hint of queerness about her, like she did in Sara Shepherd‘s books. Sarah Harding, an avid AfterEllen.com reader for years and years, tweeted back to say her brother had been cast as a high school teacher/love interest for Lucy Hale on the show, and that she hoped I’d enjoy it (and that maybe I’d like her brother a little bit too). It was a cacophony of understatements.

Pretty Little Liars gave Emily Fields more than a hint of queerness; it gave her one of the most authentic, well-rounded lesbian storylines in the history of TV. I didn’t just enjoy Pretty Little Liars, like Sarah had hoped; I went bananas over it. And as for Ian Harding? Well, he looked like my first love, Gilbert Blythe from the Anne of Green Gables movies, and his character, Ezra Fitz, exhibited such a propensity for processing his Feelings that I concluded right away that he was an even bigger lesbian than Emily.

I don’t know what it’s like to be a teen heartthrob – and make no mistake about it: as a two-time Teen Choice Award winner, Ian Harding is a certified heartthrob – but I do know that most fellas in Harding’s position wouldn’t embrace the clowning of the world’s largest lesbian website the way he has. Not only has he expressed his pride at being labeled an Ezbian (that’s Ezra + Lesbian – the gayest straight guy in Rosewood, PA) in our recaps, he even sent me a photo of him and Shay Mitchell high-fiving and asked me to make him a t-shirt that said “Ezbian Loves Lesbians,” which I did.

When I asked if I should go through his publicist or ABC Family to line up an interview with him for our “Lesbros” column, he just picked up the phone and called me.

AfterEllen.com: Your sister is the person who suggested you for our Lesbros Column. She thinks you could be in the running for the greatest lesbro of all time – because, for one thing, you’re a literal lez-bro, and also you play a beloved lesbian on TV.

Ian Harding: It’s true. Sarah was reading me the criteria one would need to qualify as a Lesbro, and I am that guy. She’s in the kitchen right now and we’re making kale and sundried tomato gratin. I drive a hybrid. I live in a green building. I wear flannel – in fact, I am wearing flannel right now.

AE: Oh, nice. You really dressed the part for this interview. When I notcied Ezra Fitz’s lesbian tendencies and I started writing about them in my recap, lots of fangirls were tweeting me like, “Hey! Don’t call him a lesbian!” But you totally embraced your Ezbianism.

IH: Yeah, what in the world is offensive about being called a lesbian? I quite love the “Ezbian” coinage. In fact, I may have given my mom an Ezbian Loves Lesbians t-shirt for Christmas. I can’t remember. Actually, I think I gave her an “I Love Mr. Fitz” shirt.

AE: I’m sure she wears it like a proud fangirl.

IH: Oh, she does. But when she wears it she’s always got some explaining to do.

AE: Seriously, though. Let’s talk about the fangirl thing for a second. You have won two Teen Choice Awards. You are obviously wildly popular with the ladies. How do you maintain any sense of normalcy in your life with the constant fawning?

IH: You know, it’s always surreal – I went home to D.C. for Christmas break and I was hanging out with a group of my childhood friends, and it is always so funny to them when women approach us because they recognize me. Those guys keep me in check.

Also – and I’m not afflicted with false modesty when I say this – I was really, really lucky to land a role on Pretty Little Liars. I always keep that in mind, and my family doesn’t treat me any differently than they always have. When I go home, I do the dishes, I play board games, and then I go to bed. The rowdiest we get is two glasses of wine.

AE: Surely your family thinks you’re a heartthrob.

IH: More like genetically aesthetically pleasing.

AE: That’s hilarious. So what are you doing on your Pretty Little Liars break? Are you enjoying it?

IH: I am enjoying it, but, well, I’m kind of a workaholic. I’m the guy who’s like, “Oh, it’ll be so nice to finally get a break.” And then two weeks later I’m pulling out my hair. I’m trying to make the most of it, auditioning and such.

AE: Now that you’ve got two seasons of Pretty Little Liars under your belt, has your career reached the point where you can be more selective about the roles you choose? Are you so famous you audition for whatever you want?

IH: Oh, no. There have been some offers on the table, but it was for stuff that I didn’t neccessarily want to do, or stuff that conflicted with my filming schedule. I’m not saying that like, “Ha! I’m turning stuff down left and right!” Because that’s not true. It’s happened two, maybe three times in the show’s two seasons. And I’m still sort of new to Los Angeles. Even though I’m on a show and it’s doing well, I have to go out and audition and prove my range. I have to get my face out there.

AE: What kind of projects are you looking for?

IH: I’m auditioning all over the map, from big comedies, to really cool independent projects, to a rom-com here and there. So I’m auditioning for these big things, but I’m also open to something like a web series. Actually, one of the coolest things I can do now that I’ve had some success with Pretty Little Liars is help promote my friends. I have a friend who is working on a web series script right now that I think is really interesting, and if I can work it out with my filming schedule, I would love to do that.

AE: You know, it’s funny that you say that. For so many of you guys on Pretty Little Liars, this is sort of your first big break. And so you haven’t lost yourself in the Hollywood machine. Shay Mitchell is always telling me about the ways she wants to use her fame to reach out and change the world, and you’re telling me about how you want use it to help your friends, and I’ve read plenty of interviews where you talk about things like environmentalism and gay rights. Do you feel a responsibility to use your voice to promote those causes?

IH: Definitely. I’ve just always loved nature, I’ve always loved the environment. And as for gay rights, I’ve never understood how it can be illegal for two people to love one another. I don’t want to quote Spider-Man to you, but it’s true: With power comes responsibility. A person who has any kind of notoriety, if they use their voice to speak up about the things they believe in, they can change minds. And, for me, I believe the world is slowly melting, and we should do something about that. And I also believe two men getting married in Brooklyn has nothing to do with anyone’s heterosexual marriage in Texas. Marriage equality and saving forests: Those things just really matter to me.

AE: Such an Ezbian. Let’s talk about Ezra Fitz for a second. Is it a safe to assume he’s going to make it through season two alive?

IH: Hmm. Let me say this: Some crazy s–t happens in season 2B, but as of right now I’m still employed.

AE: We know that “A” on the show isn’t going to be the same as “A” from the books, and I’ve seen some theories floating around that Ezra is “A.” Want to comment?

IH: That would be incredible.

AE: Heading into season three, what keeps you excited about Pretty Liars?

IH: It’s so many things. Like I’ve said, I’m still pretty new to this, but from what I’ve heard the camaraderie we have on set is not very common. There’s always a sense of fun and ease. Lucy [Hale] is always a blast to hang around with. Holly [Marie Combs] too. The other girls, when I get to see them, are always so much fun. I enjoy all of it. Sometimes it’s romance. And other times I’m getting punched in the face.

AE: Yeah, you took a big hit two weeks ago.

IH: I got straight-up clocked by Cody Christian!

AE: I want to see more of that! After this season, after “A” is revealed and we start heading into new mysteries, I want to see Ezra get more involved in the Scooby-Doo Gang. I want to see him doing some sleuthing and some kung-fu. Would you be up for that?

IH: I would love that! I would be so down for that. If he got more involved in the mystery solving, or – this is another idea I had – let’s say he’s walking down the street and someone tries to take his wallet, and Ezra just snaps the guy’s neck! And the audience is like, “Oh my God, does he just kill people? Is he insane?”

AE: You need to pitch that to Marlene right away!

IH: I think I’ve probably mentioned it, and the response I got was sort of a sympathetic chuckle.

AE: If you did get thrust into the action, do you really think you could hang with the girls? Shay Mitchell told me she does her own stunts, and Ezra’s over there just reading his books.

IH: I could crack Shay like a … lima bean! Wait, no. That doesn’t make sense. What’s something that easily cracks? A twig? I could snap Shay like a twig!

AE: Could you, though, Ian? Could you really beat Shay in an arm-wrestling contest?

IH: Oh, I wouldn’t do it with strength or violence! I would do it with my wit! Since the pilot, we’ve been playing this game to see who can make the other person laugh first, and I always win. I was on set the day Emily almost died at school. Shay was doubled over in the hallway, trying to tap into that place where it’s like, “What does it feel like when your spleen ruptures?” And Mr. Fitz was in the background, so I was like, “Shay! Shay! Hey, Shay! Yoo hoo, Shay! Shay!” And she cracked. She cracks every time.

AE: So you think you could best the Liars?

IH: It’s a tough question. Shay’s a badass. Troian does karate. Ashley would, like, turn into a wolf and eat me. And Lucy’s just vicious. She probably has a switchblade.

AE: In her hair?

IH: Actually, when we were filming the finale the other day, I noticed the camera angle made her jawline look like a knife! If she necked me in the wrong way, I’d bleed to death!

AE: That’s a legitimate danger with all the canoodling Ezra and Aria do! OK, one last question and I’ll let you get back to your kale and sundried tomato gratin: What would you like to say to AfterEllen.com readers?

IH: I would like to say I’m a big fan. I really enjoy your recaps. I like the site’s sense of humor. I love what you’re doing and what a difference in makes in people’s lives. Sarah’s in the kitchen and she says she’s been reading AfterEllen since high school. So thank you for making me a Lesbro. It’s an honor.

Pretty Little Liars airs Monday nights at 8:00 on ABC Family.

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