Troian Bellisario is an American actress best known for her role as Spencer Hastings in the ABC Family series "Pretty Little Liars".
Background
Ethnicity:
Her father was born in Cokeburg, Pennsylvania to an Italian father and a Serbian mother who was born in Gamberale, Abruzzo, Italy.
In October 28, 1985, there was a birth of cute baby girl who, in just a few years after, made her name a household name. Troian Avery Bellisario, was born in Los Angeles County, California, daughter of television producer Donald Bellisario and actress Deborah Pratt. No wonder she is in the business, her family is surrounded by people in the business.
As a young girl, Troian's neighbors included, Mary-Kate Olsen, Ashley Olsen, and director Lesli Linka Glatter.
Education
Knowing exactly what she wants no matter how hard the industry is, she studied Theater as a major in University of Southern California’s School of Theatre. During her university school years, she played roles in various production including Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, The Suicide, All’s Well That Ends Well and Machinal. While a drama student, she spent a summer performing the balcony scene from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet in New York subway cars.
Career
She has been acting almost her entire life, making it her passion. From 1988, at 3 years old, she portrayed Nuzo’s daughter in the film "Last Rites". It was later followed by guest starring roles in various television shows like "Quantum Leap" as Teresa in 1990, "Tequila and Bonetti" as Teresa Garcia in 1992, and in 1998 she guest star as Erin in "Jag" and was part of the film "Billboard Dad" as Kristen.
Bellisario engaged her self in more theater production as she could put her hands on. She is a founding member of ‘The Casitas Group’ in which she performed with in various exclusive productions of Martin McDonagh’s The Pillowman, as well as a Sam Shepard double feature: Fool for Love and True West. In 2009, she landed the role of Judith in "Equivocation" at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles in which she was excited about. She also did a production of "Farragut North" played in the Geffen Playhouse as well.
Her journey to television stardom continued as she kept guest starring in television shows including "First Monday" as Kimberly Baron in 2002 and two episode of "Navy NCIS" as Sarah McGee, one in 2005 and another in 2006. Included in her list of works are various short films and in 2009, Troian starred in the independent film "Consent" as Amanda with Peter Vack and Betsey Brown. She was also in the 2010 film "Peep World" starring Michael C. Hall, Sarah Silverman and Rainn Wilson.
Troian went back to television this time starring in ABC Family’s "Pretty Little Liars", which has brought her to fame. Troian starred as the overachiever Spencer Hasting. It opened in the United States on the 8th of June, 2010 and later opened in various countries including UK and the Philippines. The show was based on Sara Shephard’s book with the same title.
Filmography
1988 Last Rites
1990 Quantum Leap
1992 Tequila and Bonetti
1998 JAG
1998 Billboard Dad
2002 First Monday
2005 NCIS
2006 Unspoken
2007 Archer House
2009 Intersect Victoria
2010 - ... Pretty Little Liars
2010 Consent
2011 Peep World P.A.
2012 The Come Up
2012 Exiles
2012 Joyful Girl
2013 C.O.G.