Although it’s been nearly 10 years since Lindsey Shaw, 34, was fired from Pretty Little Liars, the actress appeared on the Jul. 5 episode of Ned’s Declassified Podcast Survival Guide to discuss the matter. “I got basically let go from Pretty Little Liars in Season 5,” she admitted. “…Because of the weight I had lost and it was really an embarrassing thing. I didn’t look good too skinny and then when I started to put the weight back on, I couldn’t handle being too heavy.”
Later, Lindsey shed some tears recalling the painful moment when she was let go from the hit drama series. “It was so bad. I got called into the Pretty Little Liars’ creator’s [I. Marlene King] office. And she was just like, ‘So we’re gonna let you go,'” Lindsey said. “She was like, ‘It’s not because of your acting, but do you have anybody to talk to?’ And I was like, ‘No,’ you know?” The Ned’s Declassified alum then revealed that the creator told her to “find somebody” but then proceeded to fire her.
During the candid interview, Lindsey revealed that she had been suffering from a drug problem and eating issues during her time on PLL. “When I had my drug problem and I was in between working on stuff, I would never have to address my relationship with food because it was like, I could always just go get more Adderall,” she admitted. The brunette beauty then called her relationship with her body and food a “dumb cycle” that took a toll on her. Despite being let go, Lindsey expressed her gratitude for the writers who brought her character back in Season 7.
“It was really sweet, because they brought me back in season 7,” the 34-year-old said through tears. “It was so lovely of that writing team to just see that relationship and that character out. But it was rough.” Lindsey played the role of Paige McCullers alongside Shay Mitchell‘s Emily Fields. The two characters’ romance broke barriers as they were one of the few onscreen same sex couples on the series. Lindsey claimed that she and Shay, 36, saw the “same nutritionist” at the time and that her co-star was supportive. “She was bringing me protein powder. She was like, ‘Girl.’ Yeah, it was awful,” she added.
Lindsey expressed doubt that she has not “gotten back to the point” in her career that she was in prior to being fired. She also admitted to “using” for a “whole season” and that she “gave away everything” that she “cared about” during that time. Nearly a decade later, the 10 Things I Hate About You series alum said she will “never forget” being able to come back to the series in Season 7. “They did me so right bringing me back for season 7 and just letting me say goodbye,” she gushed. “I will never forget that.”
During the Jun. 7 episode of the Women On Top Podcast, Lindsey told fellow PLL alum, Tammin Sursok, what her “drug of choice” was. She listed off Adderall, Xanax, and alcohol, being part of her “cocktail of hell.” Since coming forward with her drug abuse struggles, many of Lindsey’s fans took to the comments of the podcast clip to admire her for her candidness. “ughhhh i f****** love you and you sharing this part of your journey. you made it and so can i,” one admirer gushed, while another added, “You have no idea how many lives you’ve impacted. We all hear you. We all see you. And WE ALL LOVE AND SUPPORT YOU.”