The Lying Game
Encyclopedia
The Lying Game is an American drama television series produced by Alloy Entertainment
and Warner Horizon Television
for ABC Family
. The show is based on a series of novels of the same name by Sara Shepard
. The network green-lighted the series in February 2011 with a 10 episode order, with the series premiering on August 15, 2011. On September 15, 2011, ABC Family gave the series a 10 episode back order bringing the first season to 20 episodes. The second half of the season will begin airing on January 2, 2012.
, the series is about Emma (Alexandra Chando
), a foster child who finds out she has an identical twin sister, Sutton (also played by Chando). Both girls were separated at birth with Sutton being adopted by wealthy parents and is seemingly living an ideal life. Meeting prior to the pilot episode, Sutton talks Emma into stepping into her life for a few days while she pursues their birth mother in Los Angeles. Initially excited to do this favor for her sister, Emma soon learns that Sutton has many hidden secrets. Now, Emma must continue to cover as Sutton while Sutton continues her search for their birth mother.
Alloy Entertainment
Alloy Entertainment is a book-packaging division of the Alloy Media + Marketing company—an American provider of media programs. Alloy is a leading producer of "chick lit"-style novels created for teenage and young adult audiences...
and Warner Horizon Television
Warner Bros. Television
Warner Bros. Television is the television production arm of Warner Bros. Entertainment, itself part of Time Warner. Alongside CBS Television Studios, it serves as a television production arm of The CW Television Network , though it also produces shows for other networks, such as Shameless on...
for ABC Family
ABC Family
ABC Family, stylized as abc family, is an American television network, owned by ABC Family Worldwide Inc., a subsidiary of the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company...
. The show is based on a series of novels of the same name by Sara Shepard
Sara Shepard
Sara Shepard is an American author known for the bestselling Pretty Little Liars series of young-adult novels.-Biography:Shepard graduated from Downingtown West High School in Downingtown, Pennsylvania in 1995, and got her undergraduate degree from New York University. She later received an MFA...
. The network green-lighted the series in February 2011 with a 10 episode order, with the series premiering on August 15, 2011. On September 15, 2011, ABC Family gave the series a 10 episode back order bringing the first season to 20 episodes. The second half of the season will begin airing on January 2, 2012.
Series overview
Set in Phoenix, ArizonaPhoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, the series is about Emma (Alexandra Chando
Alexandra Chando
Alexandra Chando is an American actress. She is best known for playing the role of Maddie Coleman on the daytime soap opera As the World Turns, which she began in 2005, and currently stars in 2011 in the ABC Family original series The Lying Game along with a few other popular stars such as Blair...
), a foster child who finds out she has an identical twin sister, Sutton (also played by Chando). Both girls were separated at birth with Sutton being adopted by wealthy parents and is seemingly living an ideal life. Meeting prior to the pilot episode, Sutton talks Emma into stepping into her life for a few days while she pursues their birth mother in Los Angeles. Initially excited to do this favor for her sister, Emma soon learns that Sutton has many hidden secrets. Now, Emma must continue to cover as Sutton while Sutton continues her search for their birth mother.
Cast and characters
Regular characters
- Alexandra ChandoAlexandra ChandoAlexandra Chando is an American actress. She is best known for playing the role of Maddie Coleman on the daytime soap opera As the World Turns, which she began in 2005, and currently stars in 2011 in the ABC Family original series The Lying Game along with a few other popular stars such as Blair...
as Emma Becker and Sutton Mercer. Sutton was adopted by a wealthy family while her identical twin sister Emma was landed in the foster system and grew up as a foster kid. It is revealed that Emma was adopted by a wealthy couple in Beverly Hills before Annie Hobbs took her back. Sutton finds out that Annie was told by Ted and Alec that Emma died in the fire thus making her go crazy. - Allie GoninoAllie GoninoAlyssa Jean "Allie" Gonino is an American actress and singer. She is best known for regular role as Laurel Mercer on The Lying Game and her recurring role as Michelle on 10 Things I Hate About You, both being ABC Family series. Gonino was also member of the American girl group "The Stunners".-Life...
as Laurel Mercer, Sutton's adoptive sister and biological daughter of the Mercers. - Blair RedfordBlair RedfordDavid Blair Redford is an American actor.- Personal life :Redford grew up in the suburb of Canton, Georgia and attended Sequoyah High School. He is of Irish, French, German, and Native American descent...
as Ethan Whitehorse, Sutton's secret boyfriend but after discovering Emma was pretending to be Sutton, slowly develops feelings for Emma. He and Emma later develop feelings for one another and a relationship ensues. - Andy Buckley as Ted Mercer, adoptive father of Sutton and biological father of Laurel. He knew Annie Hobbs, Sutton and Emma's biological mother as a teenager. It is revealed that Ted along with Alec told Annie that Emma died in the fire and were responsible for Annie going crazy.
- Helen SlaterHelen SlaterHelen Rachel Slater is an American actress and singer-songwriter.She appeared in the title role in the 1984 film Supergirl. In the following years she starred in several very successful comedy-drama films such as Ruthless People, The Secret of My Success, and City Slickers...
as Kristin Mercer, adoptive mother of Sutton and biological mother of Laurel. Kristen becomes suspicious of Annie after hearing her name by an old friend of Ted's. Kristen has no idea that Annie is Sutton's biological mother. - Kirsten ProutKirsten ProutKirsten Prout is a Canadian actress born in Vancouver, British Columbia. She starred in ABC Family's drama Kyle XY as Amanda Bloom.-Early life:...
as Charlotte "Char" Chamberlin, one of Sutton's closest friends & Emma and Sutton's biological cousin. - Alice GreczynAlice Greczyn-Personal life:Greczyn was born in Walnut Creek, California and lives in Hollywood, California. She was home-schooled and started taking classes at Front Range Community College when she was 15. Informed that she had to be 18 to study nursing, she decided to try modeling and relocated to California...
as Madeline 'Mads' Rybak, one of Sutton's closest friends. - Sharon Pierre-LouisSharon Pierre-LouisSharon Pierre-Louis is an American actress. She is best known and currently co-stars as Nisha Randall on the ABC Family series The Lying Game.-Life and career:...
as Nisha Randall, Sutton's rival.
Recurring characters
- Tyler Christopher as Dan Whitehorse, a police officer and Ethan's brother.
- Randy WayneRandy WayneRandy Wayne is an American actor.Wayne was born and raised in Moore, Oklahoma. He appeared on the 2002 season of the British reality show Shipwrecked, which led to guest appearances on the television shows The Closer, Huff, NCIS, Jack & Bobby, and Numb3rs as well as a series regular role as the...
as Justin Miller, Laurel's boyfriend. - Christian AlexanderChristian Alexander (actor)Christian Alexander is a Bulgarian-American actor, best known for his role as Kiefer Bauer on the American daytime drama General Hospital.-Biography:...
as Thayer Rybak, the brother of Madeline and son of Alec Rybak and became Sutton's lover after Sutton found out how serious Ethan and Emma were getting. - Adrian PasdarAdrian PasdarAdrian Kayvan Pasdar is an American actor, voice artist, and film director. He is known for playing Jim Profit on the TV series Profit, for his roles in Near Dark, Carlito's Way, Mysterious Ways and as Nathan Petrelli on Heroes. Additionally, he directed the feature film Cement...
as Alec Rybak, the father of Madeline and Thayer Rybak. He knew Annie Hobbs, the biological mother of Sutton and Emma as a teenager. Annie tells Sutton that Alec and Ted told her Emma died in the fire thus making her go crazy. - Rick MalambriRick MalambriRick Malambri is an American actor, dancer and model. He is the star of the movie Step Up 3D, released in theaters on August 6, 2010.-Life and career:...
as Eduardo Diaz, a ballet instructor in Madeline's and Charlotte's dance class. - Ben Elliot as Derek Rogers, Alec's accomplice and Charlotte's brief ex-boyfriend.
- Sydney Barrosse as Phyllis Chamberlin, Charlotte's mother.
- Kenneth Miller as Travis Boyle, Emma's foster brother.
- Stacy EdwardsStacy EdwardsStacy Edwards is an American actress.Edwards was born in Glasgow, Montana, the daughter of Patty and Preston Edwards, who was an Air Force officer. She grew up all over the world, from Guam to Alabama. At 18, she received a scholarship to the Lou Conte Dance Studio in Chicago and began her...
as Annie Hobbs, Sutton and Emma's biological mother. - Debrianna Mansini as Clarice Boyle, Emma's foster mother.
- Charisma CarpenterCharisma CarpenterCharisma Lee Carpenter is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Cordelia Chase in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel, for which she was nominated for four Saturn Awards. In her most recent film she starred opposite Sylvester Stallone and Jason...
as Rebecca "Annie" Sewell, Phyllis' estranged younger sister and Char's aunt who had left Phoenix many years ago. She is said to know many of Ted and Alec's secrets from the past that they'd rather keep concealed. - Misha Crosby as Ryan Harwell, Mads' new love interest.