Pretty Little Liars: Why Jason DiLaurentis Was Recast In Season 2

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Drew Van Acker notably portrayed Jason DiLaurentis in Pretty Little Liars, but he wasn't the first actor cast in the role. Parker Bagley was initially cast as Jason, appearing in a handful of episodes in Pretty Little Liars season 1 before Van Acker took over. Created by I. Marlene King, the series centers on the disappearance of Alison DiLaurentis (Sasha Pieterse) and the fallout that ensues among her group of friends when they start to be harassed by a Pretty Little Liars' mysterious villain, «A.» Jason is Alison's older brother who is thrust into the drama surrounding his sister and friends.

Based on the books by Sara Shepard, the story of a popular girl's disappearance turned into a complicated web of lies. As Pretty Little Liars continued, the twists and turns became more mindblowing. When Alison was revealed to be alive, more secrets were unearthed. It turned out that Jason was the son of Peter Hastings (Nolan North), the father of Alison's close friend and neighbor, Spencer Hastings (Troian Bellisario). This meant that Jason was actually Alison's half-brother. Despite all of the secrets and lies within their family, Jason and Alison grew closer before the series came to a close.

Related: Why Pretty Little Liars Spin-Off The Perfectionists Was Canceled

Bagley played Jason when the character was introduced in Pretty Little Liars season 1. He returned to his hometown to assist with his sister's memorial before revealing that he was sent pictures from «A.» Bagley only appeared in two episodes in the debut season and when the character returned in season 2, Jason was played by Van Acker instead. The latter actor then held the gig until Pretty Little Liars ended with season 7 in 2017, appearing in a total of 35