Early Career and Success on Television
Shannon Ashley “Shay” Mitchell was born on April 10, 1987 in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada to a Filipino mother, Precious Garcia, and an Irish/Scottish father, Mark Mitchell. She has one younger brother named Sean. She became interested in the performing arts at an early age, telling her parents she would pursue such career.
At age five, she started taking dance lessons. When she was ten, her family moved to Vancouver, British Columbia. There, she attended an open casting call for an international modeling agency and got selected. By her late teens, she has modeled for various companies in different cities such as in Bangkok, Hong Kong and Barcelona.
She then later returned to Toronto to study acting, later signing with her first theatrical agency. Shortly after, she landed a minor part in the Canadian teen series Degrassi: The Next Generation. During this time, she also booked several national advertising campaigns for such brand as Pantene.
In 2009, she was featured in a music video for the single “Hold My Hand” by Sean Paul. The following year, she appeared in an episode of the Canadian television series Rookie Blue, followed by a four-episode role in the live-action, single-camera adventure series Aaron Stone.
During this period, Mitchell also notably modeled for the clothing brand American Eagle Outfitters. In December 2009, the Canadian star got her first big break in the United States after she was cast as Emily Fields in the television adaptation of the book series Pretty Little Liars.
She originally auditioned for the role of Spencer Hastings but landed Emily Fields’ character instead, the jock girl in the group. In January 2010, the show was picked up by ABC Family. The series is about four friends facing an unknown enemy, who threatens to reveal their secrets while discovering the mystery behind the murder of their best friend.
Despite the show’s mixed reception, it somehow found success premiering to over 2.47 million viewers and has become critically well-received throughout the series’ progression. For her role, she won a Young Hollywood Award for the category of Cast to Watch, along with her co-stars. She still plays the role up to present.
Personal Life and Plastic Surgery Rumors
In 2011, she signed a deal to be a spokesperson for the Pantene Nature Fusion shampoo line. The following year, she appeared in an episode of the MTV reality television show Punk’d. She next appeared as Marissa in the short film Immediately Afterlife.
She may be an icon among teenagers but Mitchell has had her own personal struggles when it comes to her appearance. It has been reported that while modeling in Hong Kong, the Pretty Little Liars star suffered from an eating disorder. It has since been fixed and she seems healthy and happy these days.
However, issues questioning her appearance doesn’t stop there. Rumor has it that the 27-year-old Canadian beauty has undergone a rhinoplasty procedure. Although her nose was already beautiful, it had a slight crookedness on it that made its tip a little bit droopy.
Reportedly, Mitchell wanted her nose to be smaller so she had it done through plastic surgery. Presently, her new nose seems to have been reshaped and has gotten smaller, too. The result of the alleged nose job suited her face well, giving her a more polished appearance.
Aside from her nose, the young star also reportedly had her chin transformed. Based on her old photos, her chin was too long and too sharp. The feature was a distraction to her beautiful face, prompting her to undergo a procedure to deal with it. After the said surgery, her chin looks fuller and shorter, complimenting her face well.