Living Her Dream

For actress Shay Mitchell, the secret to success, health, and happiness comes down to one smart and simple formula: Work hard, play hard; eat a lot, work out a lot. She explains.

- Pam O'Brien

Shay Mitchell is most confident not when she’s all glammed up and gorgeous on the red carpet but after an intense workout. “I’m sweaty, and I don’t have an ounce of makeup on, but that is 100 per cent when I feel my best,” says Shay, 31, who loves boxing. “It’s me in my rawest form, doing something great for my body, pushing myself as hard as I can, and it feels so good.”

That realness, along with a curiosity and passion that motivate her to discover new ventures, has earned Shay millions of loyal fans. Eight years ago, she went from working bottle service at a club to landing a role as one of the main characters on Pretty Little Liars, the popular TV show that launched her career. Today Shay is starring in the new TV series You, a romantic thriller that premieres later this year in the US; has her own production company and a multi-year deal with Warner Bros. to develop projects for TV and digital platforms; and is busy creating videos, posts, and other content for her social media empire, which includes an incredible 18.4 million followers on Instagram, 2.8 million YouTube subscribers, and 5.8 million followers on Facebook.