7 Fun Facts from Kirsten Prout

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

ABCFamily's The Lying Game is in a steady groove now. Plus, the back 12 episodes for the first season were ordered, so it's looking like it's in good shape. We had a chance to talk with series regular Kirsten Prout, who plays Charlotte "Char" Chamberlin on the series. You may also remember her as Amanda Bloom on Kyle XY and Brittany Morgan in the Once/Twice Upon a Christmas TV movies.

If you're new to the series, it is basically about how twins Sutton and Emma are unclear on their background - Sutton was adopted into a wealthy family while Emma grew up in the foster care system. Sutton has gone to research the situation, and Emma masquerades as her twin in the meantime. Char is one of Sutton's best friends. She takes ballet and has a troubled home life (mom is an alcoholic frequently in and out of rehab), but she's still a snarky prankster alongside Sutton and Mads. Char is a little self-absorbed and a bit of a worrywart, but she's loyal.

Now, onward to the fun facts from Kirsten - about the show, the character, and herself!

- In giving fans something to look forward to on the show (without giving anything away), Prout said that viewers should "really pay close attention to the little hints that are dropped. The show drops clues everywhere and sometimes it's hard to pick up on them or they seem like completely unrelated little snippets. But pay attention because they'll always come out a few episodes ahead. And, you'll figure out that little clues could really help you start figuring out something in Emma's past."

- Char does ballet on the show, but Kirsten was not classically trained. In preparation for the roles, she met with a ballet coach who helped her with bar work, stretches, and some basics. Ironically, the two cast members who knew ballet, Sharon Pierre-Louis (Nisha) and Allie Gonino (Laurel) do not dance on the show.

- Char's very fashionable. She wears four-inch heels to school and very over-the-top outfits, which works since "fashion is such a big part of the show." Looking at just the early episodes, Prout's favorite outfit is the father-daughter dance dress, which "fit like a glove."

- In addressing her similarities to her character, Prout said that "we're both a little bit neurotic. Char's neurotic about social things. I'm neurotic about when I was in University, academically. We are essentially opposites but we do have a few things in common. Char is... she has a meltdown if there's a social snafu or if there's anything in the political system of the high school wrong... where, with me, I was always focused on my literature mark and how high it was. And now it's me fretting over my garden - what's going to make it, what's going to die. So, we both have our panicky side. But I think Char is a little more wrapped up in the social side of things."

- Prout's fans have given her a lot of positive feedback about her role as Char. "The reaction to Char has been overwhelmingly positive. And I've really appreciated all the encouragement and all the positive words that have been sent to me."

- Prout is Canadian, so filming in Austin has been a real experience for her. She is "slowly exploring America and Austin is definitely one of my favorite cities so far. It's great. The live music and the heat is a little much but you can escape it at Barton Springs. So, I'm not complaining for sure. It's really fun."

- If Prout could go back in time and give herself advice as a seven- or eight-year-old, she would tell herself to "relax a little, because I was such an intense kid... My mom was always trying to get me to relax and calm down and just take it one day at a time... I've gotten to the point now, where, in my life, I realize that I can't sweat the small stuff."