Janel Parrish: 5 Underrated Career Gems Fans Must See

Janel Parrish became a household name playing Mona Vanderwaal, turning a deceptive high school outsider into one of the most unpredictable characters on television. When the actor sat down with Young Hollywood in our studio to reflect on wrapping up that signature run, she remembered how simple everything felt at the start. "First day on set, I mean, I don't think any of us knew kind of what we were getting into," Janel Parrish told Young Hollywood. That breakout role launched an expansive career across film, television, and live theater.

Having covered her journey across 36 stories since 2012, we have watched her jump effortlessly between genres, playing everything from grounded older siblings to competitive ballroom dancers. Leaving Rosewood after nearly a decade was an emotional turning point for the cast. "And then, you know, fast forward to seven years later and it's so hard to say goodbye to everything the show is become, our characters," she explained during her visit. Watch our full sit-down with Janel Parrish below.

1Margot Covey in To All the Boys I've Loved Before

When Netflix adapted Jenny Han's hit book To All the Boys I've Loved Before, the Covey sister dynamic required an actor who could anchor the family while providing a stabilizing force. Janel stepped into the shoes of Margot, the responsible eldest sister heading off to college in Scotland. Her performance brought genuine emotional gravity to the teen romance, serving as the responsible maternal figure holding the household together.

Instead of playing Margot as overbearing, Janel leaned into practical warmth and protective care. The film became an international streaming sensation, and her subtle work established the emotional stakes that let the younger sisters find their own footing.

2Mona Vanderwaal in Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists

Returning to her defining character in Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists, Janel took Mona to the Pacific Northwest to work at Beacon Heights University. This version of Mona was older, wiser, and attempting to leave her scheming ways behind, yet still armed with the same razor-sharp intellect and obsessive attention to detail that made her legendary.

The spinoff gave Janel room to showcase Mona as a mentor figure balancing past trauma with genuine professional ambition. Her sharp comedic timing and underlying vulnerability proved that the character could easily anchor entirely new mystery plotlines on her own terms.

3Her Standout Run on Dancing with the Stars

Janel joined Season 19 of Dancing with the Stars and immediately emerged as a front-runner, displaying high-level technical precision and intense theatricality week after week. Her background in live performance shone through in contemporary routines, traditional tangos, and high-energy jazz numbers that consistently earned top marks from the judging panel.

Finishing in third place, Janel proved to a massive mainstream television audience that her discipline extended well beyond scripted dialogue. The grueling schedule highlighted her athleticism and cemented her reputation as a true multi-hyphenate talent.

4Stage Roles and Musical Theater Performances

Long before screen audiences fell in love with her dramatic range, Janel was a seasoned musical theater performer with classical training and stage pedigree. Over the years, she has returned to live theatrical productions, tackling complex musical arrangements and commanding the spotlight in intimate venue settings.

Live theater requires a distinct kind of stamina, and Janel brings vocal clarity along with sharp emotional storytelling every time she steps on stage. These stage appearances offer fans a closer look at the musical foundations that power all of her acting work.

5The Final Season Musical Number in Pretty Little Liars

During the final season of Pretty Little Liars, showrunners leaned into Janel's vocal talents for a memorable dream sequence musical number. It gave viewers an unexpected, stylized break from the relentless suspense of the central mystery, letting Janel command the screen with classic Broadway energy and polished vocals.

Wrapping that chapter of her life brought genuine sadness once the cameras finally stopped rolling on set. Reflecting on the final day, Janel recalled the emotional weight of driving off the studio lot: "It was really brutal. Oh. It was just And then, you know what was the worst was driving out of the lot and knowing that like I'm not going back."

Whether she is anchoring a smash teen rom-com, competing in a national ballroom contest, or holding down a dramatic mystery, Janel Parrish continues to prove that her talent extends far past any single role.