Lucy Hale says she’s been preparing for a series like AMC’s upcoming crime show Ragdoll her whole life.

“I’m the first girl to listen any true crime podcast or to watch any of the crime shows,” Hale said during AMC’s TCA portion on Tuesday.

From listening and watching the horrors of true crime, Hale is now at the center of a horrifying web of murders in Ragdoll. Adapted for television by Freddy Syborn from Daniel Cole’s novel, the six-part series follows newly-reinstated DS Nathan Rose (Henry Lloyd-Hughes); his best friend and boss, DI Emily Baxter (Thalissa Teixeira); and the unit’s new recruit, DC Lake Edmunds (Hale) as they unravel the mystery behind the six people who have been murdered, dismembered and sewn into the shape of one grotesque body — nicknamed the ‘Ragdoll.’ The team must find the ‘Ragdoll Killer’ before he murders the victims for his next gruesome creation.

For Hale, Ragdoll is a new step in her career – following her teen drama days of Pretty Little Liars and her time on Katy Keene. The actress, who starred on Pretty Little Liars from 2010 to 2017 and Katy Keen from 2018 to 2020, wanted to venture out beyond the types of roles she was most known for, she said.

“When you’re a part of something like Pretty Little Liars or Katy Keene, people definitely want to keep you in that box and I’m very grateful for those opportunities,” she said. “But, I made the conscious decision that after Katy Keene got cancelled I knew that the next job I did really had to creatively excite me.”

The actress said that her supporters, who first started following her with the ABC Family drama, “have grown up with me” and believes that they, too, will take a leap into Ragdoll to continue their support.

The darker, more sinister AMC show isn’t just a new chapter for Hale’s career, but a new book, she said.

“Going to London and working with Sid Gentile, working with Freddy, I was so excited to work with Henry and Thalissa – it just feels elevated. I feel like I grew working with everyone,” she said. “Not even a new chapter, but a new book for sure. A darker, new book.”

Ragdoll will premiere on AMC Thursday, November 11. Syborn will serve as the lead writer and executive producer. The series will be executive produced by Sally Woodward Gentle and Lee Morris for Sid Gentle Films. McDermott and Kristin Jones oversee for AMC and Philippa Collie Cousins, Commissioning Editor, Drama for UKTV will be executive producer for Alibi. Lizzie Rusbridger will produce. BBC Studios is distributing the series internationally.

Source.