Shay Mitchell

Shannon Ashley Garcia "Shay" Mitchell is a Canadian actress born on April 10, 1987, in Mississauga, Ontario. She is best known for her role as Emily Fields in the mystery thriller drama series Pretty Little Liars, a performance that earned her widespread recognition and multiple award nominations. Aside from her acting career, Mitchell is recognized for her business ventures, writing, and work as a producer.

Mitchell was born to Precious Garcia and Mark Mitchell. Her father is of Scottish and Irish descent, while her mother is from the province of Pampanga in the Philippines and is a first cousin of singer Lea Salonga. Mitchell attended Rockridge Secondary School before transferring to and graduating from West Vancouver Secondary School. By her late teens, she had modeled in cities such as Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Barcelona, later returning to Toronto to study acting.

She began acting professionally in 2009, making cameo appearances on Degrassi: The Next Generation and Rookie Blue, as well as appearing in the music video for Sean Paul's "Hold My Hand." She achieved her breakthrough after being cast as Emily Fields in Pretty Little Liars, which aired from 2010 to 2017. Her performance earned her a Young Hollywood Award in 2011, along with a nomination for a People's Choice Award and six Teen Choice Award nominations. During this period, she also appeared on Aaron Stone, launched a lifestyle YouTube channel, and co-authored the 2015 young adult novel Bliss.

In 2016, Mitchell made her feature film debut in the musical drama Dreamland, followed by a role in the comedy Mother's Day. She later headlined the horror film The Possession of Hannah Grace in 2018, portraying Megan Reed, and starred in the 2022 Christmas film Something from Tiffany's.

On television, Mitchell starred as Peach Salinger in the thriller series You in 2018. From 2019 to 2022, she played Stella Cole in the Hulu comedy series Dollface. She made her voice acting debut in 2021 as the titular character in the Netflix animated series Trese, and she has served as an executive producer for the crime drama series The Cleaning Lady since 2022.

Mitchell has founded several commercial ventures, including the travel brand BÉIS, the production company Amore & Vita Inc., and the tequila brand Onda. In November 2025, she co-launched Rini, a skincare brand for children. Dubbed a fashion icon, she was named "Sexiest Woman Alive" by Esquire in 2014 and included on the Maxim Hot 100 list in 2015.

In her personal life, Mitchell has supported charitable organizations including the Trevor Project, NOH8 Campaign, WE Charity, GLAAD, and the Somaly Mam Foundation. She has been in a relationship with Matte Babel since 2017, and the couple has two daughters, born in October 2019 and May 2022.