Biography
Who is Shay Mitchell?
Early life and background
Shannon Ashley Garcia Mitchell was born on April 10, 1987, in Mississauga, Canada. Her father has Scottish and Irish ancestry, while her mother is from the Pampanga province in the Philippines. She attended Rockridge Secondary School in British Columbia before transferring to West Vancouver Secondary School, where she completed her education.
During her late teenage years, she worked as a model. This career path took her to various international cities, including Barcelona, Bangkok, and Hong Kong. After gaining experience in the modeling industry, she eventually returned to Toronto to pursue acting training.
Rise to fame
Shay Mitchell began her professional acting career in 2009. That year, she appeared in episodes of the Canadian teen drama Degrassi: The Next Generation and the police series Rookie Blue. She also featured in the music video for the song Hold My Hand by Sean Paul.
Her major breakthrough occurred when she was cast as Emily Fields in the television adaptation of Pretty Little Liars. Although she originally auditioned for the role of Spencer Hastings, the casting directors selected her for the character of Emily. The show ran from 2010 until 2017 and gained a significant cult following. Her performance earned her nominations for a People's Choice Award and six Teen Choice Awards, and she won a Young Hollywood Award in 2011. This role helped establish her status in the entertainment industry.
Acting career and projects
Following her time on Pretty Little Liars, she expanded her filmography. She made her feature film debut in the 2016 musical drama Dreamland. That same year, she appeared in the comedy Mother's Day. In 2018, she starred as Peach Salinger in the first season of the psychological thriller series You, which received critical acclaim. She also headlined the horror film The Possession of Hannah Grace, released in 2018.
Her television work continued with the Hulu comedy series Dollface, where she played Stella Cole from 2019 to 2022. In 2021, she voiced the character Alexandra Trese in the Netflix animated series Trese. Also, she has worked behind the scenes as an executive producer on the crime drama series The Cleaning Lady starting in 2022. She founded the production company Amore and Vita Inc. In 2018.
Business ventures and personal life
Outside of acting, she is active in business. She founded the travel fashion brand BÉIS in 2018 and the tequila company Onda. In 2015, she co-authored the young adult novel Bliss with Michaela Blaney. She also launched a skincare brand called Rini in 2025. Her public life and fashion choices have received frequent media attention, and she was named the Sexiest Woman Alive by Esquire in 2014.
Shay Mitchell has been in a relationship with Matte Babel since 2017. The couple shares two daughters, born in 2019 and 2022. Regarding her personal identity, she has stated that she prefers not to label her sexuality, emphasizing that she values the spirit of an individual.
Birthday and age
Shay Mitchell was born on April 10, 1987, which makes Shay 39 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aries sign. Shay shares the date with 69 other famous people.
Explore more
