Keegan Allen

The son of a veteran TV and film actor, Keegan Allen launched his Hollywood career with a breakout role on the hit drama-thriller "Pretty Little Liars" (ABC Family, 2010- ). The series focused on four young women who fear that an anonymous figure is about to reveal their darkest secrets. Allen landed a featured role on the series as a confidante and love interest to two of the central characters, but his undeniable talent for portraying a troubled man with a mysterious past endeared him to the show's widely young, female audience. While making his mark on "Pretty Little Liars," Allen also dedicated himself to pursuing other acting projects that showcased his versatility and upheld his late father's legacy.

Keegan Philip Allen was born on July 22, 1989. His father was veteran TV actor Phillip R. Allen, who appeared on numerous series such as "The Bad News Bears" (CBS, 1979-1980) and "Alice" (CBS, 1976-1985) until his death in March 2012. The young Allen followed in his father's footsteps and pursued an acting career early on. He made his first onscreen appearance in the comedy short "Small Emergencies" (2002). Blessed with naturally good looks, Allen grew into a young heartthrob, landing a minor appearance on the Nickelodeon musical comedy series "Big Time Rush" (2009-13) as a male model. Allen further stretched his acting chops when he landed his breakthrough role on the hit ABC Family series "Pretty Little Liars."

Based on the popular young-adult novels by Sara Shepard, the show followed four young women whose lives change after the mysterious death of their clique's leader and the cryptic messages from an anonymous source named "A." "Pretty Little Liars" starred Lucy Hale, Shay Mitchell, Ashley Benson, and Troian Bellisario as the girls tormented by their friend's death and the threat of their secrets exposed by the unidentified "A." Allen played the tortured Toby Cavanaugh, who gets tangled up in the mystery while pursuing romantic relationships with Mitchell and Bellisario. As the series progressed, it was eventually revealed that Toby was part of a team working for "A." The role established Allen as an integral part of the show, but also helped him land parts in other projects. In 2011, Allen guest starred in an episode of hit procedural "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (CBS, 2000-15).

By Candy Cuenco