Lucy Hale is ready to ring in 2017!
Lucy Hale is ready to ring in 2017!
The Pretty Little Liars star has been named the host for Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest's first-ever live Central Time Zone countdown, from New Orleans.
"I'm so excited!" the 27-year-old actress gushed to ET. "I've only been to New Orleans once so I get to explore the city and host this iconic show, so I'm really looking forward to it."
Ryan Seacrest will lead the traditional countdown to midnight live from New York, with Jenny McCarthy reporting live from Times Square, while Fergie returns to host the Billboard Hollywood Party in Los Angeles.
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Hale said she's thrilled the central time zone will be "finally" represented with their very own fleur-de-lis drop near Jackson Square to ring in the new year. "I am beyond thrilled to jump on board in New Orleans," she said. "There are so many great musical performances and lots of surprises and we're going to take everyone through the city of New Orleans so they can get a feel for what an amazing city it is."
Hale's party in NOLA this year is certainly going to be different from her quiet NYE plans in 2016. "I don’t really go out for New Years any more, so this is sort of taking me out of my comfort zone and making me stay up until midnight," she said with a laugh. "Last year I was in a cabin in Big Bear with all my closest friends in our pajamas and it was perfect."
But the brunette beauty confessed that she's ready to ditch the sweats and embrace something sparkly. "I'm just such a homebody so that's typically my vibe, but every once in a while I'll go out for a special occasion -- and this is definitely a special occasion," she said.
Speaking of special occasions, Hale recently attended the wedding of her PLL co-star Troian Bellisario and Suits actor Patrick J. Adams.
"It was so beautiful," Hale said of the outdoor ceremony in Santa Barbara, California. "It was absolute perfection. I'm so happy for her and no one deserves it more than her."
And who knows, maybe next year, it will be Hale with a ring on her finger! The actress revealed that in 2017 -- which she is declaring a "me year" -- she has a number of personal and professional goals that she wants to achieve.
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"I love the idea of being as creative as possible. I think TV shows are still fun and having a job in TV for eight years is almost unheard of, but now I'm excited to change it up a bit and try and bunch of things," Hale said in reference to Pretty Little Liars, which bows its final season in April.
"I want to try to do stuff that scares me a little bit and my whole thing is just always keeping an open mind because some of my best experiences come from jumping into something I never thought I would enjoy," she continued. "I think I'm just seeing where the road takes me. I've been really, really blessed so far so just continuing to work hard and I'm excited for this next year. I think business-wise it's going to be great, but I feel like personally it will be, hopefully, my best year yet."
Hale "100 percent" believes that the key to finding true love starts with finding happiness within yourself. "I think that's so important and I think people learn that a little too late," she said. "If you're happy with yourself and treating yourself well then it reflects in every other area in your life."
As for those over-hyped New Years Eve kisses, Hale revealed that she has yet to kick off a new year with a truly unbelievable smooch. "I mean, I've had amazing New Years kisses, but nothing that blows my mind," she shared. "I still have time for that though. Except [this year] I'll be hosting so I won't have time for it, but who knows?"
Celebrate the new year with Dick Clark's New Year's #RockinEve with Ryan Seacrest on Saturday, Dec. 31 at 8pm ET/PT on ABC.