Ashley Victoria Benson (born December 18, 1989) is an American actress and singer who rose to prominence through her roles in television and film, particularly as Hanna Marin in the long-running series Pretty Little Liars.

Born in Anaheim Hills, California, to Shannon Harte and Jeff Benson, she began competitive dancing at age three, training in hip hop, jazz, ballet, tap, and lyrical styles, and started modeling and singing by age five, appearing in numerous print ads and commercials before transitioning to acting around age ten.

Her early screen work included guest spots on shows like The District, The West Wing, and 7th Heaven, followed by her soap opera debut as Abigail Deveraux on Days of Our Lives from 2004 to 2007, where she honed her skills in a recurring role that lasted over 150 episodes.​

Ashley Benson made her film debut with a small part in the comedy 13 Going on 30 in 2004 and starred as Carson in the direct-to-video cheerleading movie Bring It On: In It to Win It in 2007, performing her own stunts despite a fear of heights.

Her breakthrough came in 2010 when she was cast as Hanna Marin, the stylish and resilient "it girl" in the ABC Family/Freeform mystery-thriller Pretty Little Liars, adapted from Sara Shepard's novels, where she appeared in all 160 episodes through 2017 and guest-starred in the spin-off Ravenswood.

The role earned her critical praise, four Teen Choice Awards including Choice TV Actress: Drama, a Young Hollywood Award, and multiple People's Choice nominations, solidifying her as a teen drama icon.​

During and after Pretty Little Liars, she expanded into diverse film roles, including the crime comedy Spring Breakers (2012) alongside Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens, the horror thriller Ratter (2015), the indie drama Chronically Metropolitan (2016), and the punk rock film Her Smell (2018) with Elisabeth Moss.

She continued with projects like the supernatural comedy Private Property (2022), the crime thriller Mob Land (2023), the biographical drama McVeigh (2024), and the Amazon Prime miniseries Wilderness (2023) as Cara Parker, while making guest appearances on shows such as How I Met Your Mother, CSI: Miami, Supernatural, and Eastwick.

Ashley Benson has also pursued music, contributing to soundtracks and releasing singles, reflecting her early training as a singer.​