Think you're feeling bummed about Pretty Little Liars ending? Likely, you've got nothing on Shay Mitchell. The actress who, of course, played iconic lesbian Emily Fields has filmed a nearly nine-minute goodbye to her character, Rosewood, and everyone involved in making the show that lasted seven seasons on Freeform (and, back in the day, ABC Family). Having been merely viewers of the Shay/Emily/PLL emotional experience for all these years, we could previously only imagine what these actresses were going through, but Shay has really given us a tearful, heartbreaking, and ultimately inspiring window into her soul. Watch (and probably cry) here:
Shay literally glows in the light of her camera as she reminds us not only how close-knit her PLL family has become and how she hopes they stay together forever, but also how important the show was in starting a conversation for kids and teens who were looking to come out to their families. Emily Fields has been a proud, out character on TV since 2010, and we'll miss following her confusing, romantic, beautiful, occasionally terrifying, mostly inspiring love life on our screens. Through her tears and disintegrating eyelashes, Shay manages to end on a positive note, sharing with us a quote that's carrying her through this hard time: "So I close my eyes to old ends, and open my heart to new beginnings."
We'll miss you, Emily Fields!