-Last time I saw you, I think,
it was the end of "Pretty Little Liars."
-Yeah. -And it was -- right?
It was the end of that.
And then we were, like, saying goodbye to that.
It was bittersweet.
And then you ended up moving to New York City.
-Yeah, I mean -- -Yes, so you are a New Yorker.
-Best place in the world, by the way.
[ Cheers and applause ]
-I'm happy. Was it because of me?
You wanted to be closer to me.
-I mean, I didn't want to say that, but...
-Yeah. -...you know,
just wanted to hang out. -Of course.
-And you never ask me to hang out still,
but this is a good -- -What are you talking about?
Of course, we hang out all the time.
-No, yeah, so I wanted to move to New York.
I've always loved it here, and I was supposed to be here
for three months, and three years later,
I've never really been back to L.A.
So I can say I am a New Yorker now.
-Yeah. -Which is great.
[ Cheers and applause ] -What do you --
What do you like about the city? Just...
-I don't know. I mean, to be able
to get out of your apartment, walk around,
run into people that you know.
-Yeah. -I'm a huge sports fan.
-Yeah. -Lakers, because I'm from L.A.
But going to a Knicks game is very fun.
-Yeah.
-And I don't know if you remember this,
but the last time I ran into you was at the Knicks game,
and we were going up in the elevator.
It was just me, my friend, you, and your friend.
And mind you, the elevator is, like, big.
He walks in, and I'm in a corner and he just like,
stands in front of me.
And I thought that you just either didn't see me --
and I was really excited.
I was like, "Oh, hi," and then you were just...
here, and so I was very awkward looking at my friend
like, "Should I say something? I'm a little confused.
I guess I'll just go with it."
And then finally you turned around and you're like,
"Ashley, hi." I was like,
"Thank God, I was so nervous that, like,
you didn't know who I was."
-Because it was such a big elevator,
I hate when people come in -- -It was huge.
-And I smoosh you against the wall.
-Oh, my God. -And I was like --
-He literally was like -- -And I was just like --
-"What is happening?"
-I totally remember because I acted like --
You were just on the show maybe --
-Yeah, I was there, like --
-That day or the night before or something.
So I walked in and I saw you
and I acted like I didn't know who you were and then --
[ Laughs ] Then I was like -- I was just, like,
looking at the numbers, like, up at thing, like,
waiting for us to go to the floor.
Just, like, leaning way back against the wall.
[ Laughter ] No one else in the elevator.
I was waiting. You're like, "Hey, creepoid,
do you remember --" And I was like,
"Dude --" and then I was like,
"You're not going to say anything at all?"
-I know. -Oh, my God.
-I mean, it's very funny. But, yeah, I literally was like,
"I don't think he remembers me," and this is very awkward.
-You were just on the day before, yeah.
I had to play around. Let's talk about this movie.
Elisabeth Moss stars in the film.
You're in the band with her.
It's called "Her Smell,"
based on kind of '90s, like, grunge, punk rock.
-Yeah, '90s female punk bands.
-Yeah. -All girls. It was amazing.
-What led you to the -- to this role?
-So funny enough, I had met Lizzie in Cannes
at my friend's birthday dinner.
And I had never met her before.
I knew -- I was a big fan of her work.
-She's fun. -And she sat down,
and my best friend Isaac was sitting next to me,
and "Handmaid's Tale" had just came out.
So he all of a sudden was like this, like, covering his face.
I was like, "Are you okay? What's going on?"
He's like, "It's Offred." And I was like, "Who is Offred?"
Like, "What's -- I don't know who that is."
He -- "Offred, Offred."
Finally, he's like, "Handmaid's Tale."
So I told Lizzie my friend's a big fan.
She then put on a napkin on her head,
became Offred, and, like, did this whole bit for him.
It was really cute. -No way.
-But, yeah, then she was like,
"You know, I'm a big fan of 'PLL.'"
And I was like, "Oh, you're sweet."
Like, "You haven't watched my work."
She went, "No, like, I really -- I really have."
And then went outside and we started --
-Did she call it 'PLL?' -"Pretty Little Liars."
-I know, but she called it "PLL"?
-She did, and I was like, "Actually, maybe she does
watch the show." -That's legit.
Yeah, that's like a legit fan. Sure.
-And then, yeah, we got to talking,
and she brought the movie up
and thought that I'd be great for it.
And the next thing I know, I was with Alex Ross Perry --
who's here, actually -- the director of the film,
buying a guitar amd starting guitar lessons
and all that stuff, so... -Isn't that great?
Because sometimes people come up to you and they go,
"Oh, I got this idea for this role for you."
-And it never happens. -And you never see them,
and then they back into you in an elevator
and they annoy you, yeah. -Yeah.
-It never really happens, but good for her
for following through. -Yeah.
-Do you want to tell everyone what's it about?
-Yeah, I mean, it's literally about two female rock bands
in the '90s, and all the chaos
that goes with that, all the ups and downs.
Elisabeth Moss is insanely talented.
-What is the name of her character again?
Her name is -- -Becky Something.
-Becky Something, that's right, yeah.
I want to show a clip, here's Ashley Benson in "Her Smell."
Take a look at this.
-You got any vocal warm-ups, or --
I don't know what your pre-show is.
You want to jam?
Just, like, make out?
-This is beyond me. Okay?
Just find me when the nightmare's over.
I'm done. -Oh, boy.
She needs this.
-She's going through a lot. We all are.
She's, like, wobbly with us, you know? Heartbreak.
-Wiser folks have tried and failed.
-But, hey, guys, I signed the contracts for today.
So if she doesn't show, you can sue her too.
And I think that will make a baker's dozen.
-Oh, hi. Sorry. Um, Roxie?
That was Dottie, and...
-Hi. -Hey.
-Thanks for giving her this chance.
I know she doesn't make it easy.
-Yeah, she does not. Ashley Benson, everybody.