User:Miss X-Factor/CeCe Drake

CeCe Drake is a fictional character in the ABC Family Pretty Little Liars television series adaption. She is portrayed by Vanessa Ray.

Casting
It was reported that Vanessa Ray was casted to play CeCe Drake. Vanessa was announced to start filming again for PLL, Ray spoke about returning saying "It's so fun to do, and what a crazy character I get to play. She's sort of a sociopath. I think she's so weird because she's, like, 22 but hangs out with high-schoolers. It's like, 'Hey, girl! Get a life!'”

Development
CeCe Drake was characterized as a "beyond-charismatic twenty-something blonde stylist at a boutique that has one heel in the present, one in the past.” Pretty Little Liars Producer Oliver Goldstick told TVLine that she "schooled Alison in the wicked ways of the world … She taught her everything she knows!” Drake's personality is described as the sociopathic qualities: controlling, charming, seductive, dominant, and extremely intelligent. CeCe is described with her big, blue eyes, shiny blond curls, and admirable confidence, CeCe possesses a charm eerily similar to Alison's. The girls believe CeCe is “a lot” like Alison. In fact, CeCe acted as Alison's mentor in teaching her how to be controlling and manipulative. Like Ali, she is closest to Spencer. CeCe was also described as “off-the-wall, self-centered, bizarre fashionista”.

Storylines
CeCe makes her first appearance in the season three episode "Crazy", The girls mistake CeCe as Alison due to CeCe being like Alison. CeCe Drake reveals that she spent an what was described as an "intense" summer she spent with Alison DiLaurentis in Cape May, New Jersey before Alison's disappearance. CeCe Drake also revealed that she previously dated Jason DiLaurentis. It was revealed that CeCe broke up with Jason the day after Alison went missing. Jason blames CeCe for the way Ali acts. In the episode "The Kahn Game", CeCe reveals to Spencer and Aria that she was an student at UPenn in which CeCe happens to invite them to a party where someone from UPenn admissions is attending. Later, CeCe challenged Eric Khan to an game of "Truth or Dare". CeCe appears in the episode "Single Fright Female", in which CeCe revealed to Spencer that CeCe and Paige had a feud between the two over Emily Fields in which CeCe referred to Paige as "Pig Skin". CeCe and Alison appear in an flashback with Paige in which CeCe also revealed that she believed Alison was afraid of Paige. Later, Spencer helps her out. CeCe saves Spencer from an snake attack in the dressing rooms. In the episode "Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Inferno", CeCe remembers the photo of Ali and Cece bonding with lobsters in Cape May, NJ that Emily shows her, but she says she never knew who "beach hottie" was exactly. CeCe stated "Honestly, there were so many hotties down there that summer,". Ali comes to see her at Annie's Crab Shack and tells her she's late ... like two weeks late. She was using protecting, "just not all the time." In the episode "Hot Water", Hanna sees Wilden put CeCe in his car, CeCe leaves Rosewood because she is afraid of Darren Wilden. In the episode "I'm Your Puppet", it was revealed that CeCe had a visitor pass to Radley and she was visiting Mona while she was there. CeCe wanted see Mona because she was desperate to see her during when Mona wasn't allowed visitors. It was revealed that CeCe was thrown out of college. Mona would later admit to seeing CeCe while in Radley in the episode "'A' is for A-l-i-v-e".

CeCe does not make an appearance in the episode "Crash and Burn, Girl!", however when Toby and Caleb go to investigate Red Coat's flight plan, they question Nigel Wright a second time, he reluctantly reveals that he was paid to set up an anonymous private flight for CeCe to The Lodge at Thornhill on the night of the fire in "A DAngerous GAme." Shana reveals to Spencer that Jenna Marshall is afraid of CeCe Drake in the episode "Into the Deep". It was revealed in "The Mirror Has Three Faces" that Alison was the reason CeCe was thrown out of college after the stunt Ali pulled at the frat party leading CeCe to believe that the girls are "four she-devils" that had something to do with what happened. Ali's mom described their relationship as "toxic" as they 'wore' each other's personalities. In the episode "Bring Down the Hoe", CeCe is seen in an apartment filled with pictures of Alison DiLaurentis and the liars, dating all the way back from Halloween 2008. CeCe, in an black hoodie, is show spying on Aria Montgomery and Ezra Fitz. In the episode "Now You See Me, Now You Don't", the Liars are convinced that CeCe did indeed murder Darren Wilden as sketch of a blonde woman resembling CeCe is shown on the news. During a brief struggle in which her Alison mask is kicked off by Aria, CeCe is revealed to be one of the Red Coats, presumably the evil one that has been working against the Liars. During the struggle, CeCe attempts to escape by grabbing onto a rope, only for it to snap. Aria tries to pull CeCe up as she pleads for Aria to help her, however she proves too heavy for Aria as her sleeve rips and she falls to the ground. While the Liars are contemplating calling the police CeCe's hand is seen twitching, and when the Liars turn around CeCe has seemingly disappeared. In the episode "Love ShAck, Baby", according to Travis, CeCe was lasted spotted in Maryland on the run from the authorities. It was revealed that she make huge money deposits before Wilden died. In the episode "She's Come Undone", it was revealed that CeCe witnessed a fight between Spencer Hastings and Alison DiLaurentis the night of Ali's disappearance. Also, Jessica DiLaurentis payed CeCe to be quiet about it. In the season four finale 'A' Is for Answers", CeCe is detained by Detective Holbrook (Sean Faris) and questioned about Wilden's murder. She confesses that she knows who killed Alison and that Alison is still alive.