Lola Tung Isn’t Afraid of ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ Ending Differently Than the Books
Lola Tung has no fear when it comes to straying from how The Summer I Turned Pretty books ended on the Amazon Prime Video series of the same name. In fact, the actor who plays Isabel “Belly” Conklin prefers it when scenes aren’t identical to the novels. Ahead, why Tung likes the TV show to be different, how TSITP Season 2 ended, and what’s in store for season 3’s ending based on author Jenny Han’s book trilogy.
[Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers from Jenny Han’s The Summer I Turned Pretty book series and the eponymous Amazon Prime Video series.]
Lola Tung thinks it’s ‘intimidating’ recreating moments from ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ books
Any scene in TSITP Seasons 1 or 2 that closely resembled its literary counterparts, apart from maybe the bellyflops, probably had Tung sweating a little bit. The 20-year-old admitted filming moments pulled straight from any one of Han’s three books in the TSITP trilogy can be nerve-racking.
“I feel like sometimes, it’s more daunting to bring the stuff that’s word for word out of the book to life,” Tung told PopSugar. Why? “Because that’s something that people have imagined in their heads for so long,” she explained. “And they see it in a very specific way, so that can be intimidating.”
‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ Season 2 finale didn’t end much differently than Han’s second book
Team Jellyfish rise because season 2 of TSITP ended with Belly not back together with her childhood crush, Conrad Fisher (Christopher Briney), but with his younger brother Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno).
After a lot of will-they-or-won’t-they tension, from the big party at the beach house to the boardwalk games, Belly and Jeremiah finally kissed as season 2 neared the finale. Following an argument with Conrad and one awkward ride in the car-turned-sleepover, Belly arrived at volleyball camp with Jeremiah cheering her on.
Meanwhile, in TSITP Book 2, It’s Not Summer Without You, Jeremiah brought Belly home and admitted he wanted to be with her before the two held hands.
How ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ book series, what’s ahead for season 3
While fans don’t know what’s exactly in store for season 3 of the series, Han’s third and final TSITP novel, We’ll Always Have Summer, is a roadmap. That is, of course, if the program follows the book and epilogue — where a lot happens — and wraps up in three parts.
Spoiler: Han’s books ultimately end with Belly and Conrad back together, albeit after a lot of back and forth between him and Jeremiah.
So, who will Belly end up with on the show? Will it be Conrad, the sailing-loving, oftentimes broody Fisher brother? Or Jeremiah, the life of the party who always knows what Belly’s thinking?
For now, it remains something of a mystery, especially considering Tung’s willingness to deviate from the books. Plus, there’s this quote from Casalegno about how true Han wants to stay to the ending as the series’ showrunner: “I don’t know. I think it’s Jenny. She could do whatever!”
The Summer I Turned Pretty Seasons 1 and 2 are streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
