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Inside 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' Finale: Is the Cast Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah?
With its final season, the beach-set coming-of-age drama proves it was never just about romance — it was about growing up. THR India sits with the creator and the cast to spill the secrets of yet another unforgettable summer.
Lola Tung, Gavin Casalegno and Christopher Briney — better known to fans as Belly, Jeremiah, and Conrad — gather on a Zoom screen for a global press junket. The backdrop may have changed from sun-drenched Cousins Beach to virtual interviews, but their dynamic is just as electric. They're giggling, teasing, finishing each other’s sentences — a chemistry that immediately pulls one back into the world of Amazon Prime Video's The Summer I Turned Pretty.
Well, as waves crash on familiar sands, the show delivers its long-awaited season 3 finale — and with it, a powerful end to one of Gen Z’s most iconic love triangles. Adapted from Jenny Han’s best-selling trilogy, the final chapter is drawn from 2011’s We’ll Always Have Summer, and it brings to a close a story that began with first kisses and fireworks and now ends with adulthood, accountability and heartbreak.
At the heart of this final season is Belly’s evolution, a theme that has been at the forefront since season one. “It’s special to see them growing up," says Jenny Han, the creator of both the book series and the TV adaptation in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India. "The journey is about coming into their own." This evolution, however, isn’t linear. Just like in real life, Belly’s path is fraught with mistakes, heartbreak and growth. "You can make mistakes, make a mess, and still be a person worthy of love, forgiveness and redemption," Han reflects, speaking to the universal message of the series.
The final season fast-forwards four years, ageing the trio out of adolescence and into young adulthood. With it comes the weight of time: more complex emotions, grown-up stakes, and a deeper understanding of love, grief and identity.
Growing Up
For Lola Tung, the actress behind Belly, this season allowed her to showcase a deeper, more mature version of her character. "It’s been four years of my life, and I was thinking about everything that I've learned as a young woman from the mentors in my life," Tung says. "I got to play my own age this year, which was very fun. I brought in my own experiences and lessons to the character." The development of Belly in season three isn’t just about romance — it’s about understanding herself.
Even as she stumbles over her words, overwhelmed by the emotional weight of the story, Briney offers a quiet reassurance. In that moment, the line between actor and character blurs — Conrad would’ve done the same.
One of the most significant elements of the final season is the way each character is forced to confront their past mistakes. Gavin Casalegno, who plays the ever-charismatic but often conflicted Jeremiah, discusses how his character matures in season three. "I wanted to see maturity; taking accountability, being responsible, stepping up as a leader," Casalegno explains. "In season three, we really get to see if Jeremiah can step up. And the answer is absolutely."
It’s clear that the older, wiser versions of Conrad and Jeremiah bring fresh dynamics to their relationships with Belly, and the series delivers moments of tension and tenderness as they all wrestle with who they were and who they’ve become.
And then there’s Conrad, the emotionally internalised character whose rare outbursts have always resonated deeply with fans. For Christopher Briney, who plays Conrad, season three was both challenging and cathartic. "With the growth Conrad has gone through, he’s becoming someone who can more frequently address his emotions," Briney says, hinting at several powerful scenes that were both difficult and rewarding to film. "I gotta do some stuff... but there are a bunch of emotional scenes." Briney’s portrayal of Conrad, a character whose emotions often simmer beneath the surface, showcases his own evolution.
Who Will Belly Choose?
Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah?
The Summer I Turned Pretty reignited the kind of fandom frenzy not seen since Twilight (2008) or The Vampire Diaries (2009). Hashtags, T-shirts, Instagram reels — the debate became a cultural moment.
But for Lola Tung, the choice was always clear: she’s Team Belly. "I want her to stand firmly in her decision," Tung says. "I’m team Belly. I always will be." For her, it’s not about one love interest over the other, but about Belly’s right to choose her own path, to fight for her happiness, and to grow through her choices.
Briney can’t help but tease. “She’s Team Everybody,” he jokes, while Casalegno laughs, adding, “I’m Team Happiness.” But the fact that each character, as well as their relationships, have become so deeply layered and complex, is a credit to the writing team, led by Jenny Han herself.
“It's really cool to have people care about your work in one way or another, even if they're rooting against my character,” says Briney, in his characteristic contemplative manner. “It’s a blessing to have an audience.”
It’s wild to be part of something we used to watch as kids, says Casalegno, recalling Twilight. “It's been a joy and also tricky to figure out all the little details that go into making a good, solid love triangle and storytelling in that.”
Lola reminisces about being too young to watch the film but still remembers seeing "Team Edward" shirts on the street. Now, Briney laughs about spotting someone in a “Team Conrad” shirt recently.
Han, however, who birthed these characters, refuses to pick sides. “As the creator, you have to love all of them. You protect them. They all have good intentions.”
More Than Just a Summer Romance
At the heart of The Summer I Turned Pretty isn’t just a love triangle — it's the ache of nostalgia, the soundtrack that scores your memories, the beach that quietly becomes a witness to one's transformation.
"The show goes back and forth in time... certain songs just transport you to a moment in your life, especially summers." It’s that universal feeling of a transformative summer, one that is also acknowledged by the people around.
And then there's the setting. Cousins Beach has become as much of a character as Belly, Conrad and Jeremiah. "There’s this fantasy of going on vacation and coming back a totally different person," Han reflects. It's not just the literal setting of the beach that holds significance, but the idea of personal transformation, of going through something that changes you in ways one can't quite explain.
As the final credits roll, The Summer I Turned Pretty leaves behind more than just a resolved love story. It leaves a feeling of summers that changed you, of growing pains that shaped you, of moments that stick with you long after the sunsets.
“You remember the books you read as a kid,” Han says. “They shape your imagination.” The ones that stay with you? Those are the special ones.