'The Summer I Turned Pretty' returns for final season: What to know
We're heading to Cousins Beach for one final perfect summer.
"The Summer I Turned Pretty" comes to an end this summer when the show's third and final season premieres on Amazon Prime Video. For the past three years, the show has garnered a strong fanbase with its story about a love triangle between a young woman and two brothers she's known since childhood.
Before officially saying farewell, the series' cast and creator spoke with "Good Morning America" about wrapping the show after three seasons and what it's meant for them to see the story resonate with fans.
"It is a huge compliment when people say that they love the story, that they love the world and the characters," said creator and showrunner Jenny Han, the author of the novel trilogy on which the show is based. "Especially when they say they've loved it for a long time, because I think to have someone carry your story around with them is so special, and it's very rare."
Will Belly choose Conrad or Jeremiah?
Ahead of the final season, fans are anticipating how the love triangle between Isabel "Belly" Conklin (played by Lola Tung) and brothers Jeremiah and Conrad Fisher (Gavin Casalegno and Christopher Briney, respectively) will unfold.
Keeping details of the show strictly under wraps, Tung teased that fans will "just have to watch to find out."
However, she dished about what it's been like for her to tell Belly's story over the past three years.
"It's been so much fun getting to be on this journey of the love triangle and on Belly's journey and getting to feel the push and pull of emotions and showcase a relationship, or relationships, that are very complex and a little bit messy," Tung said. "Because nothing is ever wrapped with a bow, even if you want it to be."
What will season 3 say about growing up?
At its core, "The Summer I Turned Pretty" is a coming-of-age story about first love and first heartbreak.
Last season, audiences saw how the death of Jeremiah and Conrad's mother affected their family and friends. It also opened up conversations about how grief from a heartbreaking tragedy is experienced among teens.
This season, the Fisher boys are growing up. While Jeremiah's relationship with his father Adam (Tom Everett Scott) strengthens, Conrad is also figuring out his relationship with his dad as he learns how to live on his own.
Scott said Conrad is studying medicine at Stanford this season. He also touched on how the parents in the show are going through their own season of growth.
"Adam is trying to engage more," he said. "He's trying to make amends for the mistakes he's made in the past, and he's trying to bridge the gap between himself and his sons."
He added, "I'm wishing [Adam] the best, because I think it's important for him to reconnect with the boys."
Jackie Chung, who plays Belly's mom Laurel, talked about how her character being an empty-nester allowed her to assess her own journey.
"Her kids have both left the house, because Belly is at school and Steven's off working," said Chung, referencing Belly's brother on the show, played by Sean Kaufman.
She added that being an empty nester allows Laurel to "re-examine some of her relationships and gives her space to figure out what she wants to do next."
What will the time jump in the show mean?
On the topic of growing up, Kaufman touched on how the upcoming season will include a significant time jump and discussed its impact on the story.
"Steven goes from 18 years old to 22," he said of the time jump. "That's a big difference, and all of a sudden, the things in his life start to become more important."
Kaufman added that the season will continue to represent what being young and in love feels like and how each character comes to define it.
"Every breakup I've ever had when I was 17 felt like the end of the world, and that's realistic, but all of a sudden you go to college, you graduate college, you went to the workforce, you hit 22 years old, and you're like, 'That 18-year-old kid was an idiot,'" he said. "There are other things in life that I have to care about, and being able to balance that and still care about love is a big challenge in this season."
Rain Spencer, who plays Taylor, Steven's love interest and Belly's best friend, said, "When you're young, you have a different idea of what love is maybe. And then when you get older, it's different. Then the next version of love is love."
When does the final season of 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' come out?
The third and final season arrives on Amazon Prime Video on July 16 with two episodes.
A new episode will drop every Wednesday until the series finale on Sept. 17.
See the full trailer for the upcoming season below.
