We've been counting down the days for The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 ever since the show's sophomore season wrapped up in August 2023, and the wait is almost over. Ahead of the show's premiere on July 16, Teen Vogue caught up with Lola Tung to chat about her journey as Belly Conklin throughout the show's three seasons, and she filled us in on the body language that defines the dynamics between her character and love interests Jeremiah and Conrad.
In a new instalment of Teen Vogue's Character Study video series, Lola Tung dished on how Belly acts differently when she's around Jeremiah (played by Gavin Casalegno) and Conrad (played by Teen Vogue New Hollywood alum Chris Briney), which might be key to understanding her final decision in The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3.
“When she's around Conrad, I think she tends to freeze up a little bit,” Tung explains in the video, which you can watch in full below. “When she's around Jeremiah, it's more of this playful energy where they have this comfortability where they can touch each other a lot. Because that's what their friendship is, and that feels like Jeremiah's love language and maybe her love language with him. But with Conrad, there's a lot of eye contact.”
Of course, Tung's observations match what we've already been told on the show. Belly is more on edge around Conrad, her lifelong crush, and everything is easygoing with Jeremiah. But that's precisely what will be put into question in season 3. Is real love fully breezy, or should there be a little tension?
ICMYI, TSITP season 3 will feature a two-year time jump. Belly and Jeremiah have been dating ever since we last saw them, and, to the surprise of everyone, they decided to get engaged, which brings Conrad back into the picture.
The season's official synopsis is as follows: “Belly has only ever been in love with two boys, both with the last name Fisher. And after being with Jeremiah for the last two years, she’s almost positive he is her soul mate. Almost. While Conrad has not gotten over the mistake of letting Belly go, Jeremiah has always known that Belly is the girl for him. So when Belly and Jeremiah decide to make things forever, Conrad realizes that it’s now or never — tell Belly he loves her or lose her for good. Belly will have to confront her feelings for Jeremiah and Conrad and face the inevitable: She will have to break one of their hearts.”
The season's trailer already confirms that Belly will face some serious doubts this season, especially after not getting her mom's blessing to marry Jeremiah, or at least not initially. It's also been teased that Belly will be impressed by the life Conrad has built for himself in California, where he's been studying and training to become a doctor. In the season's trailer, we see Belly paying a visit to Conrad on the East Coast. “You just seem like you got everything figured out,” she tells him. Judging by a teaser posted by Prime Video, it looks like that might be tempting for Belly. "What if I said I’d maybe rather stay here with you?” Belly says in the first episode of the season. Could she be talking to Conrad when she utters these words? We will have to wait and see, but regardless, Tung has a word of advice for the final outcome.
“I think we see with a lot of these love-triangle stories, people want the leading girl to end up with someone,” Lola Tung tells Teen Vogue in her new July/August 2025 cover story. “When people have an attachment to the characters, they want to see it come together at the end. I’m so grateful that they care so much, but people get a little scary about it. Please don't threaten to kill someone if something doesn't go your way — I promise you, it's not that serious. Jenny [Han] is so smart and she cares so much about the story and making it the best story that it can be. It will be okay.”
Read Lola Tung's full Teen Vogue July/August 2025 cover interview here.
