Jenny Han, the author and showrunner of The Summer I Turned Pretty, has revealed that she intentionally filmed misleading scenes in Paris to protect the secrecy of the series’ season 3 finale. Speaking to PEOPLE on September 18, Han explained that actor Gavin Casalegno joined Lola Tung for staged Paris sequences to “throw off the fans.”
Han noted that without Casalegno’s presence, the outcome of the finale would have been obvious. “If Gavin never showed up in Paris, then it would be really obvious what the ending was,” she said, referencing leaked fan footage of filming in the French capital last fall.
In the finale, which premiered September 17 on Prime Video, Belly (Lola Tung) is visited in Paris by Conrad (Christopher Briney) after she ends her engagement to Jeremiah. The storyline sees Conrad meeting Belly’s new friends, experiencing Paris with her, and ultimately reuniting as her chosen partner.
Han added that speculation fueled by leaked set photos often included false claims. “There was stuff that was coming up that actually wasn’t true at all,” she said. “But Gavin — we were lucky that he could come and do that for us.”
Tung reflected on Belly’s Paris arc, telling PEOPLE that it was essential to the character’s personal growth. “She’s created a really beautiful little life for herself here,” Tung said, adding that allowing Conrad to see that side of her made their reunion more meaningful.
Briney also described the ending as satisfying after years of uncertainty between the characters. “It is fulfilling to finally get to that point that, in my mind, was always the end of this character’s arc,” he said.
The season 3 finale of The Summer I Turned Pretty is now streaming on Prime Video.
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