Note: This story contains spoilers from “The Summer I Turned Pretty” Season 3, Episode 8.
In “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” Jackie Chung’s Laurel is one of the only people with whom Conrad (Christopher Briney) can reveal his true feelings for Belly (Lola Tung), but Chung said she doesn’t think Laurel knows anything about her daughter’s feelings for Conrad.
“I don’t think Laurel knows [that Belly is in love with Conrad] — I don’t think Belly has confided in Laurel about that,” Chung told TheWrap in a Wednesday interview. “I think she just thinks Belly is ready to go, maybe feeling the nerves that some people feel before a wedding, but not that she has this confusion inside of her.”
If anything, Chung said Laurel might see a bit of fear in Belly ahead of the wedding, which she said is perfectly natural, saying “weddings are a lot, there’s a lot of eyes on you … it’s a new feeling just all the attention being on you.” “I don’t think she’s suspecting that there might not be a wedding,” Chung said.
Had Laurel known about Belly’s feelings for Conrad, Chung said the mother and daughter would’ve had a “long conversation” prior to the big day. But ultimately, the decision would’ve fallen on Belly to come to terms with her feelings and call off her wedding to Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno) as she did at the end of Season 3, Episode 8.
“Belly had to figure it out on her own,” Chung said. “We saw with the wedding, Laurel tried to get through to her many ways and Belly was set on doing it. Laurel realized she wasn’t going to get through and she had to let Belly figure it out on her own.”
Below, Chung breaks down the aftermath of calling off the wedding, the unexpected response to Laurel and John’s romance and the potential of a spinoff series.
TheWrap: How long do you think Laurel has known that Conrad is in love with Belly?
Chung: I don’t know if I can give a specific time frame, but I feel like she’s known for a while. They’ve been very close since they were young but she knows what’s in that heart of hearts.
What would it have taken for Laurel to tell Conrad to confess his feelings before the wedding?
I think in the diner scene, Laurel was encouraging Conrad to find his happiness in whatever way he thinks is best for him, or whatever way he’s going to figure that out. I don’t know if Laurel thinks confessing his feelings is the way to go or when to do that. She would never tell him what to do; I think she just likes to leave a door open for him and hope that he will walk through it in his own way.
After the wedding is called off, do you think Belly came clean about Jeremiah cheating to Laurel? Do you think Laurel ever finds out about the cheating?
I think after the wedding in this episode, everyone is just kind of scrambling. I mean, a whole wedding was planned. Kayleigh and Adam are planning something with executives for work. There’s going to be a big crowd, so I think at that point, everyone is just trying to pay off vendors, and all the adults are just on cleanup.
I’m sure in the days after the wedding, Laurel and Belly had some heart-to-hearts and Laurel offered her some advice. What advice do you imagine Laurel gave to Belly?
I think you see in this episode when Belly comes and says their little code phrase that Laurel immediately rushes to her and holds her. I think Laurel, at this point, would just be there to listen to Belly and to just hold her feelings, because it’s just such a big emotional moment. It’s such a huge transition to be going through from thinking you’re getting married to not getting married.
Laurel always wanted Belly to have adventures, is she happy she chose to go to Paris after all?
I think Laurel wants Belly to explore and to travel and to live a full life, so I think she’s all for Belly having adventures.
We’re about to hit uncharted territory from the books for these last 3 episodes. What can you tell us? Are you happy with how things leave off for both Laurel and the rest of the characters?
I haven’t seen the last three episodes yet. I’ve seen the first eight, but I haven’t seen the last three. I had most of the scripts, so I know generally what happens, but I feel like you don’t really know until it’s all put together and everything’s edited, so I’m going to be watching along with everyone else next week to see how it all plays out. I hope that all the viewers are happy with how the show takes these relationships.
This season also wove in a romance with Laurel and John. What did you think about that and Laurel’s arc this season?
I wasn’t expecting it, and then Jenny mentioned it before we started filming, and I thought, “Oh, you know what? That’s going to be really fun.” I love working with Colin [Ferguson], so any moments we have together are a good time. We got to do silly things like handstands, partying … and I’ve been hearing that people are really invested in their relationship, which I also wasn’t expecting, so that’s been fun to see.
The romance with John is added from the books and adds a different perspective on Belly getting married. How do you think it enhanced the conflict that Laurel is feeling, especially at the beginning og the season?
John is a different kind of parent, and he has a very different approach. I know it seems like she doesn’t listen to him at all, but I do think she takes in what he says. There’s that scene where they have a conversation on the stairs, and she understands that he is a different person, and when she wasn’t able to accept the wedding, he was and so I do think her deciding to come around was a culmination of things. It wasn’t just Conrad’s conversation with her at the diner. It was that everybody had started supporting them, starting early on, with Steven and John. It was a lot what Conrad was saying, but it was also that time had gone by and that she was the last stronghold, and then she realized she needed to come around and support.
The season also sees Steven exploring a potential romance with Denise before heading back to Taylor. Do you think Laurel approves of Steven being with Taylor?
I don’t think she knows the ins and outs of her kids’ relationships. They’re all out of the house. I don’t think they’re calling her and asking her for relationship advice, so I feel like she doesn’t know the nitty gritty. I think she knows that Steven is very career oriented and ambitious and often really on top of his stuff, so I don’t think she’s concerned about his romantic relationships. I think if there were wedding in his future, she would hope that she would hear about it and know about it. She trusts in her kids ultimately to have a bunch of relationships and then find the right person for them.
There’s also been a big effort to stop any online bullying directed at cast members. What has your reaction been to fans and any backlash to specific characters this season?
I think it’s always a good reminder, because it’s so lovely that people are
so invested in the show, and they feel so impassioned that they have theories and opinions. But it is just a show, and we are actors. I’m not really Laurel. I didn’t really shun my daughter. It’s a helpful reminder to people that we are just human beings telling a story, and to keep that in mind when they’re sharing their thoughts, because I’ve had people also ask me, “what would you do if your kids dated the same person?” It must happen sometimes in real life, but … that’s why it’s so fun to explore on a TV show … the fantasy of two gorgeous brothers falling in love with you. It is just a show, and I hope people can just enjoy it for what it is, and understand that it was made with a lot of care and a lot of love.
There’s been a lot of talk about a spinoff centering younger versions of Laurel and Susannah? Are you into it and have there been any official discussions about it?
No official discussions about anything. I think a spinoff of young Laurel and Susannah would be really interesting — to see how they became friends, how Laurel and Adam became Susannah and Adam, how Laurel and John met. I think it’d be interesting to see the adult characters now too, and what they’re doing with their lives and the relationships that they have and whether they last.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
“The Summer I Turned Pretty” Season 3 releases new episodes Wednesdays on Prime Video.
