Lola Tung. That’s the name you’re looking for. Before the Prime Video series The Summer I Turned Pretty blew up into a massive cultural phenomenon, Lola was basically a normal student at Carnegie Mellon. She hadn’t even finished her freshman year when she landed the role of Isabel "Belly" Conklin. It’s wild to think about, honestly. Most people expect a lead in a massive Jenny Han adaptation to have a long IMDB page filled with Disney Channel guest spots or indie credits, but Tung was a fresh face.
She walked onto that set in Wilmington, North Carolina, and basically became the heart of a show that explores the messy, agonizing transition from childhood to whatever comes next. It wasn't just about a girl in a love triangle. It was about a girl finding her own skin.
Why Lola Tung was the Only Choice for Belly
Finding the right person to play Belly was a nightmare for the casting directors. Jenny Han has been vocal about this. Belly is a difficult character because she’s written with so much internal monologue in the books. On the page, you see her insecurities and her shifting loyalty between the Fisher brothers, Conrad and Jeremiah. On screen? You need an actress who can look at a beach house and convey ten years of longing without saying a single word.
Lola Tung had that "it" factor. She has this specific way of looking at Christopher Briney (Conrad) or Gavin Casalegno (Jeremiah) that feels incredibly vulnerable. It’s not just acting; it’s a specific kind of presence. When she got the call, she was actually in her dorm room. Imagine that. One day you're worrying about acting juries and college finals, and the next, you're the face of a franchise that defines Gen Z romance.
Some fans were skeptical at first. Book fans are protective. They’ve lived with Belly Conklin in their heads since 2009. But the moment the first trailer dropped—the one with Taylor Swift’s "This Love (Taylor’s Version)" playing in the background—the internet collectively decided that Lola was Belly. She brought a grounded, slightly awkward energy that felt real. She wasn't a polished Hollywood starlet; she felt like the girl next door who just happened to have the summer of her life.
The Reality of Filming a Seasonal Hit
People think filming a show about summer is all tan lines and ice cream. It’s not. Most of the time, they’re filming in grueling humidity or, ironically, during the colder months while trying to look like it’s 90 degrees out. Lola has talked about the "Cousins Beach" magic being a mix of great set design and a lot of bug spray.
The chemistry on set is what makes the show work. If Lola didn't click with Gavin and Chris, the whole thing would have collapsed like a house of cards. They spent a lot of time off-camera actually becoming friends. This matters. When you see Belly and Jeremiah splashing in the pool, that’s real joy. When you see the tension between Belly and Conrad on the dock, that’s built on a foundation of trust between the actors.
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Lola also had to navigate the "Team Conrad" vs. "Team Jeremiah" war. It's intense. Fans take these sides very seriously. She’s handled it with a lot of grace, usually staying neutral because, as she puts it, she’s "Team Belly." She wants the character to grow up and be happy regardless of which brother is standing there at the end of the season.
Breaking Down the Physical Transformation
In the books, Belly’s "glow up" is a huge plot point. She gets her braces off, she starts wearing contacts, and suddenly the boys notice her. The show handled this a bit more subtly. Lola didn't need a massive makeover; she just needed to shift her posture. In Season 1, you see her slouching a bit more, hiding behind her hair. By Season 2, following the heavy emotional weight of Susannah’s death, Lola plays a version of Belly that is more weary, more adult.
It's a nuanced performance.
Many viewers don't realize that Lola is also a talented musician. She grew up in New York City, attended LaGuardia High School (the "Fame" school), and has a background in musical theater. That artistic depth shows up in the way she handles the heavy emotional beats of the show. She isn't just playing a teenager in love; she’s playing a girl grieving a mother figure while trying to figure out if she’s a "good person" or not.
What Most People Get Wrong About Belly Conklin
There’s this persistent narrative that Belly is "annoying" or "indecisive." People love to jump on her for hurting the Fisher brothers. But here’s the thing: she’s sixteen and seventeen. Lola Tung plays that age-appropriateness perfectly. If Belly were perfectly logical and made the right choices every time, the show wouldn't be a drama. It would be a boring 20-minute PSA about communication.
Lola brings a certain empathy to the role. She makes you understand why Belly goes back to Conrad, even when he pushes her away. She makes you feel the comfort and safety she finds in Jeremiah. It’s a messy, jagged performance that captures the essence of being a teenager. You’re supposed to be frustrated with her. That’s the point of the story.
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The Career Impact Beyond Cousins Beach
Since the show premiered, Lola Tung's life has shifted dramatically. She’s become a fashion week staple, often seen at Coach shows or posing for major magazines. But she’s remained surprisingly low-key. She doesn't post on social media with the frequency of a typical "influencer" actress. There’s a mystery there.
She also made a massive move to Broadway. In 2024, she joined the cast of Hadestown as Eurydice. This was a huge deal. It proved she wasn't just a "streaming star" but a legitimate stage talent. Taking over a role in a Tony-winning musical is no small feat, especially one as vocally demanding as Eurydice. Fans flocked to the Walter Kerr Theatre to see if "Belly" could actually sing.
She could.
The reviews were generally glowing. She brought a youthful, folk-tinged vulnerability to the underworld that felt distinct from previous performers like Eva Noblezada. It showed that while The Summer I Turned Pretty gave her a platform, she has the chops to sustain a career long after the fake snow on the set of Cousins Beach is packed away.
Looking Toward Season 3 and Beyond
Everyone is waiting for Season 3. It’s based on the third book, We’ll Always Have Summer, which features a massive time jump and some of the most controversial plot points in the entire series. No spoilers, but the stakes for Belly are much higher. She’s in college. She’s making "forever" decisions.
Lola Tung will have to portray a version of Belly that is significantly more mature. We’ve seen her grow from a kid chasing boys at a beach house to a woman trying to build a life. The production was delayed due to the strikes in 2023, which actually worked in the show’s favor regarding the age of the actors. They look older now. They feel older.
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The transition from Season 2 to Season 3 is going to be the biggest challenge of Lola’s career so far. She has to keep the audience on her side even as the character makes some polarizing choices. If she can pull off the emotional complexity of the third book, she’ll solidify her place as one of the best young actors of her generation.
How to Follow the Cast Correctly
If you're looking for updates on the show or what Lola is doing next, social media is a bit of a minefield. The "official" accounts are great for trailers, but for the real behind-the-scenes stuff, you have to look closer.
- Lola Tung’s Instagram: She’s @lola.tung. Expect a lot of film photography, occasional fashion shoots, and very little personal drama.
- Jenny Han’s TikTok: The author is basically the unofficial marketing manager. She posts the best "crumbs" for fans, including clips of the cast hanging out between takes.
- The Wilmington Factor: Fans often track the filming by following local North Carolina news outlets. When the cast is in town, the city of Wilmington usually buzzes with sightings at local coffee shops.
Lola's rise is a reminder that sometimes, the "unknown" choice is the best one. Had they cast a famous TikToker or a seasoned child actor, the show might have felt too polished. Too fake. By picking a theater student from NYC, the producers found someone who could actually inhabit the awkward, beautiful, and sometimes painful experience of turning pretty.
The next time you sit down to rewatch the series, pay attention to the small things Lola does. The way she plays with her rings when she's nervous. The way her voice cracks when she’s fighting with her mom, Laurel (played by the excellent Jackie Chung). Those aren't accidents. That’s an actress who knows exactly who Isabel Conklin is.
To keep up with the latest developments regarding Season 3 and Lola Tung's upcoming projects, your best bet is to monitor industry trades like Variety or The Hollywood Reporter rather than just fan accounts. These sources provide the most accurate filming schedules and casting news. Also, if you haven't yet, read the third book, We'll Always Have Summer. It provides the blueprint for where Lola is taking the character next, allowing you to see the nuances in her performance that non-readers might miss.
Actionable Insights for Fans:
- Watch the Performance Evolution: If you rewatch Season 1 and Season 2 back-to-back, focus specifically on Belly’s non-verbal cues. Lola Tung intentionally changed her physicality to reflect Belly’s loss of innocence after the events of the first season.
- Explore the Broadway Connection: Look up clips of Lola in Hadestown. It gives a much better perspective on her vocal range and stage presence, which is vastly different from her screen work.
- Verify Sources: With Season 3 theories everywhere, stick to official Prime Video announcements or Jenny Han’s verified social media to avoid the pervasive "leak" culture that often spreads misinformation.