Jenny Han has this weird, almost supernatural ability to pick actors before they even know they’re stars. It happened with To All the Boys, and it happened again, arguably more intensely, with Cousins Beach. When the world first heard about The Summer I Turned Pretty casting process, the stakes were terrifyingly high for book fans who had spent a decade picturing Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah in their heads. Casting a beloved book series is a bit like a high-wire act where the audience is actively throwing rocks at you. If you miss the mark on the chemistry, the whole thing collapses into a heap of cringe-worthy teen drama tropes. But somehow, they nailed it.
It wasn't just about finding pretty faces.
Casting director Eyde Belasco had to find three people who could sell a lifelong history without saying a word. You can’t fake the kind of comfort that comes from "growing up" together every summer. When Lola Tung walked into the mix, she wasn't just another actress with a resume. She was a student at Carnegie Mellon who hadn't even done a professional screen credit yet. That’s wild. Most studios would’ve demanded a "name" to anchor a big Prime Video series, but Han and the casting team took a massive gamble on a newcomer.
Finding the Perfect Belly Conklin
Lola Tung is the heart of the show, obviously. But the story of how she landed the role of Isabel "Belly" Conklin is basically a Hollywood fairytale. She sent in a self-tape, and Jenny Han has been very vocal about the fact that she just saw Belly in her. It wasn’t about her looking exactly like a specific description; it was the vibe. She had that specific mix of wide-eyed innocence and the brewing storm of teenage angst that makes the character work.
Honestly, if Lola didn't work, the show wouldn't work.
She had to carry the weight of being caught between two brothers while also dealing with her mother’s best friend dying of cancer. That’s heavy stuff for a debut role. Fans were initially skeptical because everyone has their own "Belly" in their head, but the moment the first trailer dropped, the discourse shifted. It became less about "is she the one?" and more about "how quickly can we get to Cousins Beach?"
The Fisher Brothers: A Chemistry Test for the Ages
Then you have the boys. Christopher Briney and Gavin Casalegno.
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The The Summer I Turned Pretty casting for Conrad and Jeremiah was a literal balancing act. Conrad is the "brooding" one, which is a role that can easily become annoying or flat if the actor doesn't have internal depth. Briney, who actually had a background in film and theater (he even directed a short film called Paix), brought a sort of 90s-heartthrob-meets-modern-sad-boy energy that felt grounded. He didn't play Conrad as a jerk; he played him as someone who was drowning in secrets.
Gavin Casalegno, on the other hand, was the golden boy. He’d been acting since he was a kid—you might remember him as young Damon in The Vampire Diaries. He had the professional polish to play Jeremiah’s "sunshine" persona, but he also had to show the cracks when he realizes he’s not the first choice.
The chemistry reads were the make-or-break moment. You can have three great actors, but if they don't look like they’d die for each other (or kill each other), the love triangle falls flat. The production team leaned heavily on these chemistry tests to ensure that the friction between the three leads felt earned. It’s why the "team Conrad" vs. "team Jeremiah" debate is so vicious on TikTok; the casting made both options feel like viable, painful choices.
The Adults in the Room: Casting Susannah and Laurel
While the internet obsesses over the kids, the show’s emotional soul belongs to the moms. Jackie Chung (Laurel) and Rachel Blanchard (Susannah) were cast to represent a friendship that is arguably more important than the romance.
Finding Susannah was tricky. She had to be "the magic." Rachel Blanchard brought this ethereal, tragic beauty to the role that made her eventual decline in the series feel like the world was actually ending. Meanwhile, Jackie Chung had to play the "stern" mom without being a caricature. Their chemistry had to mirror the kids’—a lifelong bond that defines their entire existence.
It’s interesting to note that the The Summer I Turned Pretty casting didn't just look for actors who could read lines. They looked for people who could inhabit the specific, wealthy-but-casual East Coast summer culture. It’s a very specific niche. It’s not just "rich kids," it’s "old money beach house" rich.
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Why the Diversification of the Cast Mattered
One of the biggest talking points in the The Summer I Turned Pretty casting was the decision to make Belly and her family Asian American. In the original books, this wasn't explicitly the case. Jenny Han, as an Asian American creator, wanted to see herself in the story this time around.
This wasn't just "diversity for the sake of diversity." It added layers to the story. It changed the dynamic of the "outsider" feeling Belly has at the country club. It made the relationship between Laurel and Susannah even more poignant—two women from different backgrounds who found a home in each other. Fans praised this move because it felt organic. It didn't change the plot; it just made the world feel bigger and more real for a 2020s audience.
The Casting Ripple Effect: Where They Are Now
The success of the show has turned these actors into overnight icons. It’s hard to remember a time when Christopher Briney wasn't the face of "brooding boy" memes. Since the show aired, we've seen the cast explode.
- Lola Tung went from a college student to a household name, even taking a turn on Broadway in Hadestown.
- Christopher Briney landed a role in the Mean Girls musical movie as Aaron Samuels.
- Gavin Casalegno has become a staple of the fashion circuit and Gen-Z media.
This tells us the casting directors didn't just find people for these roles; they found "stars." There’s a difference. A lot of teen shows have decent actors, but few have a cast where every single person feels like they could lead their own franchise.
What to Look for in Season 3 Casting
As we move into the third season (which fans are losing their minds over), the casting process continues to be a hot topic. We know the story is moving toward the college years and the potential wedding plotline from the third book, We’ll Always Have Summer.
Rumors have been swirling about new additions to the cast. We’re going to see new characters who challenge the existing dynamics at Finch and in the broader world outside of Cousins. The production has been notoriously tight-lipped about new faces, but if the past is any indication, they’ll likely lean into casting fresh talent rather than established A-listers. This maintains the "immersion" of the show. If you cast a massive TikTok star, people see the TikTok star. If you cast a theater kid from New York, people see the character.
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There’s also the question of how the show will handle the aging of the characters. The gap between seasons has actually worked in the show’s favor, as the actors are naturally maturing alongside their characters.
The Takeaway for Fans and Creators
If you’re looking at The Summer I Turned Pretty casting as a blueprint, the lesson is clear: chemistry is more important than fame. Jenny Han proved that if you have a solid script and actors who actually like each other, you don't need a $200 million budget or a cast of Oscar winners. You just need heart.
For fans who are trying to get into the industry or just want to understand why their favorite show feels so "right," pay attention to the casting directors. Eyde Belasco and the team didn't just look at headshots. They looked at how Lola looked at Chris, and how Gavin looked at Lola. That’s where the magic is.
Next Steps for the Obsessed Fan:
If you’re waiting for the next season, the best way to stay ahead of the curve is to follow the production’s official casting calls if you're an aspiring actor, or more realistically, keep an eye on the actors' social media for "wrap" photos. These often give away who's spending time together on set. You can also dive into the original books to see which characters haven't been introduced yet—there are a few minor roles from the third book that will definitely need faces soon. Stay tuned to official Prime Video announcements, as they usually drop new cast members in batches rather than one by one.