Isabella Briggs Says She Feels 'Very Fortunate' to Have Been 'Part of' 'The Summer I Turned Pretty': 'It Was Incredible'

Isabella Briggs, who rose to fame playing Denise Russo in Season 3 of the Prime Video series The Summer I Turned Pretty, is grateful to have been part of a show that was such a major hit.

"It was incredible to see how connected people are to the show and how excited everyone was for the next episode to come out. The show has created such a beautiful community, and I feel very fortunate that I get to be a part of it," the actress, 26, exclusively tells OK! while talking about her partnership with Face Reality.

After the show concluded in September 2025, Briggs said she keeps in touch with Zoé De Grand'Maison, who played Agnes, and Sofia Bryant, who played Anika, the "most," but "it’s always fun when the whole cast reunites. I had a blast anytime we filmed big group scenes; the energy on set was always electric — and filming in a beach town where you could go hang by the ocean anytime you wanted wasn’t too bad either," she shares.

For Briggs, the popular show taught her about navigating fame. "A lot of it was learning that talk on the internet is just noise and to not get too wrapped up in the positive or negative aspects of being in the public eye. I’m fortunate enough that I have wonderful friends and family to support me through it all," she says before gushing over her character, Denise, a senior associate and start-up planner at Breaker Capital (the company founded by Adam Fisher), working alongside Jeremiah Fisher and Steven Conklin.

"Denise is such a strong-minded person, and I feel fortunate I was the one who got to play her in the series. I feel like she added something new and fresh to the show and really held her own in the story. This was also my first time being a series regular in a TV show, and that taught me so much in terms of my approach to my work and how I need to show up on a set. I’m incredibly grateful for that opportunity and all that it gave me," she states.

After The Summer I Turned Pretty, Briggs has a vision for what she hopes to achieve next.

"It’s a dream of mine to work on a Damon Lindelof HBO series, something akin to The Leftovers. I would love to do something that really challenges and kind of scares me as an actor. The horror industry is also blowing up right now, which is so awesome to see as a huge horror fan myself. I’d love to work with Damien McCarthy and Jane Schoenbrun. I recently did a short film called Inside These Walls that’s going through the festival circuit right now, where I played a single mother whose husband is currently incarcerated. I loved how much that role stretched me and how different it was from anything I had done before. I really want to continue to do roles like that in my life," she says.

Since the brunette beauty frequently wears makeup for her acting roles, she understands the importance of maintaining healthy skin, making her partnership with Face Reality a natural fit.

"After dealing with acne for 10+ years and never finding many products that felt like they helped heal my blemishes, once I found out about Face Reality, it was a no-brainer. They took into account all of the skin troubles I was dealing with and created a personalized skincare regimen for me to follow. After a few months of using the products, I can confidently and honestly say Face Reality has changed my skin for the better," she says, adding she's "been loving their Glycolic-Lactic Toner. It’s really helped curb my breakouts and treat any leftover hyperpigmentation I’ve been dealing with from previous pimples. I also always use their Hydraremedy Gel, day and night, and that keeps my skin moisturized and my barrier protected."

When she was 16 years old, she had a "terrible breakout" on set of a photoshoot.

"I felt so embarrassed that I had 'allowed' myself to come to set with pimples on my face. I felt that, even though this was something out of my control, I had let everyone down. And though I’d showed up on time, did my job, made friends and had a great day on set, I was still so hard on myself over something so small. After that day I made a promise to never let something as insignificant as some pimples on my face affect how I see myself as a human being and as a professional. I recognized that although pimples can be incredibly annoying, this was a journey that I would have to go on and being mean to myself was not going to get me out of it. Honestly, it’d probably make things work. Now when I show up on set I make sure I am kind to myself and am taking care of myself both inside and out, which has helped with both the pimples and the stress that comes with pimples," she shares.

Now, Briggs wants to be open about her struggles. "Honestly, the thing about acne is that you kinda have to be open about it since it’s on your face! And as I grew into my teen years, I constantly found myself searching for people who were dealing with acne like me so I could feel less alone. So when I grew up and my career brought me in front of the public eye, I knew that I wanted to speak openly and honestly about my skin journey so that hopefully, if there is a kid out there looking on the internet for comfort alongside their journey, I’m able to provide that for them," she notes.

After spending the summer working with New York esthetician Madalaina Conti on a personalized clear-skin program, Briggs is now moving from New York City to Los Angeles. As she settles into a new city — and adjusts her skincare routine for a different climate — she’ll continue her Face Reality journey with celebrity esthetician Sarah Ford.

"Working with Madalaina has been lovely because I’ve found a partner to help guide me through my routine. Although I have done countless amounts of research over the years, having a licensed esthetician on my side makes all the difference. She’s there to help me problem solve and to help grow and change my routine as I grow and change. She also has magic hands and does a facial like no other!" she says.

She adds, "I try to be as consistent with my routine, regardless of the circumstances. But I will say something that I really try to focus on while filming is deeply cleansing my skin. Set makeup can be pretty heavy and after wearing it for 12+ hours, it’s really important to wash all of it off. I love using Face Reality’s Barrier Balance Creamy Cleanser and their Ultra Gentle Gel Cleanser as a duo. Especially on filming days, double cleansing is very important."

Ultimately, Briggs "tries not to let the presence of acne on my face diminish my confidence like it used to a few years ago."

"When I was a teen, I felt like I constantly had to hide my face or layer on tons of makeup to cover up my blemishes. And although I definitely still have my moments today, I try to remind myself that it’s not necessary to hide just because I have a pimple on my face," she states.

She concludes, "I feel the most confident when I’m doing something that makes me feel good, that makes me feel like myself. When I hang out with my friends, when I do really well in a work out class, when I watch a movie or see a play that inspires me. That’s what charges me and brings me back to myself."