What the Cast of 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' Revealed About the Last Episode

The Summer I Turned Pretty is wrapped after the series finale aired on September 17.

The beloved Prime Video romantic drama stars Lola Tung as Belly Conklin, who finds herself torn between the charismatic Fisher brothers, Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno).

Created by the acclaimed Jenny Han, who penned the bestselling trilogy, the series deviated from the novels in several surprising ways.

The Summer I Turned Pretty follows Belly as she grows up spending idyllic summers at Cousins Beach. As the series progresses, she grapples with her feelings for the brothers, ultimately deciding to break up with Jeremiah and move to Paris to discover herself.

However, readers of the book may be in for a shock — the show alters the original ending, lengthening the epilogue and leaving Belly's fate with Conrad in suspense before the series finale.

"There is so much that is going to surprise fans about how much we're showing of Belly in Paris and the whole ending," Han told Entertainment Weekly ahead of the finale. "It's not just an epilogue."

Sean Kaufman, who plays Belly's brother Steven, shared a glimpse of the high stakes ahead. "The one spoiler I'll give is that I remember watching the third season, it just only gets crazier," he revealed to People in August. "Every episode, you think it can't get crazier, and it only gets crazier. That's all I got to say."

Despite the drama, Kaufman assured fans they will "feel fulfilled" by the finale.

Han is eager to keep viewers on their toes, stating, "I do love surprising people. I feel strongly about wanting the audience to have the experience of not knowing what's going to happen next, even though I know that others are probably restless to see how it all ends."

Unlike the book's brief epilogue, Han opted to extend Belly's finale story arc considerably. "I kept adding more and more to the last scripts," Han, who also is the showrunner and executive producer of the hit novel, explained. "There's just so much to living on your own for the first time in a foreign place, and that's important for Belly as she's growing up."

Han revealed that she always intended for Belly to relocate to Paris instead of Spain, which adds an exciting new layer to the narrative. "Doing what I think is best for the story has always been my north star," she said, emphasizing her commitment to producing authentic content.

While Han preferred a "hopeful" conclusion, she didn't shy away from complex storytelling. "I like a hopeful ending. I don't like too neat of an ending," she shared in a "Wild Card with Rachel Martin" podcast episode. "But I really must insist on hope."

Meanwhile, Tung cautioned fans that the emotional finale might leave them "heartbroken."

"Everybody at some point throughout the show, throughout all three seasons, will be a little bit heartbroken," she told E! News. Although not everyone may get the ending they desire, she hopes fans will feel satisfied.

Han confirmed there would be a "clear-cut decision" made by Belly, yet hinted at nuances that might surprise fans. "She's saying that she's ready for something new this summer," Han noted.