The Summer I Turned Pretty: Jenny Han confirms Gavin Casalegno filmed fake Paris scenes to mislead fans

Jenny Han confirmed that Gavin Casalegno filmed scenes with Lola Tung in Paris specifically "to throw off the fans" of The Summer I Turned Pretty. The author and showrunner disclosed the deception strategy following the season 3 finale premiere on September 17.

"Because I felt that, if Gavin never showed up in Paris, then it would be really obvious what the ending was," Han explained to PEOPLE on September 18. The revelation addresses fan-captured footage that leaked of Casalegno and Tung filming in Paris last fall, which generated speculation about the series conclusion.

The final episode revealed Conrad surprising Belly at her doorstep in Paris, where she had fled after calling off her wedding to Jeremiah. The couple spent Belly's birthday eve together, with Conrad meeting her Parisian friends and experiencing the city through her perspective before Belly made her final choice between the Fisher brothers.


Also read: The Summer I Turned Pretty Movie Confirmed: Here's what to expect in series finale

Han addressed the leaked footage from the Paris filming location, noting that some online reports about Christopher Briney and Lola Tung filming scenes were inaccurate. "I think I saw people online were saying that they had seen Chris and Lola filming a scene somewhere that wasn't true. So there was stuff that was coming up that actually wasn't true at all, but people were just saying [things]," Han said.

"But Gavin — we were lucky that he could come and do that for us," she added regarding Casalegno's participation in the fake scenes.

Lola Tung and Christopher Briney discuss character development in Paris episodes

Tung emphasized the importance of Belly's time in Paris for character growth and personal development. "I think the Paris episodes are so necessary to her growth and to her own well-being," the 22-year-old actress told PEOPLE.

"She's created a really beautiful little life for herself here, and I guess getting to invite [Conrad] into that for a second and him seeing that is really special," Tung said about why Belly and Conrad were finally ready for a committed relationship. "And I think it's fun for Conrad to also see Belly in that new way."

Christopher Briney reflects on Conrad's character arc resolution

Briney described feeling "fulfilling" about Conrad and Belly choosing each other after three seasons of romantic uncertainty. The 27-year-old actor acknowledged previous criticism of his character while defending the long-term storytelling approach.

"I feel like people in the past have criticized Conrad for many different things, and I think that's warranted. But at the same time, it's sort of like with all these characters, there is an end goal in mind," Briney told PEOPLE. "So it is fulfilling to finally get to that point that, in my mind, was always the end of this character's arc, you know? It's like, this is where he earns it."

Also read: The Summer I Turned Pretty finale divides fans with mixed reactions on social media

Movie announced to explore final chapter of Belly and Conrad's story

The Summer I Turned Pretty will continue beyond the television series with an upcoming movie that will explore the true final chapter of Belly and Conrad's relationship. The film announcement coincided with the season 3 finale premiere, providing fans with additional content following the series conclusion.

The series finale of The Summer I Turned Pretty is now streaming on Prime Video.