Exclusive Interview: Lola Tung Talks The Summer I Turned Pretty, Belly’s Relationships, and More

Lola Tung is the star of the must-see new series, The Summer I Turned Pretty.

Based on the New York Times bestselling book by Jenny Han, The Summer I Turned Pretty is a multigenerational drama that hinges on a love triangle between one girl and two brothers, the ever-evolving relationship between mothers and their children, and the enduring power of strong female friendship. It is a coming-of-age story about first love, first heartbreak, and the magic of that one perfect summer.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Lola about The Summer I Turned Pretty, landing the coveted role as Belly, and more.

PC: This is your on-screen debut. How did you celebrate the news that you landed this coveted role?
Lola: Jenny told me over Zoom with a bunch of other producers. I froze for a second because I wasn’t sure if I had heard her correctly, but I called my mom afterwards crying. We celebrated together. Then that night, I watched Zootopia with my roommates at school and that was our little celebration together. It was really special.

PC: When you’re working on a project that’s being adapted from a popular book series, there are going to be comparisons that will be drawn. What’s one characteristic of Belly that you wanted to make sure was carried over from the books, and what’s something new that you brought to her?
Lola: There’s so much wonderful material that Jenny gifted us with the books. Belly is a very relatable character because she’s a teenage girl going through this period of change and exploration. She’s really figuring out who she is. That was very clear in the books, and I wanted to make sure that you got to see that as she discovers new meaning to the relationships in her life. I was able to bring myself to her a bit more in the screen adaptation. That was really cool to bring to life.

PC: Great answer. Speaking of those relationships, which was your favorite to explore in Season 1 and why?
Lola: Oh man, all of them were so much fun to explore. I loved exploring Belly’s relationship with her mother, Laurel. Laurel reminds me of my mom a bit. That mother-daughter relationship is so special. We also see how much Belly loves Susanna, her mother’s best friend. There are really special, subtle moments between Belly and her mom. This is a loving relationship where you know that Laurel will always be there for Belly no matter what. That’s really special.

PC: With this being your on-screen debut, did anything surprise you about the experience? What’s been the biggest takeaway thus far?
Lola: It’s so cool to see everything come together and to be on a set and see how many people and hours it takes to pull all of this together. Also, how long it takes to film and how much time and effort goes into it. It’s such a wonderful process. There were so many wonderful people involved and seeing it all come together now is really magical.

PC: In addition, this is also Jenny’s first time as a showrunner. What was it like getting to share that moment with her? What was that collaboration like throughout the season?
Lola: It was so special. She’s incredible. Having her there on set every single day was really wonderful because it felt like she was able to bring her vision to life in the way that she wanted to. She was there to answer any questions that we had and to offer up any advice that she had and to figure out what this was going to look like while we were also figuring it out. It was so collaborative and she’s wonderful. It was really, really wonderful to have her there and to work with her. It was magical.

PC: When the show drops, is there a particular scene or episode that you’re really excited for your fans to see?
Lola: I mean all of them, but the last episode is really special and magical. I loved filming that episode, and the debutante ball is beautiful. That last episode and the ball hold a lot of special meaning to me because it was the last thing we filmed. It reminds me of the end of that amazing summer.

PC: The series has already been picked up for a second season. Congratulations! What are you most looking forward to as you step back into Belly’s shoes?
Lola: I’m very excited to continue on this journey with Belly and to continue watching her relationships with the boys, with her mother, with her best friend, with Susanna evolve and just see what’s in store for her.

To keep up with Lola, follow her on Instagram. Watch The Summer I Turned Pretty today.