Summer I Turned Pretty Star Jackie Chung Unpacks Belly, Laurel’s Rift

(This story contains spoilers for The Summer I Turned Pretty season three, episode four, titled “Last Stand.”)

It’s probably safe to say this summer so far has been messy, tense and very drama-filled, at least for the Fisher and Conklin families.

Four episodes into the third and final season of Prime Video‘s The Summer I Turned Pretty and there have already been cheating allegations against Jeremiah (as it’s still unclear if he and Belly were on a break or not), a near-fatal car crash involving Steven (Sean Kaufman) and an abrupt engagement that’s led to a family rift. And that’s all in addition to the ongoing love triangle between Belly (Lola Tung), Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno) and Conrad (Christopher Briney) as fans patiently wait to see who ends up together at the end of the season.

As of episode four, Belly and Laurel are currently estranged as her mom doesn’t agree with her daughter and Jeremiah getting married so young, so much so that Laurel has threatened to not attend the wedding. And Jackie Chung, who knows Laurel best after playing her for three seasons, sees where her character is coming from, telling The Hollywood Reporter, “I feel like Laurel isn’t even being that prescriptive, she’s just being like, ‘Keep an open mind, like, keep your opportunities open.’”

Below, Chung unpacks the wild first four episodes of season three, Laurel’s and Belly’s latest rift, Jeremiah and Belly’s engagement and her thoughts on the “we were on a break” debate. She also teases what fans can expect for the rest of the final season.

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What do you make of season three overall, as you prepare to bring this series to a close with this final season? 

I feel like this season has been such an evolution for the show, like it’s grown so much. All the characters have grown, and they continue to grow throughout the season, so I think it’s really exciting to have been there at the very start of it and to see it through to this third season. 

Going back to episode one, Laurel told Belly to explore and find herself in college. Fast-forward to episode four, after the time jump, viewers now see that Belly really hasn’t done that, being so wrapped up in her relationship with Jeremiah. Do you think Laurel is starting to recognize that too? 

I don’t know about you, but I remember when I was graduating high school and there were people that were in relationships, some people just broke up before college started because they were like, no, there’s gonna be new people, new experiences. And Laurel obviously has lived through that time and knows that there’s so much growth that happens and there’s so much life to explore, like on-campus life, off-campus life. And I think she was really just hoping that Belly would take advantage of that, but knowing in the back of her mind that having her boyfriend right there would make it hard to do that. For sure, when the engagement news came out, she was like, oh, this is what I feared a little bit, that you would keep your world very small when you have the opportunity to let it expand. 

There has been a lot of online commentary about that heated lunch scene, when Belly reveals her engagement to Jeremiah, including the ring size. What was your reaction when Belly held up her hand in that scene?

I was fully in Laurel mode. I wasn’t even looking at that ring. All I saw was a finger with something on it in my face (Laughs), and thinking, “Oh no, oh no, no, no, no. You need to take that off.” I think it’s a beautiful ring. I feel like any engagement ring is really more about the feeling behind it and not about the size. I feel like that’s not the important part of it. So in that moment, I think Laurel was just not seeing anything. 

Laurel also typically sticks up for the boys when Adam (Tom Everett Scott) puts them down; however, she doesn’t stick up for Jeremiah at that lunch when Adam talks down to him. Why do you think that is? 

Well they’re all there for a family lunch, celebrating the life of her best, best friend and soulmate, Susannah. So I think you can see at the beginning of that lunch, Adam is taking digs at Laurel. But she’s keeping her composure and trying to keep it civil because they’re there for celebration, and Adam always says things, so she has to just ignore it. And so I think in that vein, she was just trying to keep it civil. I mean, obviously, we saw what happened at the end of the lunch, but to have them have the opportunity to have a joyous lunch together and to let those little digs just go. 

Though Laurel is so against this wedding, she also doesn’t know that Jeremiah potentially cheated on Belly. If she knew, what do you think her reaction would be?

I don’t even know if she needs any more fuel for her fire (Laughs). Without knowing the specifics, I feel like she could understand both sides. They’re still young, like things happen, and she’s known him so long. She loves Jeremiah, like he is part of her own family. I don’t think that information would help, but honestly, just Belly not living out her full college life potential is enough for Laurel to be against the wedding. 

What are your thoughts on the whole “we were on a break” debate? 

I feel like it’s unclear that it was a full, full breakup. So it could go either way, but what happened was very shortly after that huge fight, so maybe play it safe. But when you’re that age, you’re not always making the best decisions and so, you know, it happened. 

Having played Belly’s mom for three seasons now, what was it like having another Laurel and Belly estrangement again after season two? 

I know it’s hard. I actually love the scene with Belly and Laurel in episode three, where they’re going through the photos for the dedication. Because it’s one scene where you see them connecting so much and having such a good time together and sharing laughs together, and so it was nice to hold on to that, knowing this rift was gonna come, because it’s sad. It’s sad that Belly doesn’t have her mom with her for all these rites of passage and momentous moments, leading up post-engagement. And Laurel loves her and wants to be there for her, but I think she’s approaching it the only way she knows how and taking a hard line, and hoping that Belly will come around. 

In episode four, during Laurel and Belly’s fight in the hallway, Laurel says she’s not going to attend the wedding either way. Why do you think Laurel is so adamant about using threats to try and stop the wedding? 

I feel like when your child is off at college… I mean, when I was off at college, I wasn’t always calling my parents and updating them on what’s happening, you know, so Laurel would check in. But I feel like it was just such a shock, the engagement. Obviously, she knew they were together for a bunch of years, but I don’t think she was ever anticipating that that would happen. And I think the way that conversation happened with Jeremiah there and Belly there and kind of putting her on the spot, she just felt so much pressure, so much so that she couldn’t even sit, like it just was bubbling and she had to remove herself. I think she didn’t want to explode again in front of them, but then when Belly pushed her, it’s just how it came out. I think she does try to be a good communicator, but sometimes she isn’t the best. 

Though Belly is now 21, I noticed Laurel keeps telling her that she’s still a kid. Why do you think that is, and do you think Laurel is struggling to let her daughter grow up? 

That’s probably part of it. That’s her younger child, that’s her baby. So there probably is a little bit of that, like it is hard to let her go. But also recognizing that life is long and in the span of it, 21 is still pretty early on in there to be making huge, huge life decisions. Really from Laurel’s perspective, abruptly, like just deciding to get married without any discussion with Laurel before about it. 

Laurel also opens up in episode four about some personal guilt and struggles she’s still facing, after getting married and having kids at a younger age. Will viewers maybe get to see Laurel heal those parts of herself later this season? 

I think so, yeah. That’s the other joyous thing about this show is that you see the adults, the grown-ups, really still struggling with who they are and who they were in the past and dealing with it and trying to move forward from it, because that is life. It’s a constant evolution and transition from different eras of your life. 

In past seasons, Susannah (Rachel Blanchard) was always the one who said she knew Belly would end up with one of her boys. However, I feel like Laurel never reacted much to that comment. Do you think she wants Belly to end up with Conrad or Jeremiah, or someone entirely different? 

Again, I feel like Laurel thinks that this is a big moment in Belly’s life to figure out who she is and to just explore all her options. I think after Belly has some experiences, if she comes back to one of them when she really knows who she is and what she wants and what she wants out of a relationship, if one of those is right, then it’s great. And if not, then that’s also great. She really is just fully, fully team Belly. 

As a real-life mom, does that impact the way you approach being a mom in the show? Like, do you resonate with Laurel and her reactions?

It resonates with me being a mother and how deeply Laurel cares about her children. I might in my life take different tactics (Laughs), but my kids are still young, so I don’t know. Maybe by the time they’re in their early 20s and they’re not listening to me, I might just shout and shout. But I think any parent really does just want the best for their kids, and maybe their idea of what is best for them doesn’t align with what the kid thinks. But I feel like Laurel isn’t even being that prescriptive, she’s just being like, “Keep an open mind, like, keep your opportunities open.” 

Once this season comes to an end, what are you going to miss the most about the show and playing Laurel?

I’m just gonna miss the time with this group of people, the cast and the crew. I do feel like we built a family, and it’s always lovely to be with them. And I’m just gonna miss spending time with them on set and off. 

After so much drama in the first four episodes, what can you tease about what fans can expect for the rest of season three?

They’re in for more of the roller coaster that they’ve already gotten on with the first four episodes, and I hope they just love watching it. I just hope they have a really good time. I feel like Jenny (Han, creator,) knows her fans, and so I think some of the things that they’re looking for will be there, and then there’ll be other surprises, and so I just hope that they enjoy it and get what they want out of it. 

Do you know how the season ends and who Belly ultimately chooses?

I don’t. I’m just gonna be watching (Laughs). 

If creator-author Jenny Han came to you with an idea, could you see yourself reprising your character Laurel in a potential spinoff, maybe a prequel series centered on the parents? 

Yeah, I would. I love Laurel, and I would definitely be open if Jenny had some grand plan for something else. 

Ahead of the season premiere, Prime Video shared a message prohibiting any bullying or hate speech directed at the cast or crew. Seeing how passionate fans get regarding this story and these characters, what’s your reaction to that?

It’s incredible. I never imagined that the show would have the response that it’s gotten, and that people would be so invested and so excited to share all their theories and opinions about everything (Laughs). It’s fascinating to watch, ‘cause sometimes they’re like, “Oh, I saw this little nugget,” and I’m like, “Oh, I didn’t even notice that. Like, wow, you guys are really dissecting this.” But I will say it’s hard. Like, I’m a viewer of shows and I get invested and have opinions, but I have to remember, it’s just a show and these are actors and they didn’t write it. They’re just bringing it to life, I guess, so effectively that people feel so passionate about it. But I hope fans enjoy it and can just keep an open mind and heart for all the people: the cast, crew, Jenny, everybody behind it, the writers, that they put so much care and thought and love into making this season and this show. 

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Season three of The Summer I Turned Pretty is currently streaming on Prime Video, with new episodes dropping on Wednesdays.