Trending 7th July 2023 by Bronwyn O'Neill
STELLAR Chats To The Summer I Turned Pretty Stars Chris Briney and Gavin Casalegno
Are you Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah?
We wish we could bottle teenage summers and relive them year after year.
The Summer I Turned Pretty manages to encapsulate that feeling pretty well – and now the Prime Video series is back for its second season!
Here at STELLAR we got to catch up with the cast to learn what to expect from the latest instalment of the show.
We spoke to the Fisher brothers themselves Chris Briney and Gavin Casalegno AKA Conrad and Jeremiah to chat about how life has changed, what fans can expect and if they are Team Jeremiah or Team Conrad…
Hey guys, how are you? Congrats on season two! What was it like to return to your characters and to Cousins Beach?
Gavin: Jumping in the shoes of the characters again and the story and the world and being able to expand on it has been such a gift. I think it’s important to do the characters and the world justice, because Jenny [Han] has so carefully written and thought out every little detail. It’s been a blast to jump back into it again. Even doing scenes with this guy [Chris] again has been so much fun and such a pleasure. It’s been unreal.
Chris: It has been. It has been exciting and it has also been really challenging jumping back into characters who we know in a lot of ways. But also time has passed and they’ve changed. So finding something so familiar yet unfamiliar. It’s like putting on a pair of the same type of shoe you’ve worn your whole life but it’s a brand new one. So it’s not worn in yet…so it’s kind of the same but something is going on. That was a bad metaphor. [Laughs]
Gavin: No it was great I knew exactly what you meant.
Season one was seriously beloved. How are you feeling about the success of the first season? Is it overwhelming?
Chris: Surprised and overwhelmed and a lot of other things. And grateful. I don’t think I could have imagined the level of appreciation the show has received. It’s lucky to have that opportunity. To have people watching is a beautiful thing. Of course, it can be overwhelming and anxiety-inducing at times. But I’m very grateful.
Gavin: It’s definitely been a little bit overwhelming and amazing. But all of those things are balanced by gratitude. It’s not every day we get to sit in these two chairs, dressed all nice with each other. Even just the little things, I am grateful for them. They balance all the overwhelming emotions out. It’s been incredible.
How has your life changed since the show came out?
Chris: I’ve seen my face online a lot more than I ever thought that I would. I click ‘Not Interested’ but, somehow it finds its way back. It’s weird, it’s a weird thing. On the one hand, I’m really happy for us and the show. I’m happy that people have found something with the show. And the people who worked on it are getting their dues because they worked so hard.
Gavin: It’s super rewarding for the work and hours and tears and broken bones that go into filming when people love it and when people appreciate it. It makes our lives much easier and we can enjoy the creative process of working on art and creating something new. It’s been super rewarding.
On the surface, the show seems like a love triangle. Obviously, it’s so much more than that. So, lads, what do you think the show is about?
Chris: I think it’s about finding yourself. Coming of age seems like a cliché way to describe it but I think it’s about growth. To be concise.
Gavin: I think every teenager is looking for guidance on growth. I think this show provides a little bit of a blueprint for that kind of navigating some rough waters with relationships. It’s about growth.
Teenagers definitely do need a blueprint. You guys are a bit older than your characters, so what advice would you give Conrad and Jeremiah?
Chris: To my character, to Conrad at this point in his life, because my answer would have been different last year, I would say trust yourself and go with your gut. Let life take you where it takes you. And to his character, Jeremiah, I would say: “You suck. I hate you.” [Laughs] No. I would tell him be good to people, continue to be good to people.
Gavin: To Jeremiah, I would tell him to guard his heart. I think that is so important, just to value your own heart. I would honestly give the same advice to Conrad. Guard his heart. Be vulnerable with the right people. It’s really healthy when you’re protecting yourself. That’s the advice I give everyone, to guard your heart and your feelings and emotions.
And before we let you go, Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah?
Gavin: I’m going to have to be team Jeremiah. I think his vulnerability and his communication along with the growth he has had just in one short season, let alone two. It’s going to be the rock I stand on.
Chris: To balance you out I’m team Conrad. I have grown to love him very much. I think he really is a lover and I think he has a lot of potential to do good in this world.
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The Summer I Turned Pretty season two launches with three episodes on Friday 14th July, with new episodes following weekly until the season finale on Friday 18th August on Prime Video.