As anticipation builds for the finale of The Summer I Turned Pretty, cast members and the show’s creator have called on fans to stop online abuse and “start acting normal.” Jenny Han, author of the original book series and co-writer of the Prime Video adaptation, urged viewers to keep their passion in check after troubling posts surfaced. “I know fans of the show are passionate and no one has bad intent. But even in jest, posting images of a woman being slapped or choked is not funny,” Han wrote.
The warning comes after lead actress Lola Tung, who plays Belly, and Gavin Casalegno, who portrays Jeremiah, became targets of online harassment. Many fans, divided between “Team Conrad” and “Team Jeremiah,” have expressed frustration over Belly’s choices, with some directing hostility at the actors themselves. A message on the show’s official TikTok reminded audiences that “the show isn’t real but the people playing the characters are,” echoing an earlier plea in July urging fans to avoid bullying and hate speech.
Casalegno, who has faced criticism for his role, told the New York Times that while he knows viewers “tend to dislike him,” he avoids most online negativity by staying off Instagram. He added that it is crucial for fans to remember the story is fictional and not a reflection of the actors’ real lives. “I don’t think there’s a single human being in the world who can carry the emotional negativity to the degree that stuff like this happens,” he said, acknowledging that Amazon has tried to intervene against toxic behavior.
The fan base has grown increasingly divided as the series heads into its final three episodes. Rolling Stone described the online battles as “intense, insane, and borderline psychotic,” with some viewers admitting the show has sparked extreme reactions. While some fans expressed excitement about the unfolding love triangle, others condemned posts that celebrated violence or speculated about character deaths. “It’s fictional. People need to stop taking it so seriously,” one fan wrote.
Han has teased that the TV ending may not follow the conclusion of her books, in which Belly ultimately chose Conrad. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, she promised surprises for viewers: “There are the things that they know and then there are things they think they know, and then there’s going to be, hopefully, things that surprise them.” With only weeks left until the finale, producers and cast members hope fans will channel their energy into excitement rather than hostility.
