For Lola Tung and Jenny Han, Belly’s haircut in The Summer I Turned Pretty was more than just a trim.
Tung, 22, and Han, 45, shared their thoughts on Belly’s new bob following the season 3 finale, which premiered on Wednesday, September 17, on Amazon Prime Video.
“I was thrilled when I found out that Belly was getting a bob,” Tung, who portrays Belly, told Vogue. “It’s wonderful to witness her make this decision for herself; it feels like a physical manifestation of her growth and transformation.”
Tung emphasized that this haircut was particularly significant because her former fiancé on the show, Jeremiah Fisher (Gavin Casalegno), had previously told her to “never” cut her hair. “I think this decision is liberating for her, a true fresh start,” Tung explained.
Belly received her haircut while staying in Paris after canceling her wedding to Jeremiah. Just after her salon visit, she unexpectedly reconnected with Conrad Fisher (Chris Brinley), Jeremiah’s brother and her first love.
Han, the creator and executive producer of TSITP, remarked, “Belly’s choice to cut her hair coincides with the return of an old love from her past. It feels very poetic to me that she seeks something new for the summer while something from her past comes back into her life.”
Tung noted, “Women often cut their hair after a breakup or when they are ready to let go of the past. The idea is that changing your appearance can influence how you feel inside.”
To perfect Belly’s bob, Han experimented on herself to ensure it would look great on Tung.
“I secretly went and got my hair cut, [in Paris],” Han recounted. “I have very thick hair, so if the hairstylist could handle mine, I knew he could style [Lola’s] hair too.”
Tung ultimately decided against cutting her actual hair for the series, instead opting for a U-line wig at the back while clipping her front hair, allowing her long locks to remain tucked away.
Han confessed she was “super nervous” about how the final look would turn out. “When you cut your hair, you won’t know how it will look until you actually see it,” she observed.
Following the conclusion of season 3, where — spoiler alert — Belly and Conrad reunited, Prime Video revealed that a film is in the works to continue the characters’ journey.
“There’s another major milestone in Belly’s story, and I believe only a movie can do it justice,” Han stated in a press announcement.
