Why the Stars of ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ Aren’t Raking It In After Season 3’s Success
Cameras Roll for ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ Film as Salary Concerns Emerge
On April 27, production will commence in Wilmington, North Carolina, on The Summer I Turned Pretty, a film continuation of the successful Prime Video series. While stars Lola Tung, Christopher Briney, Gavin Casalegno, and their castmates prepare to return to the beloved Cousins Beach, they face unresolved salary issues that highlight the struggles young actors encounter in the entertainment industry.
Television has a unique ability to launch the careers of emerging stars, particularly within the young adult (YA) genre, which often features actors with minimal prior experience. This trend has led to the rise of notable talents such as Millie Bobby Brown and Joseph Quinn from Stranger Things, and Aimee Lou Wood and Emma Mackey from Sex Education. However, as these actors achieve fame, their limited negotiating power can prevent them from fully capitalizing on their success.
The Summer I Turned Pretty, co-produced by Wiip and Amazon MGM Studios, emerged as a significant YA series during its run. Following a successful first season, which attracted a loyal fan base, the show saw remarkable growth in Season 2 and became a cultural phenomenon in its final season. Viewers became captivated by the complex love story involving protagonist Belly and brothers Conrad and Jeremiah.
After Season 3 concluded with resounding popularity, Prime Video announced plans for a feature film to wrap up the story at a celebratory event in Paris last September. However, the young leads’ contracts presented challenges as they navigated this new phase of the franchise.
Heading into Season 3, Tung, Briney, Casalegno, along with Sean Kaufman and Rain Spencer, sought salary increases. Initially, the trio earned between $35,000 and $40,000 per episode—standard for young actors, especially considering Tung’s lack of professional experience prior to landing the role. As the show grew in popularity and viewership nearly doubled in Season 2, negotiations with Wiip commenced.
As talks progressed into advanced stages, the actors were unexpectedly asked to commit to the film. Some sources indicate that this request was met with resistance; the stars felt pressured to accept the movie role in order to secure the pay raises they sought. While salary renegotiations are common after shows gain traction, the actors’ existing contracts only guaranteed minimal annual increases.
Ultimately, the actors agreed to the film, which is now included in their modified contracts, allowing for unspecified raises for Season 3. However, reports suggest they felt “forced” into this agreement under duress.
Contrarily, studio sources maintain that the actors supported the decision to move forward with the film. Discrepancies remain regarding the extent of their salary increases, with some suggesting the leads now earn around $100,000 per episode—the lead actor, Tung, likely securing a higher rate than her male counterparts.
For their work on the film, sources indicate the cast will receive compensation equivalent to three episodes. Alongside Tung, Briney, and Casalegno, Kaufman and Spencer stand to benefit from their rising popularity, especially with their characters gaining traction in the final season.
The success of Season 3, which attracted 70 million viewers globally within its first 70 days, led to discussions about additional salary adjustments for the film rights. However, studio representatives reportedly held firm on existing contract terms, a standard practice in the industry. Some talent representatives acknowledge the shifting market caused by post-Season 2 negotiations.
Despite these setbacks, the young stars expressed disappointment that their contributions during Season 3—a time marked by both filming and promotion—were not adequately recognized as they prepare for another three-month shooting schedule for the film.
Concerns regarding contract stipulations around promotional roles remain. Some insiders speculate that if promotional obligations aren’t clearly defined, the actors might be hesitant to engage in marketing efforts. Sources affiliated with the studio assert that promotional duties are indeed part of the contracts.
As the industry grapples with tightening budgets, this situation highlights broader challenges faced by young actors, echoing similar experiences within other hit series like Outer Banks and XO, Kitty. While the cast of Stranger Things successfully negotiated significant pay increases, the The Summer I Turned Pretty ensemble must now navigate the landscape of burgeoning stardom with less leverage.
As they prepare for filming, the cast hopes that their rising profiles will lead to future opportunities. However, industry observers warn that the TSITP scenario sets a troubling standard for how young actors are compensated in the face of their contributions to a show’s success. One industry veteran raised a poignant question, “Are we back in a studio system when you own the actors?”
