Chris Briney & Gavin Casalegno Talk TSITP’s Messy Love Triangle

Team Conrad versus Team Jeremiah has been a hot debate since 2009, when Jenny Han released the first book in The Summer I Turned Pretty series. Now that Prime Video has released the first three episodes of Season 2, based on the book It’s Not Summer Without You, fans are beginning to see the series’ main love triangle take shape: two brothers, Conrad and Jeremiah Fisher, in love with the same girl, Belly Conklin. It’s a premise that promises plenty of drama and jealousy, but it’s also one that really only works in fiction — something Chris Briney and Gavin Casalegno, the actors behind Conrad and Jeremiah, respectively, are well aware of.

Though the Fisher brothers have no problem fighting over Belly Conklin in the show — even if their characters are a bit angsty about it — in real life, Briney and Casalegno have no interest in love triangles, especially ones that are this messy. Both agree that a sibling’s ex would be completely off-limits — and they wouldn’t go near a friend’s former partner, either.

“That’s [against] bro code. That’s what we used to call it in middle school,” Casalegno tells Elite Daily. Briney agrees that it’s a violation of “bro code,” but adds that it’s “not weird” in the world of the show. “But if I think about it in [terms of] my life, I think that’s too close to home.”

Luckily for the plot of the show, their characters are messier than the actors. Here, Briney and Casalegno talk about The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2, their relationships with the rest of the cast, and whether Belly is really the problem. Spoiler alert: This post contains spoilers from Episodes 1-3 in The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2.

Elite Daily: How do you feel about the fandoms, Team Conrad versus Team Jeremiah? How do you think your characters would feel?

Chris Briney: I feel lucky that people care about our show. That's a wonderful thing. It's not easy to get people to watch the things you make, so I'm glad they do. Would Conrad like it? I don't think Conrad would care that much. I think he would care more about the people he knew, like if his friend was Team Conrad, he’d appreciate it.

Gavin Casalegno: Obviously, it's such a blessing to have the success of the show and people being super receptive to it. So, it's cool seeing people supporting us and our characters. Jeremiah would probably eat it up, honestly. It's not something that would be natural to him, but he would learn and probably become some crazy big influencer.

ED: Have you seen any videos about who fans are rooting for? Which ones stick out to you the most?

CB: It was cool to see the Empire State Building being Team Conrad. I was like, "I didn't know you could talk, but that's dope. That's awesome."

GC: It’s interesting. It was cool seeing Lizzo and some other artists come out to be Team Jeremiah. I just think it's so cute and hilarious.

ED: How would you describe the cast’s relationship?

CB: It actually is like summer camp, I think. And when we're shooting, it feels like we're the only people in town. I know that's not true, and I don't think I act like it is, but it feels like we're in a play town, we're driving play cars, pretending to be this dude for a few hours.

GC: For the most part, every time we're together, we're always doing something ridiculous. It's a blast. We're all just kids at heart, and we don't take ourselves too seriously. It allows us just to be goofy and have fun and to create memories that we wouldn't have created like pulling pranks and stealing cars—

CB: Each other's cars. Not random cars. We weren’t hijacking random cars.

ED: OK, so you’re not admitting to a felony?

GC: Oops, let that one slip.

CB: And grand larceny, robbery.

GC: Yeah, arson. The whole thing.

ED: You clearly have a close relationship. Do you have a bunch of group chats to stay in touch between filming? Who is in them?

GC: We have so many.

CB: Yeah, there are a bunch of chats. You, me, Sean [Kaufman], and David [Iacono] have a chat.

GC: You, me, and Sean have a chat.

CB: Me, David, and Sean have a chat.

GC: I know... It's hard. I'm all the way across the country from these goobers. So it's hard to really put anything together unless I'm in town. But usually, the group chat is up, out, and about.

CB: You'll get the occasional meme though like sent to everybody.

GC: You will, or a TikTok.

ED: Who sends the most memes?

GC: David.

CB: Elsie [Fisher] makes the best memes. David sends the most.

ED: What dating advice do you think Conrad and Jeremiah need to hear?

CB: Don't—

GC: Dude, that's literally exactly what I was about to say: Just don't.

CB: I was going to finish the sentence... just don't ditch your date at prom. That's kind of bad.

ED: Debate this question: Is Belly the problem?

GC: I'm going to say she's the problem.

CB: OK, why?

GC: It’s amazing that she's trying to find what her heart wants, but it’s at the expense of other people's hearts and feelings and relationships. I think that’s unhealthy and selfish.

CB: But shouldn't someone who's young be allowed to figure themself out?

GC: For sure. But when you are in the middle of family, family should be the most important thing—

CB: You could say that about brothers. 'Cause they're actually family as opposed to this metaphysical family you're speaking to.

GC: Yeah. Definitely, we're also the problem. Right?

CB: Maybe everyone’s just the problem.

ED: OK, let’s play a round of Most Likely To: Conrad vs. Jeremiah. First one: Most likely to ask you to split the bill on a date.

CB: Jeremiah.

GC: Yeah.

ED: Most likely to text to make sure you got home safe.

CB: Conrad.

GC: Jeremiah.

ED: Most likely to sit on the same side of the table as his date.

CB: Jeremiah.

GC: Jeremiah.

ED: Most likely to talk about his ex on a date.

CB: Jeremiah.

GC: Yeah.

CB: But I think they both might in different ways.

ED: Most likely to bring you flowers for no reason.

GC: Jeremiah? I think Jeremiah.

CB: Both, but yeah.

GC: Both, but Jeremiah.

ED: Most likely to ask for your Snapchat—

Both: Jeremiah. Jeremiah. Jeremiah. Jeremiah.

ED: —before asking for your number. Still the same answer?

CB: Jeremiah.

GC: Jeremiah. Come on.

ED: Most likely to post shirtless mirror selfies.

CB: Jeremiah. I mean Gavin. I mean Jeremiah.

GC: Jeremiah.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.