Everything To Know About Steven From The Summer I Turned Pretty
His role is expanded from the books.
In Jenny Han’s 2009 book, The Summer I Turned Pretty, the main character, Belly, doesn’t only deal with new romances, she also struggles with an annoying older brother, Steven, who is protective of her to a fault and excludes her from fun with his friends. In Amazon Studios’ recent adaptation of the novel, Steven gets a much stronger storyline and character arc, in parts explaining why he his the way he is and making fans fall in love with him. The annoying brother to lovable jokester pipeline is played very convincingly by Sean Kaufman — here’s everything you need to know about the actor who plays the loving thorn in Belly’s side.
Just like two of his scene partners, David Iacono (Cam) and Lola Tung (Belly), Kaufman attended LaGuardia High School for Music & Art and the Performing Arts. You may recognize the school’s name by its other notable alum like Nicki Minaj and Timothée Chalamet. Iacono even joked in a comment on one of Kaufman’s Instagrams that the two are a “long way from the M11,” shouting out a New York City bus line that drops off students near LaGuardia High.
Acting wasn’t Kaufman’s only pursuit in high school, though. He told Just Jared Jr. that before going to college, he received two offers to play Division 1 baseball, which he turned down to attend Purchase College Acting Conservatory. In high school and college, he often acted in plays on stage, but now with his main role in The Summer I Turned Pretty, there may be more TV in his future.
Sean Kaufman’s Career
Kaufman started acting on TV in his last year of high school. Before landing the role of Steven in The Summer I Turned Pretty, he played minor characters on Manifest, FBI: Most Wanted, and Law and Order. Playing Belly’s prankster older brother is definitely a major switch-up from these roles.
Sean Kaufman’s Instagram
Kaufman hasn’t shared a lot on Instagram — his grid is mostly smiley headshots and now The Summer I Turned Pretty announcements and behind-the-scenes shots. He does have one surprising photo from 2021 that shows him sporting long hair — a far cry from his haircut to play the role of Steven. His comments are filled with cast members and fans alike; Steven might have not been the main character in The Summer I Turned Pretty, but on social media, it sure seems like he is.
