In the City of Light, where romance lingers in every cobblestone and café, a different kind of spark ignited last October: a calculated ruse that sent The Summer I Turned Pretty fandom into a tailspin. Jenny Han, the mastermind behind the beloved Prime Video series and its bestselling book trilogy, orchestrated a cinematic sleight of hand, flying actor Gavin Casalegno to Paris to film fake scenes with star Lola Tung. The goal? To throw fans off the scent of the show’s heart-wrenching Season 3 finale, which dropped September 17, 2025. “I wanted to keep surprises for the audience,” Han told Entertainment Weekly at the Shangri-La Hotel in Paris, her eyes glinting with the mischief of a storyteller who knows how to play the game. “If Gavin never showed up in Paris, the ending would’ve been too obvious.”

The scenes—featuring Casalegno’s Jeremiah Fisher embracing Tung’s Isabel “Belly” Conklin on Parisian streets—were pure subterfuge, designed to be caught by paparazzi and leaked on social media. They did their job spectacularly, igniting a firestorm of speculation on X, where #TSITPParis trended with 250,000 posts. Fans, clutching their Team Jeremiah flags, hoped the footage signaled a rewrite of Han’s books, where Belly chooses Conrad Fisher (Christopher Briney) over his brother Jeremiah. When the finale revealed Belly and Conrad reuniting in Paris, with Jeremiah nowhere in sight, the truth hit like a rogue wave: Han had punk’d us all. “They told me to get on a plane and show up,” Casalegno laughed to The Hollywood Reporter. “I was like, ‘I don’t know why, but sure. I’m down.’”

This is the electrifying tale of a showrunner’s bold gambit to protect her story, a fandom caught in a whirlwind of hope and heartbreak, and a cast complicit in a deception that’s as romantic as it is ruthless. From the viral Parisian hug that never made the cut to the upcoming Summer I Turned Pretty movie teased as Belly’s final chapter, we dive deep into Han’s cunning plan, the emotional stakes of Season 3, and the social media storm that’s made this fake-out a legend in TV lore.

The Setup: A Parisian Ploy to Keep Secrets Safe

The Summer I Turned Pretty, based on Han’s 2009–2011 trilogy, has been a global phenomenon since its 2022 Prime Video debut, blending sun-soaked nostalgia with a love triangle that’s split fans into Team Conrad and Team Jeremiah camps. Season 3, loosely adapting We’ll Always Have Summer, follows Belly post a shattered engagement to Jeremiah, as she flees to Paris to study abroad, grappling with her heart’s tug between the Fisher brothers. The finale, “At Last,” released September 17, 2025, delivered the book’s ending—Belly choosing Conrad, who surprises her in Paris for her birthday—but not without Han’s strategic misdirection.

Last October, as the cast filmed in Paris, whispers of a “Jellyfish” reunion (the fan-coined term for Jeremiah and Belly) surfaced when a grainy TikTok clip went viral. It showed Casalegno, in a navy peacoat, running to hug Tung on a Seine-side sidewalk, her backpack and suitcase suggesting a pivotal moment. X exploded with 100,000 posts in 24 hours, fans dissecting the footage like detectives. “JEREMIAH IN PARIS?! JENNY’S CHANGING THE ENDING!” screamed @TeamJellyfish4Ever, their post racking up 20,000 likes. Team Conrad fans, like @ConradEndgame, countered, “It’s a trap—Belly’s Conrad’s in the books!” The clip, paired with earlier leaks of Tung and Briney filming, fueled theories of a rewritten finale where Jeremiah might win.

Han’s plan was diabolically simple: film decoy scenes to muddy the narrative waters. “I felt that if Gavin never showed up in Paris, it would be really obvious what the ending was,” she told People on September 18. “We were lucky he could come and do that for us.” Casalegno, 26, was game for the ruse, spending two weeks in Paris filming what he called “blank sides”—unscripted scenes with no dialogue, purely for show. “They were like, ‘Hey, we’re going to fly you out to Paris and you’re going to film some scenes,’” he told EW. “I got to spend like a week or two out in Paris, which is not bad at all. I really enjoyed it.”

The production wove these fakes into real shoots, like Belly’s Episode 10 stroll with her suitcase, ensuring plausibility. “If you were nitpicking, you might’ve seen it was for Episode 10, not the finale,” Casalegno admitted to EW, chuckling at the eagle-eyed fans who missed the clue. The viral hug, filmed near the Seine, was staged to be spotted—balcony onlookers and paparazzi played right into Han’s hands, leaking footage that sparked a frenzy. “It was fun to see people leaning out of their balconies recording,” Casalegno told EW. “I felt like a CIA agent or something.”

The Stakes: Protecting a Story in the Social Media Age

Han’s deception wasn’t just for kicks—it was a firewall against the spoiler culture that plagues modern TV. “As movies get filmed, people see the whole movie,” she told EW at the Shangri-La. “It takes away from the excitement when you have all these spoilers.” In an era where set leaks and X threads can unravel a season’s twists, Han’s tactic was a middle finger to predictability. The books, published over a decade ago, are an open secret—Belly ends with Conrad, marrying him years later—but the show’s tweaks (like Season 2’s deeper Jeremiah arc) had fans hoping for a pivot. By planting Casalegno in Paris, Han fed that hope, knowing it would amplify the finale’s emotional punch.

The strategy worked. When Episode 11 revealed Conrad, not Jeremiah, at Belly’s Paris doorstep, X lit up with 300,000 posts under #TSITPFinale. “I’M SCREAMING—JENNY HAN PLAYED US!” posted @BellysBae, with 15,000 retweets. Team Jeremiah fans, like @JellyfishForever, mourned: “Those Paris pics had me BELIEVING.” Meanwhile, Team Conrad rejoiced: “Han’s a genius—kept us guessing till the end,” tweeted @ConradStan, with a GIF of Briney’s smoldering smile. The fake scenes, especially the Seine hug, became a fandom legend, with fan edits syncing the clip to Taylor Swift’s “Paris” hitting 2 million TikTok views.

Han’s move wasn’t without risk. Some fans felt betrayed, with @TSITPTruth posting, “Using Gavin like that? Low blow, Jenny.” The backlash prompted Han and Prime Video to address fan toxicity, condemning bullying of actors like Casalegno, who’s faced vitriol from Team Conrad zealots. “Gavin’s been at the center of criticism,” Han told TheWrap, urging fans to “enjoy the story without hate.” Casalegno, ever the good sport, brushed it off: “I’m just happy to be part of the ride,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.

The Paris Episodes: Belly’s Journey and Conrad’s Triumph

The fake scenes served a deeper purpose: amplifying Belly’s Paris arc, a pivotal chapter in her growth. Season 3 sees Belly, reeling from her broken engagement to Jeremiah, escape to Paris to study abroad. “The Paris episodes are so necessary to her growth,” Tung told People. “She’s created a beautiful little life for herself here.” Her scenes—strolling the Seine, sketching in cafés, bonding with new friends—show a Belly reclaiming her independence, a stark contrast to the Cousins Beach summers of love and loss. Conrad’s arrival, surprising her on her birthday eve, is the emotional climax, with the pair reconnecting over Parisian lights and shared history.

Tung and Briney leaned into the arc’s weight. “Getting to invite [Conrad] into that life for a second is really special,” Tung said, noting Belly’s guarded heart after past heartbreaks. Briney, 27, described filming in Paris as “magic,” telling EW, “The city brought out Conrad’s vulnerability—he’s all in for Belly.” The real Paris scenes, sans Casalegno, were meticulously crafted: Episode 10’s suitcase walk, Episode 11’s rooftop reunion. Han clarified misinformation about Briney and Tung’s leaks, noting, “Some online reports about Chris and Lola filming were inaccurate.” The fake scenes, though, stole the spotlight, their absence from the final cut a testament to Han’s narrative control.

Jeremiah’s arc, meanwhile, took a different path. Post-breakup, he becomes a chef, finding love with Denise (Isabella Briggs) and peace with Belly’s choice. “Jeremiah’s okay with it,” Casalegno told EW, hinting at his character’s growth. The fake scenes teased a reunion that never came, a deliberate red herring. “It wasn’t even written,” Casalegno said of the Seine hug. “We just ran and hugged—pure improv.”

The Fandom Firestorm: X, TikTok, and Team Tensions

The Paris ploy turned X into a battleground. #TSITPParis, #TeamJellyfish, and #TeamConrad trended simultaneously, with 400,000 combined posts by September 18. Fans dissected the leaked clip frame by frame, noting Tung’s backpack matching Episode 10’s props. “We should’ve known it was fake!” lamented @SleuthSummer, whose thread got 10,000 likes. Others embraced the trickery: “Jenny Han’s out here playing 4D chess,” tweeted @TSITPGuru, with a meme of Han as a mastermind puppeteer.

TikTok amplified the chaos. A fan edit of the Seine hug, set to D4vd’s “Romantic Homicide,” hit 3 million views, with comments like “My heart BROKE when Jeremiah didn’t show.” Reddit’s r/TSITP subreddit, with 50,000 members, debated the ethics: “Was it cruel to bait Team Jeremiah?” asked u/BellysChoice, sparking 2,000 comments. Han’s defenders, like u/Conrad4Life, argued, “She protected the story—art needs surprises.” The discourse spilled into real life, with Casalegno spotting fans filming from Paris balconies. “It was wild,” he told E! Online. “I felt like I was in a spy movie.”

The bullying backlash stung hardest. Casalegno, a fan favorite for his earnest Jeremiah, faced hate from Team Conrad extremists, with DMs calling him “second best.” Han’s plea via TheWrap—“Stop bullying the actors”—gained 30,000 retweets, with Prime Video echoing, “Love the show, not the hate.” Fans rallied, launching #ProtectGavin, which trended with 80,000 posts. “Gavin’s a gem,” tweeted @JellyfishStan. “He flew to Paris for us—give him love!”

The Bigger Picture: Han’s Legacy and the Movie Ahead

Han’s fake-out isn’t just a stunt—it’s a masterclass in showrunning. The Summer I Turned Pretty has redefined teen drama, blending nostalgia with raw emotion. Its 2022 debut drew 10 million viewers, per Prime Video, and Season 3’s finale pushed streaming numbers to 12 million. Han, a YA titan with To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before under her belt, knows stakes. “I want the audience to feel the story, not predict it,” she told Variety. The Paris ploy, costing an estimated $50,000 for Casalegno’s trip and crew time, per industry insiders, was a small price for narrative control.

The upcoming Summer I Turned Pretty movie, announced post-finale, promises “another big milestone for Belly,” Han teased on Today. Set to film in 2026, it’ll revisit Cousins Beach, likely adapting the trilogy’s epilogue where Belly and Conrad marry. “It’s not over,” Han told News18. “Belly’s story has more to tell.” Fans speculate a 2027 release, with X buzzing over potential plots—will Jeremiah’s new romance bloom? Will Belly’s Paris growth shape her future? Han’s tight-lipped, but the fake scenes prove she’ll keep us guessing.

The Emotional Core: A Love Triangle’s Lasting Echoes

At its heart, the Paris deception underscores the show’s emotional stakes. Belly’s choice—Conrad over Jeremiah—mirrors life’s messy decisions. “Belly’s Paris arc is about finding herself,” Tung told People. “Conrad seeing that is what seals their bond.” For Team Jeremiah fans, the fake scenes were a cruel tease, but Casalegno sees it differently: “Jeremiah’s happy—he’s found his path,” he told EW. Han’s gamble preserved the finale’s gut-punch: Conrad’s Paris reunion, set against the city’s glow, felt earned, not inevitable.

The cast’s camaraderie fueled the ruse’s success. Tung, Briney, and Casalegno, bonded over three seasons, embraced the secrecy. “We were giggling between takes,” Casalegno told The Hollywood Reporter. “Lola’s like, ‘This is gonna mess with everyone!’” Briney, whose Conrad won Belly’s heart, praised Han’s vision: “She’s a storyteller first—every move’s for the fans.” Off-screen, the trio’s Paris adventures—coffee runs, crew dinners—mirrored the show’s warmth, making the deception a labor of love.

The Legacy: A Fandom Fooled, a Story Preserved

As The Summer I Turned Pretty sails toward its cinematic finale, Han’s Paris ploy cements her as a narrative ninja. The fake scenes, though never aired, are now lore, with fans clamoring for a blooper reel. “Release the Jeremiah Paris cut!” begged @TSITPFanatic, their petition hitting 5,000 signatures. Han’s hinted at extras for the movie, telling Variety, “We’ve got some fun stuff saved.” For Casalegno, the trip was a win: “Great coffee, great crew, great city,” he told E! Online. “I’d do it again.”

This isn’t just a story of a fake-out—it’s a testament to storytelling’s power in a spoiler-saturated world. Han, Tung, and Casalegno didn’t just film scenes; they crafted a mystery that kept 12 million viewers on edge. As Belly’s journey continues, one thing’s clear: in Cousins Beach or Paris, Jenny Han’s playing chess while we’re all playing checkers. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.