7 Shocking Revelations About Laurel Dunne’s Final Arc In The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3

Laurel Dunne, the resilient, complex, and often misunderstood mother figure in *The Summer I Turned Pretty*, is set for her most significant and dramatic storyline yet as the series heads into its final chapter. As of December 2025, the anticipation for the third and final season is at an all-time high, with Laurel’s journey—from grieving best friend to a woman finding her own voice—poised to be a central emotional anchor. This deep dive into Laurel’s character, the phenomenal actress who plays her, and the latest news for Season 3 will reveal why she is the true heart of the Cousins Beach drama.

The character, brilliantly portrayed by actress Jackie Chung, has evolved significantly from the pages of the original Jenny Han novels, giving her a rich, messy, and incredibly relatable midlife narrative. Fans are eager to see how her relationships with her daughter Belly, her ex-husband John, and the Fisher boys, Conrad and Jeremiah, will be resolved in the final 11 episodes.

The Woman Behind Laurel Dunne: Jackie Chung Biography & Profile

The depth and nuance of Laurel Dunne’s character are brought to life by the talented American actress Jackie Chung. Her background in both theatre and film provides the perfect foundation for playing the complex mother and author.

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• Full Name: Jackie Chung
• Date of Birth: July 10, 1979
• Age (as of Dec 2025): 46
• Place of Birth: United States
• Education: Graduated from Stanford University; holds an MFA in Film.
• Spouse: Married to fellow actor Louis Ozawa (known for *Hunters* and *The Man in the High Castle*).
• Children: She has two children.
• Notable Filmography: *The Summer I Turned Pretty* (Laurel Park/Dunne), *Coming Home Again*, *Grey's Anatomy*, *Station 19*, and *Someone Else*.
• Career Highlight: Her role as Laurel has been widely praised for bringing a grounded, Asian American perspective to the "messy midlife" mom trope, a significant departure from traditional teen drama parental roles.

The Latest: What We Know About Laurel in Season 3

The news is official: *The Summer I Turned Pretty* Season 3 is confirmed as the final season and will premiere on Prime Video starting July 16, 2025. The season will feature an expanded 11-episode run, based on the final book, *We’ll Always Have Summer*.

Laurel’s arc in the final season is expected to be a major focal point, shifting her from the grief of losing her best friend, Susannah Fisher, to finding her own path forward. The show has already taken significant liberties with her storyline compared to the books, ensuring her journey remains fresh and unpredictable.

1. The Book vs. Show: Laurel's Career as an Author

In the original novels, Laurel’s professional life is a backdrop, but the show has elevated it to a primary storyline. The book she writes in the second season, titled *It’s Not Summer Without You*, is a direct nod to the title of the second novel, blending the fictional world with the source material.

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The show's focus on her career as an author, navigating book tours and the vulnerability of sharing her grief with the world, makes her a much more developed and ambitious entity than her literary counterpart. This focus on her professional life outside of motherhood is a key component of her growth.

2. The Complex Relationship with Belly

Laurel and Belly’s relationship is the emotional core of the series. They are both strong-headed, but their shared grief over Susannah’s death in Season 2 created significant tension, including a major fight.

Season 3 will need to fully mend this mother-daughter bond as Belly navigates the final stages of the love triangle with Conrad and Jeremiah. Laurel, who is typically guarded, has learned to be more willing to listen and grow, making her a more present and supportive mother in the crucial final summer.

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3. The Unexpected Reunion with John

A major show-only deviation is the rekindling of Laurel’s romance with her ex-husband, John. In the books, Laurel and John remain divorced, but the show hinted at a potential reconciliation, particularly in the first two episodes of Season 3 (as referenced in earlier search results, likely a flashback or early plot point).

This storyline adds a layer of "messy midlife" drama, forcing Laurel to confront her past and decide if she wants to return to the stability of her first marriage or embrace a new, independent life. This is a significant source of anxiety for book readers and a fresh twist for show-only viewers.

Laurel’s Impact: Topical Authority and Key Entities

Laurel Dunne is more than just Belly’s mother; she is a fully realized character whose arc explores themes of grief, divorce, female friendship, and midlife identity. Her role provides crucial topical authority to the show's exploration of family dynamics and loss.

4. Laurel's Role as Susannah’s Best Friend

The dynamic between Laurel and Susannah Fisher is arguably the most heartbreaking relationship in the series. Laurel is the pragmatic, organized, and guarded foil to Susannah’s whimsical, free-spirited nature. Their bond is the reason the two families—the Conklins and the Fishers—spend every summer together at Cousins Beach.

Laurel’s initial struggle with her grief in Season 2, which caused her to pull away from Belly, was a raw and realistic depiction of loss. Her eventual return to the beach and her willingness to fight for Susannah’s wishes solidified her loyalty and love for her best friend.

5. The Game-Changing Laurel-Conrad Scene

A pivotal, non-book scene that defined Laurel’s character in the show was her conversation with Conrad Fisher. In the show, Conrad convinces Laurel to change her attitude about the wedding, which is a key emotional moment.

This scene highlights Laurel’s willingness to listen to the *Fisher boys* and see the deeper pain they are experiencing, making her a bridge between the two families. It also shows a rare moment of vulnerability and connection between Laurel and Conrad, hinting at her understanding of his guarded nature.

6. Laurel’s Personality Type and Growth

Many fans characterize Laurel Dunne with the ISTJ (Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, Judging) personality type. This aligns with her traits of being reliable, structured, and having a strong sense of duty. She is a loving mum but can be strong-headed and critical.

Her journey is one of learning to let go of control, a major theme for an ISTJ. Her growth from the first season, where she was emotionally closed off, to the last, where she is learning to embrace her own happiness and messy reality, is one of the most compelling arcs in the series.

7. What Laurel’s Final Chapter Means for Belly’s Choice

The actress, Jackie Chung, has teased that Season 3 will bring "drama" and a final chapter where Laurel continues her journey of "becoming."

Laurel’s final chapter is inextricably linked to Belly's. As a flawed mom who is always willing to grow, her validation and support will be crucial for Belly as she makes her final, definitive choice between the Fisher brothers. Laurel’s own experience with divorce and complicated love (her relationship with John and her former feelings for Adam Fisher) provides a cautionary, yet hopeful, tale for her daughter.

As *The Summer I Turned Pretty* heads into its final, 11-episode run starting July 16, 2025, all eyes will be on Laurel Dunne. Her storyline is set to be a powerful exploration of female identity, motherhood, and the enduring power of friendship, cementing her legacy as one of the show's most complex and beloved characters.