Sean Kaufman requests a cup of green tea on a hot June day in Midtown Manhattan. Green is the color of the day. Green tea, a green suit and a backdrop for photos on set are all green. It’s a fitting theme for an actor who appears cool, calm and collected. He’s excited to see his co-stars from The Summer I Turned Pretty at the season 2 premiere.
His excitement is sometimes brought to the surface when he sneaks in a joke between camera angles or sings David Bowie songs. He is also excited to grab food at the Japanese supermarket down the street, where he would go with his mother when he was growing up in New York City. The moment is a complete circle when the young actor, who has just finished filming his new movie, is recognized outside a grocery store by a fan and takes a proud selfie with him. He says, “You know sometimes I just can’t wrap myself around it,” about the public recognition and the fervent fanbase that followed the success of The Summer I Turned Pretty.
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I’m not a fan of love triangles, but it’s a great fantasy.
Kaufman is still getting used to the fame and attention that comes with stardom. The Summer I Turned Pretty, adapted from Jenny Han’s same-named book series, became Prime Video’s top series in 2022 and attracted a multitude of fans. The complicated love triangle in Cousin’s beach between Belly Conklin, Lola Tung and the brothers Conrad and Jeremiah Fisher, Gavin Casalegno and Christopher Briney, sparked thousands of theories and fancams on social media. Kaufman, who plays Steven, Belly’s elder brother, draws on his own experiences to guide and tease Belly, as is typical of most siblings.
Steven delivers a wise and ambitious graduation speech in the first scenes of the second season, despite tragedy. Susannah, Conrad’s and Jeremiah’s mother (as well as Belly’s and Steven’s mom’s best friend), has recently passed away due to cancer. This causes tension between each character throughout the second season. The new grad sets the tone for summer, establishing hope for an unpredictable future.
PHOTO : GEORGE CINSEE. SUIT: CATOU. SHIRT : OAK + Fort. SHOES: MAGNANNI.
Although the storyline of this season is sometimes depressing, like the Fishers and Conklins who are threatened with losing their childhood beach home and experience a lot of heartbreak — Kaufman assures us that the cast enjoyed fun summer activities whenever they could. He says that while filming a lively scene with his fellow cast members, Jenny would watch, laugh, and take notes. In his photo shoot with StyleCaster, he was a picture of pure joy and happiness as he smiled for the camera. Sean Kaufman and I spoke about their brotherly relationship beyond the screen, his relationships with the other cast members, as well as the popularity of the show.
PHOTO: GEORGE CINSEE. SUIT: CATOU. SHIRT : OAK + Fort. SHOES: MAGNANNI.
What are the similarities and differences between you and Steven?
The sibling relationship is something that I can relate to right away. The first thing that came to mind when I got the audition was the fact that I had a three-year younger sister. I understood the older brother/younger sibling relationship. Belly knows that every time Steven says “Ew”, he is really saying “I love You” to Belly. This is something I’ve experienced myself. I used to do it all the time. Steven has a big heart towards many of his friends, including Conrad, Belly and Laurel, which I would like to believe I share. This is a bit narcissistic. We differ on what he values. He loves clothes and he really enjoys stuff. He likes to feel and look a particular way. Money, college and other things are very important to him (and rightly so). I only think about myself. “I am cool as the Earth.” “That’s all I want.”
It’s great that you brought up your relationship with her. Did you see any parallels in your personal experiences as a sibling?
She may be angry with me, but it doesn’t matter to me. Only a few years ago did I realize that my sister is capable of dating, and will soon be an adult. Steven will also be happy to hear that. He didn’t think of them as Belly’s boyfriends, especially these two brothers Conrad and Jeremiah. One summer, all of the sudden, his best friends were taken away and she became the center of attention. I was like “Oh my god, wait, it’s not my little sister, she is actually an adult.” She is a growing adult, who can make personal decisions and has a life? It’s an amusing realization for any older brother or sister.
How did you handle all the emotions Steven had at the start of season two.
It was hard because all of the characters were dealing with grief right away. Steven had a hard time figuring out what was going on. He said in the show he felt like an asshole, but he was very excited about the bright future he had. He is going to Princeton, and everything looks good for him, but he has a hard time allowing himself to enjoy life, due to the emotional strain and watching it on Belly. The emotional toll on Belly and his reaction of “Am I a scumbag for wanting more out of life than just wallowing all day?” was difficult. The script was a major part of the process. Many of my scenes were emotional and beautiful. Chris and I were living together during season two. We would eat together every night and then sit on our porch to run the scenes over and over again until they became second nature. Like a certain level of work.
PHOTO : GEORGE CINSEE. SUIT: CATOU. Shirt: OAK + Fort. SHOES: MAGNANNI.
There are undertones that are reminiscent of sadness in these episodes. There’s also an urgency, where the characters want to save the house and have fun at the same. How did you balance these feelings?
We’re always laughing, joking, and breaking attention. I remember the funeral where we all took the time to prepare and get into the space before. Jackie, Lola and Colin are all sitting and meditating. You can see tears streaming. Half the time, I would try to crack jokes and they would not work and just be quiet. I was like “Oh yeah, right now you’re all crying.” I’m sorry.”
The carnival days would be a good counterbalance. Oh, my God, I’ll never forget the laser tag scenes. Isabel Sandoval was a wonderful director who let us play a full round of lasertag. They said “There will be some cameras somewhere.” Just play. Don’t worry about plots. All else faded. It was strange to do that on Monday, and then have a funeral the next day.
Your relationship with the cast was evident even in that laser tag scene. What is the relationship like between you and your cast members beyond shooting scenes?
They are my best friends. This is not a cliché. They’re everywhere. Chris and I both play video games daily. We’re always hanging out in the city and having fun together. When I first started doing interviews, it was so lovely to see me slowly transition from calling them “co-stars or castmates” to just “my friends”. I am so grateful to have them as friends.
The show’s popularity exploded last year. Would you have imagined being here right now before the show began?
I don’t believe we tried to do it. I don’t believe we tried. I remember the feeling from season one, when we just wanted to do our best. We were going have the best time doing it. We were not yet ready to send these characters off, but we did our best. We were all ecstatic and happy.
Belly is able to understand that every time Steven says ‘Ew’, it really means, ‘I love You’.
We were all excited to be able to watch it again! It’s a great opportunity to be with all the best people, and do the best work. This was a first for many of us so we had no idea how to shoot. When we were filming season 1, a lot crew members would tell us each day that this was a special project. It’s special that you guys are so close. We thought it was just a way to make us feel good. We were just like “Yeah, sure, whatever”. Then we got the wonderful feedback from so many fans. The crew said, “Yes, we told you that.” We responded, “Oh, yeah, you are right.”
Do you have any memorable fan interactions from the last year, since this is your first big project?
Many. It’s amazing to see the impact we have had on people. My girlfriend was part of a traditional Bulgarian dance group, and the troupe had the honor to perform in Chicago at this huge Bulgarian festival. I tried to be supportive and went with her. There were many young people who recognized me. Some barely spoke English. Many of them were Bulgarians and would tell me that they loved the show. It was so important to us. Then I realized it reached so many more people than I thought. It is insane to think that this could have such power.
PHOTO : GEORGE CINSEE. SUIT: CATOU. Shirt: OAK + Fort. SHOES: MAGNANNI.
What is your vision for the future relationship between Steven and Taylor, and what will you do as an actor to explore this?
We’ll get to do it, I hope. I can’t wait to see what happens. Season one was a lot about Cousins Beach and what happened. Season two marks the beginning of a new world. I find it beautiful to imagine that every branch of a growing tree roots in different directions. The tree is still the same, but its branches are going in different directions. I was like “OK, now Steven, Connie, and Jer will be going to college.” The characters can go into the real world to do anything. Rain and I are both excited to have the opportunity to explore the many different possibilities of the story, especially now that we’re older. Rain is amazing, and to have the opportunity to work with Rain again is chef kiss
What advice would give someone whose sister is involved in a love-triangle with her best friend?
It may not be popular, but I would tell my sister to get out of a love-triangle with two brothers. Love triangles are hard to understand because they always end up hurting one another. They don’t mean to hurt each other. They do it in both seasons. If it were my sister, I would tell her, “Hey, you’ve got to make a decision.” I know that it is hard. The more you prolong it, and the longer you let this go, the more hurtful you will be to the people you love. It’s not good. I am not a fan of love triangles, but the fantasy is wonderful.
