TL;DR: If your teen spent last September mourning the series finale of The Summer I Turned Pretty, they are likely now counting down the days until March 27th. That’s when Lola Tung makes her big-screen horror debut in Forbidden Fruits. She’s transitioned from the ultimate "girl next door" to a high-fashion "It Girl" and Broadway star, all while staying remarkably grounded.
Here is the quick list of what to know:
- The Breakout: The Summer I Turned Pretty (Ages 12+)
- The Theatre Pivot: Hadestown (Ages 10+)
- The New Era: Forbidden Fruits (Expected Ages 15+, releasing March 2026)
- The Indie Follow-up: The Young People (Expected 2026)
If you haven't been keeping up with the "Cousins Beach" drama on Prime Video, Lola Tung is the 23-year-old New York native who effectively became the face of Gen Z coming-of-age stories. She played Isabel "Belly" Conklin in the adaptation of Jenny Han's The Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy.
What makes her different from the sea of TikTok influencers is that she’s a "real" actress. She grew up in NYC, attended the famed LaGuardia High School (the Fame school), and was studying at Carnegie Mellon when she landed her first-ever professional role. She isn't famous for a viral dance; she’s famous because she can actually act, sing, and carry a massive franchise on her shoulders.
The obsession with Lola (and Belly) is rooted in a very specific kind of relatability. Unlike the hyper-polished, "Euphoria"-style teens we often see on screen, Lola’s portrayal of Belly felt like a girl you actually know. She’s messy, she makes questionable romantic choices (Team Conrad vs. Team Jeremiah is still a dinner-table debate in some houses), and she’s deeply sentimental.
But beyond the show, your teen is likely following her for:
- The "It Girl" Status: She’s become a major fashion icon, appearing on TIME’s 100 Next list and sitting front-row at Paris Fashion Week.
- The Broadway Cred: In 2024, she had a massive run in Hadestown as Eurydice. It brought a whole new generation of "TSITP" fans to the theater, proving she has the vocal chops to back up the hype.
- The "Team Belly" Philosophy: In interviews, when asked which brother she chooses, Lola famously says she’s "Team Belly"—advocating for her character’s independence rather than just her love interests. That message resonates with girls trying to find their own identity.
We are currently in a transition period for Lola. The The Summer I Turned Pretty finale aired in late 2025, and while there are rumors of a feature film, Lola is moving into "prestige" and "genre" territory.
Next month, she stars in Forbidden Fruits, a comedy-horror film that is being described as a "witchy femme cult" movie set in a mall. It’s a huge departure from the sun-soaked vibes of Cousins Beach. She’s starring alongside Lili Reinhart from Riverdale and Victoria Pedretti from You.
This is the classic "Emma Watson" or "Zendaya" move: taking a beloved teen role and pivoting to something darker and more artistically challenging to prove longevity.
If your kid is asking to follow Lola into her new projects, here is how to gatekeep (or not):
Ages 12+ This is the "safe" entry point. It deals with first love, grief, and family dynamics. Season 3 got a bit more mature as the characters headed to college, but it remains firmly in the "Young Adult" category. It’s a great show to watch with your teen if you can handle the second-hand embarrassment of teenage romance.
Ages 10+ If your teen is into the soundtrack, this is a total win. It’s Greek mythology reimagined with jazz and folk music. It’s sophisticated, tragic, and entirely "brain-rot" free.
Ages 15+ (Anticipated) This is where you might need to draw a line. It’s a horror-comedy produced by Diablo Cody (who wrote Juno and Jennifer’s Body). Expect it to be sharp, bloody, and irreverent. If your teen is under 14, they might want to stick to the Cousins Beach re-watches for now.
Lola Tung is one of the "safer" celebrities for your teen to admire. She’s notoriously private about her personal life, doesn't engage in public "feuds," and uses her platform to talk about things like mental health and theater education.
However, the "It Girl" culture she occupies is heavily focused on consumption and aesthetics. She is often seen in $5,000 designer outfits. If your teen is suddenly obsessed with "vintage" shopping or high-end skincare, it’s likely the "Lola Effect." It’s worth having a conversation about how her "look" is curated by professional stylists and isn't the standard for a normal 20-something.
Ask our chatbot about other Gen Z style icons and their influence
If you want to actually connect with your teen over this, try these openers:
- "I saw the trailer for Forbidden Fruits—it looks way darker than TSITP. Are you ready to see 'Belly' as a witch?"
- "Lola Tung always says she’s 'Team Belly.' What do you think that means for how she sees herself versus her boyfriends?"
- "If we went to New York, would you want to see a Broadway show like Hadestown or something more modern?"
Lola Tung is the rare star who managed to capture the "clean girl" aesthetic of the early 2020s while maintaining the professional discipline of a theater kid. She’s moving into a "grown-up" phase of her career in 2026, which means the content she produces will get edgier.
If your teen is a fan, lean into it. Use her interest in Broadway to suggest other musicals, or use the TSITP books to encourage more reading. She’s a gateway to better media, which is more than we can say for most of the people your kids are following on TikTok.
Next Steps: