The Summer I Turned Pretty cast reveals how Taylor Swift's songs secretly shaped the series you can't stop watching
According to the actors, Swift's lyrics have helped convey the show's core emotions—love, heartbreak, growth and reflect the characters' inner journeys. With the series returning for a new chapter, Lola Tung, Christopher Briney, and Gavin Casalegno revisited how Swift's tracks have left a deep imprint on the show's creative vision.
Lola Tung reflects on storytelling and needle drops
Lola Tung, who plays Belly in the series, said Taylor Swift's storytelling mirrors that of Jenny Han, the creator of the show. Tung explained that Han had listened to some of Swift's music while writing the books, suggesting a personal connection. She specifically mentioned The Way I Loved You as a song Han always had in mind.
"She's an incredible storyteller, just like Jenny," Tung said. "When she was writing a lot of the books, she was listening to some of this music. So, for her, she's had these in mind for so long."
🚨| Taylor Swift's 'You're Losing Me' is featured in the first episode of Season 3 of The Summer I Turned Pretty! pic.twitter.com/KWVBXYDdHF
Tung added that not all of Swift's albums were out when the books were written, but the songs available still shaped the atmosphere of the series. She called The Way I Loved You a standout needle drop from the earlier seasons.
Briney and Casalegno echo the sentiment
Christopher Briney, who also stars in the series, echoed Tung's thoughts, describing Swift's music choices as 'very thoroughly planned and thought out.' He believes the songs are intentionally selected to support the overall vision of the series.
Gavin Casalegno also praised Jenny Han's music choices, calling her approach to building the soundtrack thoughtful and immersive.
"I think Jenny does a great job of finding the perfect music for the world," Casalegno said. "With all of Taylor's music, she really does a deep dive into what's going to fit the world and the feel of all these things."
He also noted that the cast doesn't know all the songs that will feature in Season 3, adding to the anticipation.
Music as an emotional thread in the series
The show's success has not only come from its characters and plot but also from its ability to connect emotionally with viewers and Swift's music has played a key role. As Season 3 approaches, the blend of her tracks with pivotal scenes continues to be a defining feature of The Summer I Turned Pretty.
With Season 3 on the horizon, Taylor Swift's music remains a central thread tying together the show's emotions and characters.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
Priyanka Chopra reacts as Uorfi Javed slams man criticising her outfit in old video: ‘India me aise kapde allowed nahi'
The Traitors winner and social media influencer Uorfi Javed is known for her unique fashion statement. Often in the spotlight for her unapologetic fashion choices, she frequently finds herself at the centre of controversy. Amid this, an old video of her clapping back at a man who publicly criticised her outfit has resurfaced. The video has gained support from many on the internet, including Priyanka Chopra. In the video, Uorfi, in a green backless dress, is seen getting into a heated argument with a man while leaving the Mumbai airport. The man is heard telling her, "Allowed nahi hai aisa kapda India mein. India ka naam kharaab karrahe ho (These kinds of clothes are not allowed in India. You are ruining the name of India).' Replying to him, Uorfi said, "Aapke baap ka kuch jaa raha hai kya? Nahi jaa raha hai na aapke baap ka? Jao apna kaam karo (Mind your own business! Go do your job)." As the man repeats his words, Uorfi loses her calm. 'Teri beti hun? Ja na apna kaam kar. (Am I your daughter? Go mind your own business).' she blasted the man. The caption of the video reads, 'Uorfi got angry at airport.' The video is originally from 2023. The video has found its way back on social media once again, even liked by actor Priyanka Chopra among others. Reacting to the video, a user commented, 'Chapri Unemployed uncle poking his nose where it doesn't belong.' 'Uncle will stay shut when a guy would harrass a girl, when a woman will be molested, when his daughter will be beaten up; but here, uncle will speak just because he cannot handle that a woman can wear what she wants,' added another. One more also pointed out, 'Priyanka Chopra liked this video.' On the work front, Uorfi recently won the Karan Johar-hosted, first season of The Traitors India. Meanwhile, Priyanka was last seen in Amazon Prime Video's Heads of State. It also starred Idris Elba and John Cena in the lead. Priyanak is ready to return to Bollywood with her upcoming film. She is working with SS Rajamouli for an upcoming film, tentatively titled SSMB29. The film will also feature Mahesh Babu. Besides this, Priyanka also has The Bluff in the pipeline. She will also resume her role as Nadia in the second season of her web series Citadel.
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
Dexter: Resurrection star Michael C Hall: ‘I was pinching myself to see Uma Thurman, Peter Dinklage, Neil Patrick Harris in the same room'
Michael C Hall first played Dexter in the eponymous show 19 years ago when the first episode dropped on Showtime. He essayed the forensic technician, moonlighting as a vigilante serial killer, for seven years before taking a backseat. He reprised the role eight years later in Dexter: New Blood, set 10 years after the season 8 finale. He's a father to Harrison Morgan now, who goes in his father's footsteps and shoots his own dad in the New Blood finale. Now, as Hall returns to find his absconding son in Dexter: Resurrection (streaming in India on Amazon Prime Video), he talks to SCREEN exclusively about the father-son dynamic, shifting action to New York City, and rounding up a deadly roaster of assassins in the new installment. Between Dexter: New Blood and Dexter: Resurrection, you played the 'inner voice' of the character in the prequel series, Dexter: Original Sin. How did that help you going into Resurrection? The show has often alluded to Dexter's origin story and those early years. I've also thought about them imaginatively as an actor. But to have the chance to spend time with those scripts and the show, and to do the voiceover, that just gave fully-fleshed out colour to what had probably been a notion, an outline, or a line drawing. So, it was really helpful to spend time thinking about the character's origin story in detail, which I hadn't before. It was really good preparation for the return. For the audience, it enriches their time spent with the character in the present tense. The setting in Resurrection is New York City, which isn't as snowy as Iron Lake in New Blood or as summery as Miami in the previous seasons. How does that lend a new texture to the show? It's a new place to hide in plain sight. Miami is also a big city, but it couldn't be more different in terms of its climate and architecture. Miami is round, hot, and sweaty. New York is cold, steely, angular, and concrete. I think of that environment as symbolic of Dexter's rigid commitment to who he is and who he isn't. Being in the physical environment of New York helped fortify that. It's also a place where many, many people congregate. So there's an increasing likelihood that Dexter will encounter formidable and worthy victims, and he does in ways unanticipated. As he says it at some point, 'Only in New York!' So yeah, it gave a freshness and new flavour to the story we were telling in a way that only a city like New York could. And maybe there's only one city like New York, and that's New York. Speaking of New York City, you seem to have found your own Hotel Intercontinental from John Wick! There's Peter Dinklage assembling a host of assassins, including Uma Thurman, the OG assassin from Kill Bill (2003) days. How was that like? It was amazing! It was an assembly of unsavoury superheroes. It felt like Dexter got transported to a twisted superhero movie. But it was incredible. I was pinching myself to see Uma Thurman in the room, and Peter, Neil Patrick Harris, David Dastmalchian, Krystan Ritter, Eric Stonestreet — just an ensemble of fantastic, and very different, actors. All of them were relishing the chance to exist in this heightened, crazy world. It was very gratifying for us that we were able to attract people of this calibre to join us. It was a blast, one of the richest ensembles I've ever been a part of. Also Read — The Old Guard 2 movie review: Charlize Theron and Uma Thurman chew each other up in Netflix's cheap-looking sequel Since you lost your father when you were just 11, is there something that Michael sees of himself in Dexter's son Harrison? There's been a father-son dynamic at play in a lot of work I've done, and certainly in Dexter. I consider my own relationship with my father when I think of Dexter's relationship with Harry. Portraying a relationship with a son, who thought he lost his father and then reappearing on him — and then reappearing on him once again in the context of this show — yes, there's a resonance in terms of my own story. I don't think have to think about it explicitly. That's all just in me and a part of my experience of life. So any simulation of a father-son relationship is going to be informed by that. Yeah, there's some soothing, therapeutic element in this ritual where I'm telling this fictional story about a father and a son, given my own relationship with my pretty-much internalized, absent-from-this-Earth father. But yeah, it's all in the mix.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Streaming wars in the Gulf: Which platform is most popular among expats?
Shahid VIP and StarzPlay Arabia lead the GCC's streaming race, with driving demand for Bollywood, Arabic, and Turkish content/Representative Image TL;DR: Shahid VIP , Netflix , and StarzPlay remain the most popular streaming platforms in the GCC , catering to diverse language preferences. Regional content production is rising, with Saudi Arabia and UAE leading Arabic originals. Expats favour a mix of global hits and tailored regional content, from Bollywood to Turkish dramas. Pricing, platform availability, and content censorship shape viewing habits across the Gulf . As streaming services boom across the Gulf, expats are spoilt for choice but which platforms are truly leading the pack in 2025? From Shahid VIP's dominance in Arabic content to Netflix's international allure and StarzPlay Arabia's regional strategy, the competition for screens in Saudi Arabia, UAE, and beyond is intensifying. Here's a closer look at the Gulf's streaming wars, who's winning among expats, and how viewing preferences are evolving in the region. Streaming Wars in the GCC: What's Driving Viewer Choices? The Gulf's streaming landscape in 2025 is more competitive than ever, shaped by a growing expat population, high smartphone penetration, and an increasing appetite for both global and regional content. According to DataReportal's 2025 UAE Digital Report, the UAE has over 99% internet penetration, while Saudi Arabia also exceeds 99%, fuelling on-demand content consumption across platforms like Shahid VIP, Netflix, StarzPlay Arabia, and Amazon Prime Video. A report by Statista indicates that over 57% of UAE residents subscribe to at least one paid streaming service, while in Saudi Arabia, the figure is about 48%, reflecting both demand and market potential. The presence of a culturally diverse workforce in the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain drives platforms to balance between Arabic, English, Hindi, and Tagalog content offerings. Shahid VIP and StarzPlay Arabia: Leading Regional Platforms Shahid VIP, owned by Saudi Arabia's MBC Group, continues to dominate Arabic-language streaming in the GCC. In 2025, it boasts more than 3 million subscribers, per MBC Group's March 2025 statement, thanks to exclusive Arabic series, live TV channels, and original productions tailored to Gulf sensibilities. Similarly, StarzPlay Arabia, headquartered in the UAE, maintains its strong foothold with over 2.1 million active subscribers. StarzPlay is favoured not just for its English-language catalogue but also for partnerships that stream Bollywood films, Turkish dramas, and cricket tournaments like the PSL, catering heavily to the South Asian expat audience. StarzPlay's partnership with Etisalat and STC allows for bundled subscriptions, increasing affordability and reach, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Netflix's Growing Arabic Originals Portfolio While Netflix remains a dominant global player, it has intensified efforts to localise content in the Middle East. In January 2025, Netflix announced an expanded slate of Arabic Originals, including Saudi-produced thrillers and Emirati family dramas. According to Netflix, Arabic-language content consumption on the platform has grown by 40% year-on-year, especially in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Netflix's focus on regional storytelling aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, which aims to elevate local entertainment industries. This localisation strategy has enhanced its appeal among Gulf nationals and second-generation expats fluent in Arabic. The Expat Preferences: A Multi-Language Diet Expats in the GCC continue to shape streaming preferences. South Asian workers in the UAE and Qatar heavily consume Bollywood films and Indian web series on platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ Hotstar, although access can vary based on local licensing. Filipino expats largely use iWantTFC, a global Filipino content platform, which reports steady growth in GCC subscriptions as of ABS-CBN's 2025 mid-year update. Moreover, Turkish dramas dubbed in Arabic, available on Shahid VIP and StarzPlay, remain perennially popular with Arab and non-Arab expats alike. This cross-cultural appeal helps platforms retain diverse demographics. Content Censorship & Regional Sensitivities One key constraint for streaming services in the Gulf remains censorship. Both UAE and Saudi Arabia have content regulations that restrict or edit scenes involving nudity, LGBTQ+ themes, and excessive violence. According to Arab News, platforms operating in the GCC must comply with National Media Council guidelines in the UAE and equivalent Saudi regulatory frameworks. This leads to edited versions of global shows, though some platforms provide advisory notices on such edits. Such content moderation has not significantly dampened subscriptions, as users weigh content access alongside regional values. Price Points and Platform Competition Pricing remains a decisive factor. As of July 2025, here's a snapshot of monthly subscription fees in the UAE (approximate USD conversion): Shahid VIP: ~$11.49/month (AED 42) StarzPlay: ~$10.35/month (AED 38) Netflix Standard: ~$10.61/month (AED 39) Amazon Prime Video: ~$4.90/month (AED 18) Bundled telecom packages often reduce these costs further. For example, Etisalat's eLife package includes StarzPlay access, while STC offers Shahid VIP subscriptions with specific plans. Trends Shaping the Future of Streaming in the GCC Original Productions: Regional platforms like Shahid VIP are scaling up their original productions, planning to invest $100 million by end-2025, per MBC Group statements. Sport Streaming: With cricket's popularity, StarzPlay and Amazon Prime Video stream matches like the PSL and Indian Premier League , appealing to South Asian expats. Tech Innovation: AI-driven recommendations, localised payment options (like STC Pay), and 4K streaming are becoming standard, enhancing user experience. Cross-Platform Viewing: Smart TV compatibility and mobile-first designs cater to the Gulf's highly mobile user base, where over 90% of streaming occurs via smartphones In 2025, the Gulf's streaming ecosystem is dynamic and expat-driven, yet increasingly regionalised. Platforms that blend high-quality Arabic originals with popular global content are thriving, while telecom bundling strategies keep services affordable. As more Gulf countries invest in media and entertainment, the content landscape is set to grow further, serving a cosmopolitan viewer base that toggles between K-dramas, Bollywood hits, Arabic thrillers, and Premier League football.
