CB: People are really quick to label.
LT: Villain is such a strong word.
CB: Right, you’re right.
LT: I think that it’s a beautiful thing to get to see how much Conrad grows. And not to diminish that at all, but I also think it can be a little harmful to label certain things as good and bad. When you’re like, “There’s a whole picture.” And you have to see where each character’s coming from and why they can’t share all their feelings. I mean, again, Conrad went through this for seasons of having something that made him…
CB: The label of emotionally unavailable.
LT: I think people were able to start sympathizing with him in those moments because he was going through a lot. I think Belly is also going through a lot and I think they’ve all been through a lot together. And when you have that sort of history and when it is as complicated as it is, where there’s a love triangle with two brothers, it’s so much more layered than that. And I think we can all just—
CB: —Get along and enjoy something.
LT: Get along.
CB: I just think trying to define characters, that is sort of fighting against the whole point of it. They’re all growing and learning.
LT: They’re all people who are messy, which is literally how people are, and it’s life.
CB: Also, that’s how you make a drama. You make drama by creating conflict.
LT: Drama by creating drama.
CB: Drama by creating drama. Now I don’t know what I was going to say.
LT: Sorry.
CB: But if you’re frustrated with the character’s decision, what if that was intentional?
LT: Wait.
CB: I don’t know. Crazy, crazy idea.
LT: I also think, and again, I know online it’s just like people feel so strongly about it — which it makes me so happy — that I think sometimes you just start typing and you’re like, “I hate this.” Send. Post it, whatever. But hate is…
CB: Send it to yourself first.
LT: Send it to your friends. Hate is such a strong word in this context, I think. And I hope in the end, I hope the journey was an enjoyable experience because I think that’s what it’s supposed to be. A chance for you to feel all the emotions, but hopefully also realize that Belly’s the good one.
Lola Tung Wants You to Know the TSITP Love Triangle Isn’t That Serious
“I’m grateful that [the show] means that much to people,” Lola Tung says.
TV: I’ve seen a lot of jokes that Belly’s true love is the beach house. But I’m also wondering on a more kind of symbolic level, do you feel like any of that is true in the way where the house encompasses her childhood and her family and the way she’s loved? Do you think the house is her true love?
LT: I think because of what it symbolizes, sure. She grew up there and all of the people that she loved were there. Maybe there’s some stuff to figure out with that, having the attachment to that and also feeling so indebted to Susannah. They all want to make her proud and all want to make her happy. There were so many promises made to each other. It’s a little bit in this moment, too, kind of letting go of that responsibility in Paris. And being like, “We’re just here together and it’s okay that we’ve made all these mistakes and everything can still be okay.” The house represents most of her childhood and her love for these people.