Another year, another Cruel Summer. Season 2 of the Freeform series is set to premiere on June 6, 2023, and this season’s star Lisa Yamada sat down with J-14 and spoke about how season 1 left the cast with “big shoes to fill” after the show’s skyrocketing success. Keep reading to see our exclusive interview with Lisa.

‘Cruel Summer’ Season 2 Cast Used Season 1 As a ‘Bible’

ICYMI, season 1 of Cruel Summer first premiered in April 2021, and told the story of missing girl Kate Wallis (played by Olivia Holt) in the span of three summers in the ’90s. Filled with so many twists and turns, viewers were hooked from the start of episode 1, cementing Cruel Summer as one of Freeform’s most successful series ever.

We asked Lisa if the cast of season 2 felt any pressure to continue on a series with an already established fanbase.

“It was definitely nerve-wracking,” she told J-14. “Like season one was amazing, and those are some really big shoes to fill, you know? But [even though] I was nervous, I had trust in the entire team, and I mean, I think we killed it. No pun intended.”

The Little Fires Everywhere actress explained that the experience was “unique” as shows don’t often get “that much buzz” until after they premiere.

“But, because there’s already a built-in fan base with Cruel Summer, it was really nice to see the feedback come in while we were filming, and it was like very reassuring,” she added. “Like, ‘Wow, so many people are gonna watch a show and they’re gonna love it, so.'”

She also said that having season 1 as a guide was a blessing in another sense.

“I feel like we got really lucky because season one was sort of like our bible in a sense,” she revealed, explaining that she knew exactly what she was “getting herself into.”

lisa yamada cruel summer
Freeform

Who Does Lisa Yamada Play In ‘Cruel Summer’ Season 2?

Lisa plays Parker in Cruel Summer, explaining that her character is, “for lack of a better word, a little bit of a bitch.” LOL.

“I kind of learned to love that about her,” she continued. “She’s like the resident cool girl. She leads the friend group, she’s like the pack leader. She is definitely way cooler than I was in high school, for sure.”

Season 2 will follow three characters in a love triangle throughout three different timelines surrounding Y2K. Telling the story of the early friendship between Megan (Sadie Stanley), Isabella (Lexi Underwood) and Megan’s best friend Luke (Griffin Gluck), it’s unclear who exactly Lisa’s character Parker will come into play as of yet.

“I wish I could tell you like every single thing,” she teased. “I could lay it out for you.”

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