Shayla forever! Minnie Mills, who starred in season 1 of Amazon Prime’s The Summer I Turned Pretty, did not return for season 2. The actress played Shayla in the romantic teen series and announced her absence from the second season via Instagram.
“First and foremost, I want to say thank you to Shayla. Playing Shayla was such a privilege, she taught me so much and helped me grow not only as an actor, but as a person,” she wrote in May 2023. “To be able to portray a piece of the representation I’ve always wanted to see on screen was a dream come true and meant the world to me.”
Keep reading for why she will not be returning, what she said and more.
Why Isn’t Minnie Mills In ‘TSITP’ Season 2?
ICYMI, The Summer I Turned Pretty is based off a trilogy written by Jenny Han, following a teenager named Belly (Lola Tung), who is in a love triangle with two brothers, Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno). Minnie, for her part, was known as the role of Shayla, the love interest of Belly’s brother, Steven (Sean Kaufman.).
However, Shayla is a character that is only mentioned within the first TSITP novel. And as season 2 will follow the events of the second book, her character is no longer necessary to the plot.
As Minnie’s character became a fan favorite on the show, many viewers thought the writers of the series would continue to work out a storyline for Shayla, despite her absence in the following two books. However, it was revealed that her character was in Ibiza, Spain, instead of Cousins Beach.
Further discussing her departure via social media, Minnie went on to say that her character was “unapologetically herself,” a rarity in an industry where women of color are usually “defined by white men,” especially since “Asian characters are often portrayed as meek and invisible until seen by a white counterpart.” However, Shayla didn’t need to “prove” her worth to anyone, or grapple with her identity, as “being Asian was simply part of who she was, not an obstacle to who she wanted to be.”
She concluded, “To everyone who loved Shayla, who felt empowered or inspired by her, she will always be in the first season for you to come back to whenever you need her, and if I ever get the chance, I would love to continue her story. Thank you for supporting her, and thank you for supporting me. I could not have asked for a better cast, crew, or character for my first acting role, and I cannot wait to see what’s next.”
How Have ‘TSITP’ Cast Reacted to Minnie Mills Leaving?
Minnie’s fellow TSITP castmembers commented under her Instagram post with supportive messages.
“The best scene partner, thank you for everything,” Sean wrote. Christopher added, “I love you Minnie, so proud of you.”
Lola commented, “Forever grateful this experience brought us together. I [love] u.”
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