Wait, why is Shayla not in The Summer I Turned Pretty season two?

Season two of The Summer I Turned Pretty is now on Amazon but there is one major character missing this time round. As viewers follow Belly work out whether she wants Conrad or Jeremiah, it’s actually Steven’s love story that has taken a hit.

In the first season of The Summer I Turned Pretty, Shayla, was Steven’s love interest and from the looks of season two – she has not made the cut. In the original The Summer I Turned Pretty novels, Shayla is only mentioned in the first one and so her character isn’t that necessary to the plot but viewers are still not happy.

But why is Shayla not in season two of The Summer I Turned Pretty? Here’s everything we know.

Back in April, Minnie announced she would not be returning as Shayla

Minnie Mills became a fan favourite last year and a lot of viewers assumed her character would be written into second season but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Back in April, Minnie wrote a statement on Instagram confirming she would not be reprising her role in season two.

“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.

“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.”

Minnie explained Shayla was “unapologetically herself,” which is rare in an industry where women of colour are often “defined by white men,” especially since “Asian characters are often portrayed as meek and invisible until seen by a white counterpart.”

She noted that Shayla didn’t need to “prove” her worth to anyone as “being Asian was simply part of who she was, not an obstacle to who she wanted to be.”

“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,” she concluded the statement.

What have the cast said about Minnie leaving TSITP?

A number of The Summer I Turned Pretty cast members flooded the comment section with well wishes for Minnie, thanking her for the time they shared on set.

“The best scene partner. Thank you for everything,” Sean Kauf commented.

Lola Tung wrote: “Forever grateful this experience brought us together. I love you.”

“I love you Minnie, so proud of you,” Chris Briney commented, with Gavin Casalegno adding: “So grateful I got to work with you, you are amazing.”

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Featured image credit via Amazon Studios.