Rachel Blanchard, who portrays Susannah in Prime Video’s hit series The Summer I Turned Pretty, has defended her character, saying that her intentions were often misunderstood by fans.

In the series, Susannah is the mother of Conrad and Jeremiah, played by Christopher Briney and Gavin Casalegno. She has long believed that Belly, the daughter of her best friend Laurel (Jackie Chung), would ultimately end up with one of her sons. However, Blanchard insists her character never meant to create the drama and messy love triangle that unfolded over the show’s three-season run.

“I don’t know if Susannah knew they were interpreting it as pressure. If she had known that, she would have maybe expressed it differently. She probably saw something in both of them, and I think it was a bit of fantasy for her,” Blanchard told The Hollywood Reporter.

She added, “But if she knew the chaos that would ensue and the hurt, she would have said it differently, I think. But I also think she’d be happy they ended up together, but only if they both really wanted it. She didn’t want it at all costs.”

Fans often interpreted Susannah as favouring Conrad in his relationship with Belly, but Blanchard clarified, “I don’t think she was set on Conrad at all costs.” She further explained how the love triangle affected the brothers: “I think she would have been so disappointed. She didn’t mean to cause this kind of chaos and fracture in their relationship. All I think she ever wanted was everyone to look out for each other, and maybe her message got a bit misconstrued and taken a bit too seriously.”

As the series concluded on September 17, the creators announced an upcoming feature film, directed by author Jenny Han. While Chung is confirmed to return, details about Blanchard’s appearance remain under wraps, as Susannah typically appears in flashbacks.