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The Summer I Turned Pretty's Gavin Casalegno has become a bona fide Hollywood star.

Ahead of the premiere of the third and final season of the beloved Amazon Prime show on July 16, the 25-year-old opened up in a candid interview with Haute Living about masculinity through vulnerability, being a newlywed and adjusting to fame.

Keep reading to hear what Casalegno had to say about his success…

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Owning His Masculinity Through Vulnerability

Gavin Casalegno admitted that playing his character Jeremiah Fisher in The Summer I Turned Pretty inspired him to be more open in his real life.

"Art imitates life — or is it life that imitates art? It's kind of wild to live with a character like this, comparing my personal growth to his; it's freakishly similar in a lot of ways, just through a different lens," he explained. "Jeremiah has changed me. I think he's made me softer, too.  He's made me want to listen more. And to lead with love. There's this great mix of maturity and vulnerability. I want people to walk away from the season thinking, 'Whoa, this character really grew' — from teen to adult, handling responsibility. I think it's very masculine to be vulnerable. And I think that's something I'm really excited for people to see. Masculinity isn't about having it all together. It's about showing up when it's hard."

Getting Married and Advice For Finding Love

"Emotionally, I was still growing, still maturing. She was very mature and that scared me a little," Gavin Casalegno, who tied the knot with longtime love Cheyanne King in 2024, noted. "If I had to give our love story a name, I think I'd call it, Met in a Far Place. When you're around people who really love you, it's just easier to be yourself. That is home." 

The handsome hunk also admitted that "being a husband has completely changed how I define love. It's not something you fully get until you're married or in a serious relationship. "

He added, "Love is selfless service. It's more selfless than you imagine. You think you understand, but there's no way you could until you're in it: love is about out-serving and out-honoring each other." 
 
When it comes to giving advice to people looking for their perfect partner, Casalegno said it's about putting yourself in the right situation. "People always go, 'I'm going to meet my soulmate at a bar tonight' and it's like, really? That's the plan? I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but you're not doing yourself any favors. [My advice to anyone looking for love would be], don't look for love in the wrong places," he said.
 

Keeping Faith A Main Part Of His Life.

Despite the whirlwind of success around him, Gavin Casalegno cited his spirituality as his saving grace.

"My faith is the foundation for everything," the Texas native said. "It's what reminds me who I am — and who I'm not." 

Being A Fan Favorite and

Due to the cult following of The Summer I Turned Pretty, Gavin Casalegno has embraced this time in his life.

"People love him," he noted of his character Jeremiah Fisher. "They're rooting for him. But also, he frustrates them. And I get that. He's complicated.  And I think people forget — they're all kids, still. And kids mess up.  But the way people feel about Jeremiah means we're doing something right. I've had people come up to me and say, 'I see myself in him.' Or, 'He made me feel seen in a way I didn't expect.' That's the best part. That's the point." 

However, the Noah actor doesn't want to be too accessible to the public. "I do try to really value and prioritize my private life more than I used to these days — I've gotten better at setting boundaries, like saying 'no' when I'm out with friends or on a date night. You've got to preserve your peace," Casalegno explained. "At the same time, everyone wants to be seen, known and loved. That's what drives us to find community, friends, spouses. That's what the show has given me — the chance to help people feel seen and loved and in a pure and powerful way. And with fans, I try to be intentional in the one-on-one moments. That's what I want people to know. That I didn't fake it. That I was honest about the whole thing." 

Ending 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' and What's Next

After three seasons of the teen drama, the series will be coming to a close. "[The cast and I] always knew it would end eventually, so we didn't plant roots there — but we knew it would lead to bigger and better things," Gavin Casalegno said.

On the docket next for the young actor: continuing to work on his clothing brand Kai Lo. "With fashion, it's kind of this everyday opportunity to love people and do it well. Fashion offers a good space for conversations — you start talking about it, and then inevitably start talking about life," he said. "With Kai Lo, I want to grow that into more of a passion project that spreads goodness and makes the world better. The name — those two words — really reflect how I live and with [the brand in general], I like to share things I've learned, like 'depth over surface' or 'power is in your perspective.' These phrases mean something to me." 

As far as whether or not another romantic series — or possibly comedies — are in the future, he added, "I'm a sucker for them. You always remember a great rom com, like 10 Things I Hate About You or Crazy, Stupid, Love. They're the kinds of movies you watch with friends and rewatch forever — so that's where I'm headed. We've got a few in pre-production that I'm really excited about and some that are being written and funded right now."