Instagram/@lola.tung
When Lola Tung, famously associated with ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty,’ releases a set of light, breezy images on her Instagram, her followers are quick to sense that something is off. While her post, “August ✨🍇🌵 captured on my instax mini 12 #instaxpartner #shotoninstax,” consists of simple sun-drenched snaps, the photo that stands out the most to everyone is the one taken on her Instax Mini 12. The image, POV Instax Mini 12, includes a man who strongly resembles Cheng’s screen boyfriend, Chris Briney, alias Conrad Fisher.
Advertisement
Lola is sitting on a wooden bench in a park in the photo. She’s also holding an Instax Mini camera, which is a great touch considering her partnership with the brand, and Lola’s Instagram post kept the calm aesthetic that was abruptly broken by fans continuously commenting on the guy in the post. Lola is delighted that the lot, flanked with flowers and greenery, is complemented by tall trees and a clear sky. Lola’s red shoes pair perfectly with her simple white tank top and blue jeans.
Everything happened at lightning speed and with maximum exposure, ‘That’s Conrad in a different font,’ and, for a change, it is the best summary of the situation, per one commenter. That comment stood out and received hundreds of likes, something that none of the other comments came close to. The majority of those who saw the post agreed. The ‘main event’ was the comparison as it became more than a side comment.
The confusion was so intense that it continued in other languages. A fan in Portuguese said, “eu to tao surtada que jurava que o rapaz era Conrad,” which means, “I’m so freaking out I swore the guy was Conrad.” Everyone else expressed this in the opposite language, saying, “I THOUGHT IT WAS CONRAD AT FIRST SIGHT,” a phrase with so many responses saying, “ME TOO!!!” and “same 😭.” The panic was intense.
With the assistance of one stoner, fans began to notice a pattern with the other co-stars and their supposed real-life relationships. The stoner wrote, “Chris briney’s gf names is Isabelle, Gavin’s wife looks (a bit) like Lola, Lola’s bf (if he is) looks like Chris.” The internet has two theories in the middle of no man’s land. The internet wonders if, in fact, the stars of a show are dating each other’s lookalikes or if this “weird beautiful twist” is real, but the odds are people really do not know.
As some fans went ballistic on the multiple Conrads theory, other fans zeroed in on Lola and her upcoming projects. A comment that deeply supported her mentioned, “The most talented queen…so so excited for your future projects and please come back to Broadway,” which showed that the person genuinely knew her from the stage, apart from the Amazon series. Relating with an extra comment about snacks, people said, “Green grapes yup I knew I could trust you.”
Unlike most of the comments laden with happiness and euphoria, there is negativity that grew alongside the post. A user wrote in Portuguese, “Não entendo o pq de tacarem hate nela! ELA É PERFEITA,” which translates to, “I don’t understand why they throw hate at her! SHE IS PERFECT.” As a reply to this, others began to pile on the hate, one of them commenting, “Inveja 😍😍😍😍 é ela não dá a mínima,” which means, “It’s envy, she doesn’t give a damn.” This type of hate serves as a bitter reminder that the world can be very cold, even for a post that is flirty and fun.
Advertisement
So, aside from the glaring Lola ignoring the situation that suspiciously lifts the suspicion, what is really going on — a new lover, a casual friend, or a mere stranger who resembles a known co-star? The curiosity only deepened with the instant photo sharing and the lack of any formal announcements. Unlike the post, Lola embodies the same bewilderment her Insta invokes when someone steps into her virtual world. Celebrities defy this universal mystery because even the simplest art-house photo is believed to be filled with theories. In the Hollywood world, everything is a speculation so the fans can enjoy the shipping even in the off moments. The summer might be turning pretty, but the comments section is turning detective.