Jenny Han

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Jenny Han
Jenny Han at BookCon - 2019 (26746) (cropped).jpg
Han at BookCon in June 2019
Born (1980-09-03) September 3, 1980 (age 44)
Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
OccupationAuthor
Education University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (BFA)
The New School (MFA)
Genre Young adult fiction
Years active2006–present
Notable works The Summer I Turned Pretty series
To All the Boys series
Website
www.jennyhan.com

Jenny Han (born September 3, 1980) is an American author, screenwriter, executive producer, and showrunner. [1] She is best known for writing The Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy, which she adapted into a TV series for Prime Video. She also wrote the To All the Boys trilogy which was adapted into a Netflix film series. [2] [3]

Contents

Early life and education

Han was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, to Korean-American parents. [4] [5] She graduated from Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies in 1998, [6] [7] then attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. [8] In 2006, she received her Master of Fine Arts in creative writing at The New School.

Career

Author

Han wrote her first book, the children's novel Shug, while she was in college. [9] Shug was published in 2006 and is about Annemarie Wilcox, a twelve-year-old trying to navigate the perils of junior high school. [10]

Her next project was a young adult romance trilogy about a girl's coming-of-age during her summer breaks. The three novels, The Summer I Turned Pretty, It's Not Summer Without You, and We'll Always Have Summer, were published from 2009 to 2011 by Simon & Schuster and quickly became New York Times Best Sellers. [11] The trilogy is the story of protagonist/narrator, Belly Conklin, who falls in love with two brothers she has known her whole life and works through a messy love triangle. [12]

Han's second young adult trilogy was co-written with Siobhan Vivian and began with the 2012 publication of Burn for Burn. The novel follows three high school girls seeking revenge in their island town and contains paranormal and romance elements. The trilogy includes Fire with Fire, published in 2013, and Ashes to Ashes, published in 2014.

In 2014, Han released a young adult romance novel, To All the Boys I've Loved Before , about Lara Jean Song Covey, a high school student whose life turns upside down when the letters she wrote to her five past crushes are mailed without her knowledge. [13] The novel was optioned for a screen adaptation within weeks of its publication. [14] The sequel, P.S. I Still Love You , was released the following year, and won the Young Adult 2015–2016 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. [15] A third novel, Always and Forever, Lara Jean , was released in 2017. [16]

TV and film

Han executive produced the Netflix adaptation of her novel To All the Boys I've Loved Before, starring Lana Condor in the lead role, which began filming in July 2017 and was released by Netflix in August 2018, to positive reviews. [17] Han had a brief cameo in the film. Han also executive produced the sequel films To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You and To All the Boys: Always and Forever which were released in 2020 and 2021.

In June 2022, The Summer I Turned Pretty was released on Amazon Prime. [18] Han created the series, which is based on her book trilogy of the same title, and serves as showrunner and executive producer. [19] Han has cameos in the first and second season. [20] The television adaptation was noteworthy in part because there were a number of modifications to make the story more diverse. For example, in the book, Belly appears to be of European descent, as confirmed by the original book cover. [21] However, in the television series, Belly is biracial; her dad is White and her mom is Korean-American. [22] The series was renewed for a second season before the first season was even released. [23] The series has been renewed for season 3 at Prime Video. [24]

In 2022, Han launched her production company, Jenny Kissed Me, after signing a multiyear deal with Amazon Prime Video. [25] Of the deal, Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon Studios, said "Not only is Jenny Han a beloved and best-selling author, but she has also brought her voice to screens around the world, speaking to her fans with an authentic voice that inspires, moves and entertains her huge and growing fan base. We are so excited to now be the home for Jenny and her fantastic work to come. I know our global prime audience will thank us." [25] In 2023, Han was named one of the Top 50 TV Producers of the Year by Variety and was named to Adweek's Creative 100. [26] [27]

In May 2023, XO, Kitty, a spinoff television series to To All the Boys film series was released on Netflix. [28] [29] Han created the series and serves as writer, executive producer, and showrunner on the first season. The series follows Lara Jean's sister, Kitty Covey, as she goes on her own journey to boarding school in Seoul, South Korea. Season 1 was nominated for an Emmy for best teen series. [30] In June 2023, Netflix announced that XO Kitty was renewed for season 2. [31]

Filmography

YearTitleCredited asNotes
WriterExecutive
producer
2018 To All the Boys I've Loved Before NoYes
2020 To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You NoYes
2021 To All the Boys: Always and Forever NoYes
2022–present The Summer I Turned Pretty YesYesCreator, wrote 3 episodes
2023–present XO, Kitty YesYesCreator, Co-Wrote "XO". Appeared in Cameo as airport gate agent.

Related Research Articles

<i>To All the Boys Ive Loved Before</i> 2014 young adult romance novel by Jenny Han

To All the Boys I've Loved Before is a 2014 young adult romance novel by American author Jenny Han, first published by Simon & Schuster and released on April 15, 2014. Han was inspired to write the book based on her own habit of writing love letters to boys she had crushes on as a teenager. The novel was followed by two sequels, P.S. I Still Love You, released on May 26, 2015, and Always and Forever, Lara Jean, released on May 2, 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Susan Johnson (filmmaker)</span> American film producer and director

Susan Johnson is an American film producer and director, known for directing the 2016 comedy film Carrie Pilby and the 2018 feature To All the Boys I've Loved Before.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ellen Wong</span> Canadian actress

Ellen Wong is a Canadian actress. She portrayed Knives Chau in the film Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and the animated Netflix series Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, Jill "Mouse" Chen in The CW's series The Carrie Diaries, and Jenny Chey in the Netflix series GLOW.

<i>The Summer I Turned Pretty</i> (trilogy) Novel trilogy by Jenny Han

The Summer I Turned Pretty is a trilogy of young adult romance novels written by American author Jenny Han, and published by Simon & Schuster. The series includes The Summer I Turned Pretty (2009), It's Not Summer Without You (2010), and We'll Always Have Summer (2011).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lana Condor</span> American actress (born 1997)

Lana Therese Condor is a Vietnamese-born American actress and YouTuber. She made her acting debut starring as Jubilee in the superhero film X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), and gained international recognition for portraying Lara Jean Covey in the romantic comedy To All the Boys film series (2018–2021). She has also portrayed Saya Kuroki in the television series Deadly Class (2019) and Koyomi in the film Alita: Battle Angel (2019). More recently, Condor voiced the titular character in the animated teen comedy film Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (2023).

<i>P.S. I Still Love You</i> Book by Jenny Han

P.S. I Still Love You is a 2015 young adult romance novel by American author Jenny Han, first published by Simon & Schuster and released on May 26, 2015. It is the sequel to the novel To All the Boys I've Loved Before, released on April 15, 2014, and was followed by a third installment, Always and Forever, Lara Jean, released on May 2, 2017.

Anna Cathcart is a Canadian actress. She began her career starring as Olympia in the PBS Kids/TVOKids series Odd Squad (2016–2019), for which she won a Canadian Screen Award. She then played Dizzy Tremaine in the Disney Channel films Descendants 2 (2017) and 3 (2019), Kitty Song-Covey in Netflix's To All the Boys I've Loved Before films (2018–2021), and Zoe Valentine in the Brat web series of the same name (2019).

<i>To All the Boys Ive Loved Before</i> (film) 2018 film directed by Susan Johnson

To All the Boys I've Loved Before is a 2018 American teen romantic comedy film directed by Susan Johnson and written by Sofia Alvarez. The film stars Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Janel Parrish, Anna Cathcart, Madeleine Arthur, Emilija Baranac, Israel Broussard and John Corbett. The movie is based on Jenny Han's 2014 novel of the same name, and was released by Netflix on August 17, 2018. It received generally favorable reviews from critics, who praised the cast.

<i>Always and Forever, Lara Jean</i> 2017 novel by Jenny Han

Always and Forever, Lara Jean is a 2017 novel by American author Jenny Han, first published by Simon & Schuster and released on May 2, 2017. It is the third and final installment of the To All the Boys I've Loved Before trilogy, following To All the Boys I've Loved Before, released on April 15, 2014, and P.S. I Still Love You, released on May 26, 2015.

Emilija Baranac is a Canadian actress and model. She is known for her portrayal of Midge Klump in The CW drama series Riverdale and as Genevieve in the To All the Boys I've Loved Before film series.

<i>To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You</i> 2020 film directed by Michael Fimognari

To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You is a 2020 American teen romantic comedy film directed by Michael Fimognari and written by Sofia Alvarez and J. Mills Goodloe. The film stars Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Janel Parrish, Anna Cathcart, Trezzo Mahoro, Madeleine Arthur, Emilija Baranac, Kelcey Mawema, Jordan Fisher, Ross Butler, Julie Tao, Sarayu Blue, John Corbett, and Holland Taylor. The film is based on Jenny Han's 2015 novel P.S. I Still Love You.

To All the Boys is a franchise consisting of American teenage romance installments, including three feature films and a spin-off television series, based on the titular trilogy of novels written by Jenny Han. Starring Lana Condor and Noah Centineo in the central roles, the plot centers around Lara Jean Song-Covey (Condor), a shy teenager who writes five letters—ones she never planned to send—to boys that she has had crushes on.

<i>To All the Boys: Always and Forever</i> 2021 film directed by Michael Fimognari

To All the Boys: Always and Forever is a 2021 American teen romantic comedy film directed by Michael Fimognari and starring Lana Condor and Noah Centineo. The film is based on Jenny Han's 2017 novel Always and Forever, Lara Jean and is a sequel to To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You (2020), and the third and final installment in the To All the Boys film series. A spin-off series titled XO, Kitty was released on May 18, 2023.

<i>The Summer I Turned Pretty</i> (TV series) American drama television series

The Summer I Turned Pretty is an American coming-of-age romantic drama television series created by author Jenny Han for Amazon Prime Video, and it is based on her novel trilogy of the same name. Lola Tung (Belly) stars as a teenager involved in a love triangle with two brothers played by Christopher Briney (Conrad) and Gavin Casalegno (Jeremiah).

<i>XO, Kitty</i> Romantic comedy-drama television series

XO, Kitty is an American romantic comedy drama television series created by Jenny Han for Netflix that premiered on May 18, 2023. It is a spin-off of the To All the Boys film series, and marks the first Netflix television series to be spun-off from a Netflix original film. Han serves as writer and executive producer in addition to being a showrunner. Anna Cathcart reprises the title role as Kitty Song Covey, a high school student who goes on her own journey to find true love. The show has received positive reviews from critics.

David Iacono is an American actor. On television, he appeared in the Amazon Prime series The Summer I Turned Pretty (2022–2023) and the Netflix series Dead Boy Detectives (2024). His films include Cinnamon (2023).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lola Tung</span> American actress (born 2002)

Lola Tung is an American actress, singer and model. She is known for her performance as Isabel "Belly" Conklin in the Amazon Prime Video series The Summer I Turned Pretty, based on the novel of the same name by Jenny Han.

<i>My Life with the Walter Boys</i> 2023 American television series

My Life with the Walter Boys is an American teen drama television series that premiered on Netflix on December 7, 2023. The coming-of-age drama is an adaptation of Ali Novak's 2014 novel of the same name, which was first published on Wattpad. The series follows recently orphaned Jackie Howard, a teenage girl from Manhattan who relocates to rural Colorado after she is taken in by the Walters, a family of seven sons and one daughter. The series was developed by Melanie Halsall. It stars Nikki Rodriguez, Noah LaLonde, Ashby Gentry and Alisha Newton. In December 2023, the series was renewed for a second season.

Gavin Casalegno is an American actor. He is known for playing Jeremiah Fisher in the television series The Summer I Turned Pretty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sang Heon Lee</span> South Korean actor (born 1996)

Sang Heon Lee is a South Korean actor with a multicultural background. Lee rose to prominence from his acting debut by playing Min Ho in XO, Kitty (2023–present), Netflix spin-off series from To All the Boys films franchise (2018–2021) based on the best-selling young adult trilogy book by American author Jenny Han.

References

  1. ↑ Longeretta, Emily (2024-01-11). "The 50 Top TV Producers of 2023". Variety. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  2. ↑ Gonzales, Erica (January 1, 2021). "To All the Boys: Always and Forever: What We Know So Far". Harper's Bazaar .
  3. ↑ Peters, Fletcher (19 June 2022). "'The Summer I Turned Pretty' Proves Jenny Han Is Gen Z's Nancy Meyers". The Daily Beast. ProQuest   2678226844.
  4. ↑ "A Great Novel by Best Selling Author Jenny Han". WTVR-TV . April 15, 2014.
  5. ↑ Grochowski, Sara (April 25, 2017). "Q & A with Jenny Han". Publishers Weekly . Retrieved August 28, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Jenny Han". Simon & Schuster. Retrieved 2019-04-09.
  7. ↑ Kroll, Justin (March 21, 2018). "Netflix Acquires Rights to Adaptation of YA Novel 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before'". Variety .
  8. ↑ "Jenny Han, writer of books for kids and teens". DearJennyHan.com. Archived from the original on May 30, 2014. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
  9. ↑ Hong, Terry. "An Interview with Jenny Han". Bookslut. Archived from the original on August 27, 2017. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Children's Book Review: Shug by Jenny Han". Publishers Weekly . April 17, 2006. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Jenny Han; Official Publisher Page". Simon & Schuster . Retrieved June 12, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Is 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' Show Based on a Book? Well, Yes and No". Good Housekeeping. 2022-06-25. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  13. ↑ Han, Jenny (2014). To All the Boys I've Loved Before. Simon and Schuster. ISBN   978-1-4424-2670-2.[ page needed ][ non-primary source needed ]
  14. ↑ Carlson, Julie (July 1, 2014). "Jenny Han's YA books attract Hollywood's attention". The Korea Times .
  15. ↑ "2015-2016 AWARDS WINNERS". Asian Pacific American Literature Awards. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
  16. ↑ Han, Jenny (2020). Always and Forever, Lara Jean. Simon and Schuster. ISBN   978-1-5344-9725-2.[ page needed ][ non-primary source needed ]
  17. ↑ Spangler, Todd (July 21, 2017). "Lana Condor to Star in 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before' Movie Based on Jenny Han Novel". Variety .
  18. ↑ Moreland, Alex (14 June 2022). "The Summer I Turned Pretty: Prime Video release date, trailer and cast with Lola Tung". National World.
  19. ↑ "The Jenny Han Effect: How the YA rock star took charge of her own media empire". Los Angeles Times. 2023-07-06. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  20. ↑ Penn, Farrah. "13 Behind-The-Scenes 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' Tidbits Straight From Jenny Han And Lola Tung". BuzzFeed.
  21. ↑ Tamanaha, Akemi (20 June 2022). "'The Summer I Turned Pretty' is Making Asian Americans Feel Seen". AsAmNews.
  22. ↑ El-Mahmoud, Sarah (19 June 2022). "Jenny Han Addresses Changes She Made To Summer I Turned Pretty So It Was More Diverse". CINEMABLEND.
  23. ↑ Woo, Kelly (22 June 2022). "The Summer I Turned Pretty season 2: Everything we know so far". Tom's Guide.
  24. ↑ Hailu, Selome (2023-08-03). "'The Summer I Turned Pretty' Renewed for Season 3 at Amazon Prime Video". Variety. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  25. 1 2 Otterson, Joe (2022-04-26). "'To All the Boys I've Loved Before' Author Jenny Han Signs Amazon Overall Deal". Variety. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  26. ↑ Longeretta, Emily (2024-01-11). "The 50 Top TV Producers of 2023". Variety. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  27. ↑ "Adweek's Creative 100: 2023's Most Innovative Talents". www.adweek.com. 2023-06-12. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  28. ↑ Zorrilla, Mónica Marie (October 18, 2021). "'To All the Boys' to Get TV Spinoff Starring Anna Cathcart". Variety . Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  29. ↑ "XO, Kitty First Look: To All the Boys Spinoff Sets May Premiere on Netflix". March 22, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  30. ↑ "The 2nd Annual Children's & Family Nominees! – The Emmys". theemmys.tv. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  31. ↑ Otterson, Joe (2023-06-14). "'XO, Kitty' Renewed for Season 2 at Netflix". Variety. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
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