Sean Kaufman is an American actor born on June 22, 2000, in New York City. He is best known for playing Steven Conklin in the Amazon Prime Video series The Summer I Turned Pretty, which ran from 2022 to 2025.
His work on that show turned him into one of the most recognized young actors of his generation, and he has since expanded into film and other major television productions.
Who is Sean Kaufman?
Sean Kaufman is an American actor who grew up in New York City and trained in the performing arts from a young age. He attended two of New York’s most respected institutions for young artists before landing his career-defining role on The Summer I Turned Pretty.
His role as Steven Conklin on that Prime Video series made him a fan favorite. Steven is the protective older brother of the show’s protagonist Belly, played by Lola Tung.
The show, based on Jenny Han’s bestselling novel trilogy, ranked as the No. 1 series on Prime Video during its premiere weekend in 2022. Kaufman appeared across all three seasons, with the finale airing in July 2025.
After the show wrapped, he joined the cast of Apple TV+’s For All Mankind as a series regular in Season 5, which premiered on March 27, 2026. He also joined the cast of the supernatural horror film Other Mommy alongside Jessica Chastain and Jay Duplass.
Early Life of Sean Kaufman
Kaufman grew up in New York City, spending his childhood in one of the world’s most culturally dynamic environments. He has a younger sister named Abby, who is three years younger than him.
Growing up as an older sibling gave him firsthand understanding of the kind of protectiveness his character Steven shows on screen. He noted in interviews that his real-life relationship with Abby directly informed how he approached the role.
His interest in performing began in childhood, though it deepened in middle school and continued through high school.
He describes his love of storytelling as something that took root when he started reading plays and watching films seriously during his college years.
Sean Kaufman Age
Sean Kaufman is 26 years old as of 2026, born on June 22, 2000. His zodiac sign is Cancer.
He graduated from Purchase College’s Acting Conservatory with a BFA in Acting in 2022, the same year his breakthrough show premiered on Prime Video.
Sean Kaufman Ethnicity and Nationality
Sean Kaufman is an American. He is of Japanese descent, and multiple sources confirm his Japanese-American heritage.
Growing up in New York City, he was raised in a culturally diverse environment that shaped both his worldview and his approach to acting.
Sean Kaufman Height and Weight
Kaufman stands 5 feet 9 inches tall, equivalent to approximately 1.75 meters. His weight is reported at around 65 kg, or 143 lbs.
He carries a lean build and brings a youthful, grounded physical presence to his screen roles.
Sean Kaufman Education
Kaufman attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts in New York City, one of the country’s most respected performing arts schools.
He spent four years in the school’s drama department, developing his foundation in acting through student productions and intensive training.
LaGuardia High School has produced a long list of notable alumni across acting and the arts, and Kaufman’s time there built the technical groundwork for his later conservatory training.
After graduating from LaGuardia in 2018, he enrolled at Purchase College’s Acting Conservatory at the State University of New York.
He trained there for four years total, though he left during his junior year to film the first season of The Summer I Turned Pretty. After production wrapped, he returned to complete his degree and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting in 2022.
Sean Kaufman Career
Kaufman’s professional career spans television, film, and stage, with his most recognized work coming from his multi-season run on The Summer I Turned Pretty.
Career Start and Early Television
Kaufman made his on-screen debut with a small role in the 2015 short film Mature Young Adults, where he played a character called Spy Jogger. That early credit came while he was still in high school, long before his professional career gained momentum.
His first significant television appearance came in 2018 on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, where he appeared in the episode “Man Down.” That same year, he made his debut on NBC’s Manifest as a recurring character named Kevin, appearing in two episodes.
Guest roles continued to build his resume in the following years. He appeared on FBI: Most Wanted in 2021 and again in 2024, as well as a guest turn on the CW’s Walker in 2024. Each role gave him experience across different genres, from crime procedurals to drama.
Breakthrough: The Summer I Turned Pretty
In 2021, Kaufman auditioned for The Summer I Turned Pretty while still in college. He landed the role of Steven Conklin and left school to begin filming, later returning to complete his degree.
The show premiered on Prime Video in June 2022 and quickly became a cultural phenomenon. Season 1 topped Prime Video’s charts during its premiere weekend. The series went on for three seasons, with Season 2 arriving in July 2023 and the final season wrapping in July 2025.
Steven Conklin, in the adaptation, received a significantly expanded role compared to the original novel. Kaufman brought warmth, vulnerability, and humor to the character.
He told Timid Magazine: “My favourite quality about Steven is that he makes mistakes and always learns from them. There is something beautiful about having a flawed character.”
Season 2 dug deeper into Steven’s emotional journey alongside co-star Christopher Briney. The final season brought the full cast back to Cousins Beach for a conclusion that author Jenny Han described as holding surprises for readers who thought they knew how the story would end.
The Teen Choice Awards nominated Kaufman for Choice Summer TV Star: Male in 2023 for his performance in the series.
Recent Work: For All Mankind, Film, and Stage
Following The Summer I Turned Pretty, Kaufman expanded into other major projects. He joined the ensemble cast of Apple TV+’s For All Mankind as a series regular in Season 5, which premiered on March 27, 2026.
The alternate-history science fiction series, set in a reimagined 2012, adds Kaufman to a cast that includes Joel Kinnaman, Toby Kebbell, and Edi Gathegi.
He also joined the cast of Other Mommy, a supernatural horror film starring Jessica Chastain and Jay Duplass, due in 2026. That project marks a notable genre shift for Kaufman, moving him from the romantic drama of The Summer I Turned Pretty into more intense material.
On stage, Kaufman performed in a production of Almost Famous in 2023. He made his Broadway debut in February 2024, playing Orpheus in the musical Hadestown. His performance received strong audience response and earned nominations at the Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards.
Sean Kaufman Filmography
- Mature Young Adults (2015, short) as Spy Jogger
- Law and Order: Special Victims Unit (2018), guest
- Manifest (2018), Kevin, recurring
- FBI: Most Wanted (2021), guest
- The Summer I Turned Pretty (2022-2025), Steven Conklin, series regular
- Walker (2024), guest
- FBI: Most Wanted (2024), guest
- For All Mankind, Season 5 (2026), series regular
- Other Mommy (2026), film
Sean Kaufman Awards and Recognition
The Teen Choice Awards nominated Kaufman for Choice Summer TV Star: Male in 2023 for his role in The Summer I Turned Pretty. His Broadway debut as Orpheus in Hadestown in February 2024 also drew nominations at the Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards.
The Summer I Turned Pretty itself ranked as the No. 1 series on Prime Video during its first season premiere, contributing to Kaufman’s rising profile and establishing him as one of the platform’s breakout performers.
Sean Kaufman Girlfriend
Sean Kaufman is dating Minnie Mills, his co-star from The Summer I Turned Pretty. The relationship became public knowledge in 2023 and has been confirmed by multiple outlets. Mills played Taylor, the best friend of Belly, in the same series.
The two were photographed together at the SANDRO Fall/Winter 2025 Collection Preview in New York City in May 2025, and also appeared together for a Thom Browne campaign that same year.
Kaufman and Mills have kept most details of their relationship private while still appearing together at industry events.
Sean Kaufman Net Worth
Sean Kaufman’s estimated net worth is $1 million as of 2026.
His income comes primarily from acting, including his multi-season series regular role on The Summer I Turned Pretty and his work on For All Mankind. Residuals from Prime Video and Apple TV+ streaming add to his ongoing earnings.
Modeling work and brand collaborations with New York-based companies contribute to his income alongside his screen work. His Broadway debut in Hadestown in 2024 also added to both his earnings and his profile in the industry.
Sean Kaufman Social Media
Kaufman maintains an active presence on Instagram under the handle @sean.kauf, where he shares career updates, behind-the-scenes photos, and personal posts. He began posting to Instagram in 2018 and has built a substantial following since his Summer I Turned Pretty breakthrough.
He also posts on TikTok and X. His social media activity spans promotional content for his shows as well as personal moments, keeping his fanbase engaged between projects.
The Bottom Line
Sean Kaufman played Steven Conklin across all three seasons of The Summer I Turned Pretty on Prime Video, a series that ranked No. 1 on the platform during its premiere weekend in 2022. His performance earned him a Teen Choice Award nomination in 2023.
He grew up in New York City alongside his younger sister Abby, and his real-life experience as an older sibling directly shaped how he played the protective older brother role on screen. He trained for eight years at LaGuardia High School and Purchase College’s Acting Conservatory before landing his breakout role.
In 2026, he joined the cast of Apple TV+’s For All Mankind as a series regular and appeared in the horror film Other Mommy with Jessica Chastain.
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