Article written by Justyna Bryczkowska, journalist for Gazeta.pl.
"Emily in Paris" is a global phenomenon. Some people absolutely love the series, while others love to hate it. What's it about? In short: A young, beautiful, and naively charming American woman moves to Paris. There, she first falls in love with the city and France, and then with a handsome chef - naturally, a Frenchman. Emily breaks up with her American fiancé and dives headfirst into life in the European fashion capital. Romantic complications arise (the chef already has a girlfriend), along with absurd problems at work in a luxury marketing agency. Everyone is dressed in outlandish, theoretically fashionable clothes that no one would wear on the street—certainly not chic French women. Sometimes it's hard to believe what's happening on screen, both in terms of plot and visuals, but it's equally hard to look away.
To the dismay of many viewers, the premiere of the fourth season has been split into two parts. The first half of the season has been available on Netflix since August 15th, while the next five episodes won't be released until September 12th. In the meantime, we had the chance to talk to Lily Collins, who is very pleased with the new season. The full interview can be watched in the video below:
Lily Collins on "Emily in Paris": We Are Pushing More Boundaries
"While reading the script for each episode, I kept picking my jaw up off the floor. Sometimes I laughed, sometimes I cried," Lily Collins said during a joint conversation with Darren Star, the creator of the series. "I think this is the year when Emily becomes very vulnerable. She experiences many emotions, as do all the characters this season. Everything seems more open and honest. There's also a lot more drama. We also have new characters, which could lead to even more surprises," Collins said.
In the second half of the season, viewers will have the chance to admire not only the picturesque views of Paris. "The action of this season takes place in the fall and winter, which is great because during this magical time we found ourselves at the foot of Mont Blanc. The mountains were monumental and breathtaking. Though it was cold, the beauty made up for that inconvenience. In the first season, we explored Paris, visited Versailles, and climbed to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Then we went to Provence, now to Mont Blanc, and finally to Rome. I never would have thought that by acting in this series, I would visit so many places and see so many faces of France. And this year, we even made it to Italy! I’m still waiting for someone to wake me up from this dream!" the actress assures.
Collins believes that her character has significantly changed due to the dynamic events of previous seasons. "This season, Emily matures. She often detaches herself from her phone, which is a big change for her. She stops viewing life mainly through a screen. She lives in the here and now, which I think is very important, and some might even say it's mature. Emily undoubtedly grows in her work, in her Parisian life, and perhaps also in love. She remains open to new experiences as always, but now she approaches them differently. She can say 'no,' she can make decisions on her own, and she isn't afraid of the consequences. She knows she’s a good person and feels that she's not doing anything wrong. She’s just living her life and seizing various opportunities. I think that shows a new level of her maturity. Emily turned out to be ready for a new chapter in her life, and it was very enjoyable to play that," she says about what she liked most about working on the latest season of the global Netflix hit, which has determined her fate and made her not only a celebrated film festival actress but also a very, very popular one.
Lily Collins: Not Just the Daughter of a Famous Father
Lily Collins has worked hard over the years to be known for more than just being the daughter of THAT Phil Collins—the former drummer and vocalist of the iconic group Genesis. Born in 1989, Lily first appeared on screen at the age of two in the BBC series "Growing Pains." Later, she was convinced she would become a journalist and even pursued studies in that field. As a teenager, she wrote articles for magazines and newspapers like "Los Angeles Times," "Teen Vogue," and "Seventeen." She even had her own column in the British edition of "Elle Girl," and at 18, she reported on the presidential election for Nickelodeon. She also tried her hand at modeling. However, after her second year of journalism studies, she decided to focus on acting.
She made her big screen debut with a bang in 2009, starring in the film "The Blind Side," which earned Sandra Bullock an Oscar for her lead role. Lily played Bullock's on-screen daughter and learned from her how to survive in Hollywood. "Watching her, listening to the questions she asked, observing how she built relationships on set, I really understood how to navigate the film world better," she said in an interview with Instyle. Indeed, she took her acting work seriously. Even if the subsequent films she starred in weren't massive box office hits, her acting was always praised.
In 2012, she played Snow White in the film "Mirror Mirror," with Julia Roberts as her on-screen stepmother. The role brought the young actress critical acclaim, with some reviewers comparing her to Audrey Hepburn. The young actress did not rest on her laurels and continued to diligently hone her craft, which began to yield tangible results. In 2016, Collins received her first Golden Globe nomination for her role in the dramedy "Rules Don’t Apply." She also garnered attention a year later when Netflix released the film "To the Bone" about a young woman with anorexia. The production sparked some controversy, with concerns that it might be harmful to individuals struggling with similar issues. The film premiered at the Sundance Festival, and Lily received positive reviews for her performance. She also revealed that she had struggled with eating disorders as a teenager, and the role helped her better understand the illness. She wrote more about mental health in her 2017 memoir, "Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me."
In 2017, Lily also starred in the Cannes Palme d'Or-nominated film "Okja," which received a four-minute standing ovation from the festival audience. That same year, it was confirmed that the actress would participate in the BBC-produced miniseries "Les Miserables" (another critically acclaimed role). She then starred alongside Zac Efron in the highly praised film "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile" about serial killer Ted Bundy. Collins played Elizabeth "Liz" Kendall, Bundy’s fiancée, who was unaware of his crimes for years. In 2019, she also appeared in the biographical film "Tolkien," where she played the wife of the author of "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit." Then, in 2020, came the release of "Emily in Paris."
The series was a phenomenal success, with 58 million households worldwide watching it in the first month after its premiere. The production earned Lily Collins additional Golden Globe nominations—both for her lead role and for Best Comedy Series (the actress is also one of its producers). The show also received Emmy nominations: first for production design and Best Comedy Series, and in subsequent years for makeup, costumes, production design, and even hairstyling. The creators also eventually received awards from the American Guild of Makeup Artists and Costume Designers.
People watch "Emily in Paris" passionately, but it has also faced harsh criticism. The creators were accused of portraying French culture in a stereotypical manner (and later, there was controversy over the depiction of a Ukrainian character), even though the writers specifically lived in Paris, where all the scenes for the first season were filmed. The show was mocked for its sugary tone and various clichés, as well as how incredibly clueless, sometimes downright silly, the main character seems. Nevertheless, this apparent weakness is exactly what viewers love about the show. "Emily in Paris" is perfectly entertaining. It may not be particularly realistic in terms of elements like Emily’s crazy and sophisticated wardrobe. It may be childish, but it's engaging and relaxing—an ideal "guilty pleasure."
A recent post on X (formerly Twitter) perfectly captures the essence of the show's phenomenon: "I’ve seen every episode, and I don’t remember anything from the previous season. I don’t remember any names, any characters, nothing except that Emily works in Paris. It’s perfect TV. Let it go on for 1000 seasons," wrote Tim Popp, and it’s hard not to agree.
