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Journalism of Courage
THE latest season of OTT’s favourite Parisian fantasy-adventure — Emily in Paris, created by Darren Star and featuring Lily Collins as its titular protagonist – returned with its signature high-fashion and joie de vivre moments. After showcasing complicated romantic dynamics and some shake-ups at work, the action shifts to another charming European city, Rome. In Collins’ words this season is “bigger and bolder and better and brighter, but I am biased.”
Now that Emily, who moved from Chicago to France in the first season that dropped in 2020, has embraced Paris as her home and is no longer struggling to fit in, her challenges are more about navigating her professional and personal life in Paris. “Emily has become grounded as she is more used to the city, her life there and her friends. There is more physical comedy in this season and I love doing that for Emily. She always makes bold fashion choices. She is more French and sophisticated now,” says Collins, who is a co-producer of the show.
Along with the evolution of her character, Collins has also grown as an actor-producer. “I’ve learnt so much about owning and harnessing my voice as an actor and producer. I pushed myself out of my comfort zone. While filming, I leaned into the unknown a bit more,” says Collins in a video interview.
After the dramatic events of Camille and Gabriel’s wedding in Season 3 finale, Emily is dealing with strong feelings for two men. Even though she gets involved with Gabriel, things are complicated as he is expecting a baby with his ex. Amidst all the complication, Emily feels drawn to a potential new love interest – Italian fashion scion Marcello (Eugenio Franceschini) — and finds herself in Rome.
One of the changes that was evident in the first part of Season 4 was Emily’s evolution from a hardworking American professional to someone who knows the French way of living it up. The Rules Don’t Apply (2016) actor says: “There is a real love of life and love of taking time for oneself in France. Being oneself is enough. They believe in enjoying the moment. I’m trying to embrace that,” says the actor.
What’s one of the tell-tale signs of Emily’s new found maturity? “She puts her phone down quite a bit, which for Emily, says a lot. She doesn’t live her life through her screen. She lives her life in the now, which I think is very important, and some would say mature. Emily is definitely maturing in her workspace, in her life in Paris, and maybe you could say in romance as well — leaning into new experiences like she always has, but with a new mindset,” says the actor-producer.
The makers have tried to wow the viewers by choosing some stunning locations this season. The show’s creator, Star, says they have filmed in Megève in the French Alps, Rome and the Italian countryside. “We’re in the French Alps, we’re in Italy, it’s a big story. And to me, the characters are maturing. The show goes off in unexpected directions in Season 4,” he says.
After Season 4 ended with a ‘romantic cliffhanger’, when Emily moves into an Italian apartment to open a Rome office for Agence Grateau and goes on a scooter ride with her Italian beau, the series has been renewed for a fifth season. What’s likely to make the matter complicated is Emily’s neighbour and on- and off-again boyfriend Gabriel (Lucas Bravo) deciding to win her back. Sending Emily to Italy, says Star, was born out of the desire to “stay ahead of the audience and take them to unexpected places,” and prove “the show has the ability to have a bigger footprint”.
