Emily may be in Paris, but shes also in trouble.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How did you come up with the concept for the series?
DARREN STAR:I wanted to do a show about having an expatriate experience in Paris.
CAROLE BETHUEL/NETFLIX
Ive had a love affair with the city since I went backpacking around Europe when I was 19.
Theres something about wanting to take an American audience through that experience vicariously.
Not every destination show actually shoots there.
Was filming in Paris a must for you?
STAR:It was really important.
Just the way I would never shootSex and the Cityin Toronto.
The city is a character.
Its calledEmily in Paris.
You need Emily and you need Paris.
Lily, what drew you to the series?
Other than the promise of patisserie and French wine.
LILY COLLINS:I have been the biggest Darren fan since I was younger.
The pairing of this script and character with Darren was a no-brainer.
Right off the page, Emily was electric and Paris was a huge draw.
STAR:I was very inspired by Lily’s faith in me and the series.
Were you pleased to see those challenges in the script?
COLLINS:That was a big draw for me.
But it also had to be grounded in a very real experience within that.
I felt like every time, I read a new episode, things would start to happen to me.
You make some good-natured digs at French and American culture.
Was it challenging to strike the balance between playful and disrespectful?
STAR: Stereotypes exist for a reason; theres a little bit of truth to them.
I wanted to have fun pointing out cultural differences.
The wonderful thing about travel is experiencing those.
We get digs in on the other side too.
Broadway star Ashley Park plays Emily’s new friend Mindy and has a couple of musical moments in there.
Honestly, I just wanted to hear her sing.
For me, it also enriches and adds some layers to the character.
How was working with him and getting the chemistry right?
COLLINS: I did a reading with Lucas and he had such charm right away.
There was a bit of a wide eyed feel to him that Gabriel needed to also have.
He had to have this mysteriousness about him and this just readily accessible excitement.
He lives and breathes the city, so it was really great to have him on set.
It made it even more real.
He was so wonderful to work with and we all just got along so well.
Chemistry doesn’t always happen.
You cast actors for a role and be like, Okay, let’s hope."
But I feel there’s just a natural chemistry between those guys as people.
He’s also one of the most charming guys you’ll ever meet.
You just want to spend time with him.
Emily also has an incredible wardrobe particularly her hats and purses.
So, yeah, shes going to wear her Eiffel Tower shirt when she goes to France.
Emily in Parisarrives on Netflix Oct. 2.
Watch an exclusive clip above (video courtesy of Netflix).
