(SPOT.ph) A little over a year since it originally premiered, Netflix's Emily in Paris is back with a second season, which officially hit the streamer on December 22. Upon its initial release in October of 2020, the series took the world by storm—whether you liked it or not—taking viewers into the scenic, colorful, and exciting setting of modern-day Paris, France. The show, which many have called addicting, even a guilty pleasure, became a fan-favorite thanks to its lighthearted humor, steamy romances, and of course, charming cast of characters.
Emily in Paris Cast Talks Season 2 of the Hit Netflix Series
If you had a favorite character in the first season, don't fret as the whole gang (both the folks over at marketing firm Savoir and all the friends outside the office) are back. Lily Collins has returned to reprise her role as the titular character along with Ashley Park as her friend Mindy, Lucas Bravo as her neighbor-but-could-be-more Gabriel, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu as her boss Sylvie, Camille Razat as Gabriel’s girlfriend Camille, and many more.
But aside from the usual Paris regulars, this season also introduces an exciting new character named Alfie played by Lucien Laviscount. And perhaps it's this introduction that will have fans most excited. After all, Emily is habitually the kind of character who—usually unintentionally, even thoughtlessly—introduces friction into every space she enters. And while most of those around her have gotten used to her, Alfie hasn't. The two meet in French class and trust us, you'll immediately feel the tension. "He challenges her," says Collins of Alfie. "He provides the counter-balance to her optimism."
She also points out that "Alfie is meeting her fresh and so, who Emily is in paris is the Emily that he's meeting; not Emily from Chicago moving to Paris." As you'll know from season one, Emily Cooper in Paris is known for her relentless dedication to work and cheerful (sometimes too cheerful) disposition. And as Laviscount points out, "Alfie’s just not that." Whether you love Emily, hate her, or love to hate her, we guarantee it'll be a blast seeing the character grapple with a prominent new presence, one who's more than willing to butt heads with her at that.
Plus, since Gabriel was Emily's main love interest in the first season, it will certainly be refreshing to see someone else steal her heart against the romantic backdrop of Paris. "He offers a sense of escapism from Gabriel's character," notes Collins. But don't worry, folks, Gabriel isn't going anywhere anytime soon. The fan-favorite French-boy-next-door from season 1 still plays a prominent role and as you know from the end of season one, he and Emily have some loose ends left to tie—but no spoilers here.
But despite all the romantic tension and steamy scenes the show has to offer, perhaps a relationship that truly gets developed in the second season is the one between Emily and Mindy. In the spirit of female friendship, the two move in together at the end of season one and yup, the second season hits the ground running, beginning just shortly after where the first left off.
"She’s found a home quite literally with Emily and in Emily as a friend," says Park of her character, noting that as their friendship between the two develops, so does Mindy. "You get to see more of her flaws and vulnerabilities and insecurities," she says. Park notes that the questions she gets asked the most about the show are "Will Mindy sing more?" and "Will mindy get a love interest?" to which she says, without giving anything away, "I think we’ll get the answers to both those questions this season."
In season one, Mindy served as Emily's safe space—both a friend she could turn to when life in Paris was getting a little too complicated and a helpful guide to the unfamiliar territories she was entering—so it's no surprise that that fact is only strengthened this time around. Let's not forget that the series was created by Darren Star, the man behind one of the most well-known shows revolving around female friendships, Sex and the City. And just like Carrie Bradshaw and the gang, Emily and Mindy may suffer through the ups and downs of life, but in the end, they have each other as constants. "It's such an empowering thing to see on screen," says Park.
As for Collins, the centripetal force of the show, she says exploring her character was quite a process this time around. Despite the fact that coming back for season two "felt like we were coming home," there was some adjutment so be made, especially as the pandemic began in the period between when series first started shooting in 2018 and when it premiered in 2020. "We’ve all learned so much and grown so much throughout the pandemic," she says. "Implementing some of those leasons we’ve learned into our characters was a way to ground them, but also kind of allow the characters to continue teaching us things about ourselves." But all in all, "we all knew who we were a bit stronger as the characters," says Collins.
Collins notes that the show, with all its hopeful energy and escapist charms, seemed to come out right at a time when the world needed a little bit of escaping. She shares that from the very beginning, she had found the character to be "morally sound, and deep down, a really good person" who, despite the roller-coaster events of both seasons, rarely intends to get into any trouble. But as Collins notes, Emily was largely able to make it out unscathed with Mindy by her side.
She shares that for her, Emily began season two on a rather vulnerable note after everything that had happened and the two friends moving in together was the perfect move for her character in particular as it allowed her "to communicate and kind of vent about the situation [and] to talk through her feelings and work through what a solution would look like.”
"Through Mindy's help, it hit home—the idea of vulnerability as a strength," says Collins, saying that at the core of their relationship is the support that comes from having a really good conversation with a loved one.
If you ask us if there's anything you ought to keep in mind as you start that inevitable Emily in Paris season 2 binge, let it be this: While we can assure you that this season will be filled with as many exciting twists, turns, plot twists ,and romantic tensions as the first, there's a wholesome element you shouldn't miss. Perhaps Park said it best: "It's so nice to see two women find each other."
Emily in Paris is now streaming on Netflix.
Photos courtesy of Netflix.
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