Co-stars Lucas Bravo, Lucien Laviscount, Ashley Park and more also look ahead to the show’s next installment.
Emily in Paris may not be rebranding as Emily in Rome, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t more stories to tell in the Italian capital (and countryside).
Lily Collins sat down with The Hollywood Reporter for in-studio interviews with co-stars Ashley Park, Lucas Bravo, Lucien Laviscount, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, Bruno Gouery and Samuel Arnold, where they discussed their hopes for their characters in the newly announced season five.
The star shared that she “definitely” wants to explore more of Italy in the next installment, with her “girls” by her side. “I can’t be there alone. That’s not going to be fun. I mean, it will be fun moments, but I’m saying I need my girls,” Collins tells THR. “We gotta find a way to make it a group experience.”
She adds, “I love Rome, but there’s so many other places in Italy, right?”
In addition to spending a little more time on her Roman Italian holiday, the Emmy nominee also noted she wants to see Emily Cooper disconnect a little bit.
“It was a conscious decision in one of the last scenes of this season when Emily’s leaving her new apartment in Rome with Marcello (Eugenio Franceschini), she opens the door, and as she’s closing it, she drops her phone by the front door,” she says of the season four finale. “And that was my idea because I was like, ‘I think we need to see a small moment of Emily consciously deciding to be in the moment.’ And so I think I hope next season, we get to see a little less of her phone.”
Lily Collins as Emily in episode 410 of Emily in Paris. Giulia Parmigiani/Netflix
Bravo, who portrays Gabriel, is hoping for some growth in his character. “He made a few choices that made me kind of grow away from him,” the actor says. “We were very much alike in season one, but now, I don’t really know. I think I feel like he needs to get his shit together.”
Season four saw Gabriel and Emily finally trying out a relationship, then breaking up and, in the final moments, the now-Michelin Star chef seemed bound for Rome to potentially tell Emily that he wants her back after an emotional conversation with Alfie.
Fans can also expect a new look for the now-Michelin Star chef, as the actor notes that he’s been trying to have his hair longer on the show since season one. So, season four was the sacrificial season for Gabriel’s hair in order to embrace a new look in the next installment.
“I just wanted something different. I’m always super clean-shaven,” he says. “Five months of shaving, shaving and shaving just is not very nice, either for your skin or for your soul. So, I was trying to get scruffy, but I don’t think people like it.”
Bravo doesn’t know too much about what’s coming in season five, but that’s not for lack of trying. The Ticket to Paradise actor admits he tries to get information from Collins, who is a producer, or Ashley Park, Collins’ best friend, in case she knows anything.
As for his hopes beyond season five, he’d love to see Emily in Paris creator Darren Star take the story even more internationally, hitting major cities across Europe and around the world.
From left: Lucas Bravo as Gabriel, Lily Collins as Emily in episode 401 of Emily in Paris. Stephanie Branchu/Netflix
While Laviscount’s Alfie and Gabriel have had their fair share of arguments over Emily, whom they both dated, the actor behind the Englishman is still rooting for his friend and business partner to get the girl — despite her new beau, Marcello.
“I think Alfie’s got a good relationship, got good friendship, got a good bond with Gabriel. So, this guy doesn’t exist in Alfie’s world,” Laviscount says of the Italian cashmere mogul. “I heard he’s a lovely, amazing guy as well, and [Franceschini has] done so well on the season. … [But] I’m backing my boy.”
For those who were hoping that Alfie and Emily would rekindle their romance at some point in Emily in Paris‘ run, it may not happen, as Star has previously said he thinks Alfie’s out of the picture romantically for Emily. But Laviscount is OK with that.
“I think true love is all down to timing as well. I think people kind of need the space to figure out what’s right and what’s wrong. I think they definitely kind of grew together. Alfie’s grown from the relationship that he had with Emily. It’ll be a testament to time, I guess,” the actor says. “Is it too late? We don’t know, but yeah, just to show that kind of that side of Alfie, just figuring it out, it’s been amazing. I think it’s a great kind of springboard to where he can go next.”
Lucien Laviscount as Alfie and Lily Collins as Emily in Emily in Paris season four. Stephanie Branchu/ Netflix
Emily in Paris season four left off with Sylvie (Leroy-Beaulieu) opening an Agence Grateau in Rome that Emily will run; Marcello and the marketing agency going into business together, without Emily managing the account; and Park’s Mindy going off to Shanghai to be a judge on Chinese Popstar.
Park doesn’t foresee Mindy going back to Paris while Emily is heading up Agence Grateau’s Rome office, so she’s on board with Collins’ desire to bring all the ladies back to Italy for a little bit at least. The Only Murders in the Building actress jokes that she’d even be willing to intern at the agency in Rome.
As for Sylvie, Leroy-Beaulieu would love to spend more time in Italy as well, and she’s very much on board with the idea circulating social media of a Sylvie spinoff — but not a prequel.
Emily in Paris was renewed for season five on Sept. 16. There is no news when the show is set to begin filming for its next chapter, but prior to season four, it always went into production in the summer and was released toward the end of the year.