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“Emily in Paris” Star Ashley Park on ‘brat summer’, Her Singing Chops, and Season 4’s Stakes

August 22, 2024

As the first five episodes of season four of the hit series Emily in Paris dropped on Netflix on August 15, fans were eager to delve back into the world of Emily (Lily Collins) and Mindy (Ashley Park) as they navigate messy relationships, major career changes, and general adulthood woes, in Paris.

At the conclusion of season three, Mindy was dating her former high school crush (and real-life boyfriend) Nicolas (Paul Forman) and also found out she had been accepted to the Eurovision competition with her former boyfriend, Benoît (Kevin Dias). Emily accidentally crashed Camille (Camille Razat) and Gabriel’s (Lucas Bravo) wedding, admitted she was still in love with Gabriel, and then found out Camille was pregnant with his child.

Emily in Paris has no shortage of sex and scandal, but the core friendship between Mindy and Emily has remained the through line at the heart of the series. While Collins’ titular character is the show’s lead, Park’s portrayal of former heiress turned quippy best friend has captured the hearts of many.

“It feels like the stakes are a little bit higher,” says Park of Mindy and Emily’s journeys this season. “They just delve a little bit deeper with each other and you really see them be there for each other in ways that are hard.”

Park describes the onscreen relationship between Emily and Mindy as very “meta” to her real-life friendship with Collins.

“We’re really helping each other through our lives in finding the women that we are simultaneously with these characters,” Park says. “I think a beautiful thing about them is they’re incredibly honest with each other.”

The women’s love and respect for each other offscreen plays into their onscreen chemistry.

“It’s unconditional support and love,” she says. “Really good friendships are the ones that are unconditional, low stakes, and you’d be each other’s emergency contacts.”

Much like how Collins and Park’s real-life friendship influenced the writing of their characters, Park’s former Broadway experience led Emily in Paris creator Darren Star to redirect Mindy’s entire journey. The role of Mindy wasn’t originally written as a singing role. But when casting a Broadway star, why not use all of their talents?

Emily in Paris. (L to R) Ashley Park as Mindy, Lily Collins as Emily in Emily in Paris. Cr. Stephanie Branchu/Netflix © 2024

“I thought she was going to like, sing at a karaoke bar, or sing ‘Happy Birthday’ once,” Park laughs of the initial conversation on introducing song into the show. “Darren Starr very kindly called me towards the beginning when we were filming season one, and he had seen me in Mean Girls and shows on Broadway, and he was very thoughtful in asking.”

“I had no idea that the singing would be a way for her to open up into her own vulnerability and emotional path,” she adds.

As the show grows in popularity, the frequency of the musical element has increased, which means more covers, more costumes and more singing in French.

In terms of filming, Park says the performance scenes are definitely the most “challenging part” because of the “technicality.”

“Sometimes I don’t find out the song until the day I have to record it,” Park says. “My biggest thing is, how do I make these songs that are endeared by the public or that have been known for a while — how do I make it Mindy’s?”

On the show, Park has covered a variety of popular songs and artists ranging from Dua Lipa to Lady Gaga. In season three, Mindy sang “Mon Soleil,” an original song written for the show by Freddy Wexler, who Park says has returned for another original in season four.

“This one is a little bit more soulful in a different way,” she says.

Park comes from “the world of theater,” having performed in the Broadway ensemble of Mamma Mia!, to a starring role as Gretchen Wieners in Mean Girls.

“Figuring out ways to incorporate the songs in a storytelling way and also in a way that feels good to perform, but for different cameras, has been such a fun challenge,” she says.

This season, the stakes are higher — in all aspects.

“There’s song and dance in a way that we haven’t seen from Mindy yet,” she says.

Check out our full interview here: