'Emily in Paris' cast talks season 4's romance, drama and 'twists and turns'
"Emily in Paris" season four has arrived.
Fans of the hit show, which stars Lily Collins as Emily Cooper, have been anxiously awaiting the new season, which picks up after a dramatic conclusion in season three that left Emily and Gabriel's (Lucas Bravo) relationship up in the air, Gabriel and Camille (Camille Razat) almost getting married and Alfie (Lucien Laviscount) ending things with Emily.
Ahead of the season four premiere, the cast of the hit Netflix series sat down with "Good Morning America" to dish about the romance, the drama and more.
"I think they're going to be surprised by the twists and turns the story takes," the show's creator Darren Star told "Good Morning America" at the Los Angeles premiere on Wednesday. "It goes in some really unexpected directions."
Will Emily and Gabriel give love a try?
With all that unfolded last season, there are still plenty of questions that need to be answered, including if Emily and Gabriel will finally give love a try after Camille left Gabriel at the altar.
"I can say that they finally give it a go," Collins said. "They give it a try. And that comes with highs and lows, but it's nice to see Emily make a decision and kind of stick with it."
"It's obviously complicated because there's a lot of things going on, but with those complications comes a lot of joy as well," she added.
Bravo said Gabriel and Emily's relationship becomes a bright spot for Gabriel this season, who he said had a more "serious" storyline last season, with his pursuit of a Michelin star at his restaurant along with the revelation that Camille was pregnant with his child.
"He has more confidence and within that process, he chases after the woman he loves and he becomes playful again, which is something I feel like we haven't seen since season one," he said.
"We had so many obstacles in between their relationship," Bravo said about Gabriel and Emily. "So it's like the playful season one Gabriel, plus the maturity and the experience he has now and the baby on the way and the Michelin star. So it's a very proactive season for him."
Emily and Alfie, Sylvie and Laurent: What's in store for them?
While Emily and Gabriel's romance in season four appears to blossom, Emily's relationship with Alfie is one that goes in a different direction.
"They go on this journey of respect and self discovery of where they're at now," Laviscount said. "From the bombshell that happened in season three, Alfie steps into it a little bit more vulnerable, he opens up. But Alfie's not really afraid to stand in the awkward moments and have the conversations."
Laviscount added that what makes the portrayal of relationships on the show so relatable is that it speaks to modern dating and "we see things play out within the show that internally happens for a lot of people."
Another relationship we also saw evolve last season was that of Emily's boss, Sylvie Grateau (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu), and her husband Laurent, played by Arnaud Binard. The boss of Agence Grateau, who is known as a fiercely strong and independent character in the show, revealed a softer side to her with Laurent.
This season, Sylvie is faced with a decision to speak up about a past experience regarding sexual misconduct in the workplace.
"It's important because her generation, which is my generation, usually has swept under the carpet this kind of event and suddenly she feels the urge to talk," Leroy-Beaulieu said. "It's important that she has spent a lot of years not talking about it because she did not want to be a victim and she wanted to go on with her life."
"What I like is exactly that moment where she has the conflict about, is she going to talk or not because she's going to jeopardize her husband's business," she added. "It shows that they have mutual support to each other."
How will Emily and Mindy be there for each other this season?
Apart from the romantic relationships, one of the show's beloved storylines is Emily's friendship with Mindy Chen, who is played by Ashley Park. In season three, their tight bond was almost fractured when Mindy's new boyfriend, Nicolas De Leon (played by Park's IRL boyfriend Paul Forman), stepped into the picture.
But Park said it was Mindy and Emily's history together that helped them get over that hurdle and "be a sounding board in a deeper way to each other."
"The most important thing is communication and just being so open with your friends and real and honest," Collins added. "Because at the end of the day, honesty will win."
"They are each other's home and safe space," Park said.
How will Emily evolve in season 4?
With "Emily in Paris" going on four seasons now, it's Emily's certain "je ne sais quoi" that keeps fans coming back for more.
"I think everybody puts themselves in her [Emily's] shoes and it's like, yeah, I could move to Paris and fall in love with the most beautiful chap you've ever seen -- and why not? Why not me?" Grant Sloss, co-executive producer and writer, said. "Everybody sort of projects themselves into her shoes, and they probably couldn't walk in them, but they want to try."
Collins said this season, we'll see Emily continue to learn "new things about herself" and "wants to go deeper" in her connections with others.
"I think she's not afraid to go deeper in her relationships with romantic suitors, as well as friendships and work relationships," Collins said about Emily. "She's feeling more comfortable with these people, and with that comes trust."
"She wants to have more connections and stronger conversations that maybe she wouldn't have had in season one," she added. "So I think there's a maturity within her."
"Emily in Paris" season 4 part one is out now. Part two will be available to stream on Netflix on Sept. 12.
