Lily Collins Shines in ‘Emily in Paris’: A Modern Audrey Hepburn

Lily Collins: The Star of ‘Emily in Paris’

In late December, the second season of the hit TV series ‘Emily in Paris’ was released, chronicling the adventures of a young American woman who moves to the city of love and romance for work. The lead role is played by the talented Anglo-American actress Lily Collins. Our senior author, Lena Basse, had the opportunity to chat with Lily and compare her to her character, Emily. At the end of this article, you’ll find an exclusive interview with the actress.

A Trip Down Memory Lane: Visiting the ‘Emily in Paris’ Set

It’s hard to believe that so much time has passed since my visit to the ‘Emily in Paris’ set in Paris, where Lily Collins was filming. I remember spending a warm September day with fellow journalists at the Museum of Fairground Arts, where one of the scenes was being shot. At that time, none of us could have imagined that just a few months later, the world would press ‘pause,’ and dreams of traveling to Paris would be put on hold. Yet, it is precisely this kind of journey that the series tells us about, as the protagonist is offered the chance to work as an American marketer in a French company. Who could refuse such a dream-like proposal?

The Museum of Fairground Arts: A Dreamlike Setting

The museum, located on the site of a former wine market, is home to 14 large attractions, including authentic carousels from the mid-19th century. The entire atmosphere of the place is reminiscent of a child’s dream. Renowned companies like Cartier and Louis Vuitton have held presentations for their new collections here. Perhaps this is why the creators of ‘Emily in Paris’ chose this museum as a filming location for an episode set at a presentation of a fictional luxury watch company named ‘Fortier.’ It is one of the most romantic places in Paris, perfectly suited for a comedy-drama about an American girl named Emily.

Refresher: The Beginning of ‘Emily in Paris’

Upon her first arrival in Paris from Chicago, Emily encounters unexpected aspects of European life, particularly Parisian culture. For instance, she struggles with the numbering of floors in buildings, which differs from the American system. In France, the first floor is what Americans would call the second floor. This confusion leads Emily to mistakenly try to enter the wrong apartment several times, thinking it’s hers.

However, this mistake turns out to play a significant role in her life. It’s a typical story of a heroine finding herself in an unfamiliar environment, a theme known in the American film industry as a ‘fish out of water’ story. This theme is close to the heart of the series’ creator, renowned producer Darren Star, who over 20 years ago was behind one of the most successful TV series, ‘Sex and the City.’

Darren Star’s Vision for ‘Emily in Paris’

Remembering how Americans view Paris as a city of love and romance, Darren imagined how many of them would be surprised to learn how different life in Paris is from typical tourist experiences. The idea of ‘don’t confuse tourism with emigration,’ combined with thoughts about how Carrie Bradshaw’s life might have turned out if she had been offered a job in Paris, formed the basis of this romantic comedy. Costume designer Patricia Field, known for her work on ‘Sex and the City’ and ‘The Devil Wears Prada,’ brought all her experience and skill to ensure that fashion lovers would not be disappointed. Viewers can expect to see many elegant outfits throughout the ten episodes, beautifully showcased by Lily Collins, a true movie star.

Lily Collins: A Rising Star

Lily Collins truly has star quality. Some believe she could easily embody Audrey Hepburn on screen. With her brown eyes and slender figure, she indeed evokes memories of the style icon of the 1960s. Moreover, she is no stranger to a star-studded life.

Lily was born in England to the family of famous British musician Phil Collins. She first appeared on screen in a British series at the age of two. After her parents’ divorce, she moved with her mother to Los Angeles, the heart of the film industry. However, her first serious passion was journalism. Not only were her articles published in glossy teen magazines, but she also graced the covers of these magazines as a model.

Simultaneously, she began acting in films. Although she had the opportunity to work alongside renowned Hollywood actors such as Sandra Bullock, Paul Bettany, and Julia Roberts, her roles were primarily limited to portraying the children of the main characters.

Lily’s Journey to Stardom

Fortunately, fame did not go to Lily’s head, and she managed to avoid the typical fate of a child star. At the age of 20, Lily Collins was recognized as one of the coolest children of rock musicians. Thanks to her hard work and determination, she smoothly transitioned from child roles to adult ones, earning recognition from both audiences and film critics. Even when her films failed at the box office, her acting was always highly praised.

This was the case with Warren Beatty’s film ‘Rules Don’t Apply,’ in which she played the lead role of an aspiring actress. She received particular acclaim for her dramatic role in Joe Berlinger’s film ‘Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile,’ based on real events. In the film, she portrayed a woman who discovers after six years of living with her partner that he is a serial killer.

Lily’s Recent Roles and ‘Emily in Paris’

Among her recent acting roles, her portrayal of the fiancée of the famous English writer and author of the renowned ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy in the film ‘Tolkien’ stands out. Lily clearly preferred dramatic roles when choosing her projects.

Now, Lily presents herself to viewers in a light, comedic genre. When asked why he chose Lily Collins for the role of Emily, Darren Star replied that she possesses an abundance of optimism and zest, characteristic of Americans. These traits are what make Lily most like Emily.

Unlike her character, the actress, who is slightly over 30, has been familiar with French culture since childhood and is unlikely to rely on American clichés when assessing the world around her. It is all the more interesting to watch her transformation into a typical American girl. When Lily, seeing the view from the window of her new Parisian apartment for the first time, exclaims, ‘I feel like Nicole Kidman in ‘Moulin Rouge,’ there is not a moment of doubt that we are looking at a naive girl who has much to learn not only about the world around her but also about herself.

In addition to our meeting in Paris, we spoke with Lily Collins via Zoom just before the series premiere. This time, she was in her home in Los Angeles.

Lily’s Connection with Paris

Unlike Emily, you have certainly been to Paris many times before coming here to work on the shoot. How did your relationship with this beautiful city develop?

I first came here as a child. When I lived in England, I visited Paris several times. After moving to California, my trips to Paris were mainly for business and were most often related to filming or press tours. I also came for the famous Paris Fashion Weeks. But almost always, my visits to Paris were limited to a few days.