Every Time Lily Collins Has Defended ‘Emily in Paris’ Against Critics Since Its 2020 Debut

Credit: Carole Bethuel/Netflix

Every Time Lily Collins Has Defended 'Emily in Paris' Against Critics Since Its 2020 Debut

Love her or hate her, Emily is here to stay! Emily in Paris premiered in October 2020, and although the ratings were great, fans were conflicted on whether they really liked the comedy. The Netflix series, which stars Lily Collins as American Emily Cooper, follows the social media maven as she tries to adapt to life in Paris — and embodies more than one cultural cliché along the way. The lead character’s French faux pas, unrealistic lifestyle and terrible attempt at an accent rubbed more than a few viewers the wrong way. Collins, however, has always been a champion for Emily and her flawed personality. “She is a woman who is both romantic and work-driven — you don’t have to be one or the other,” the To the Bone actress told British Vogue in October 2020. “It’s refreshing to hear a woman say, ‘I love my job, it makes me happy.’ … She’s in a city that’s extremely foreign to her, and it’s tough – and, yeah, she could probably get on a plane and go home, but that’s just not who she is.” Collins, who is a producer on the series alongside creator Darren Star, has been vocal about her love of the show, despite some viewers' criticism. [jwplayer 7MZiVAst-zhNYySv2] “When it was little nitpicky things … I laughed about that,” she told Glamour in December 2021, noting that fan backlash over things like guessing Emily’s age incorrectly comes with the territory. “I know that in this industry, having been in it, having grown up in it, you know that not everyone’s going to love what you do all the time.” The Mank actress insisted that those who tuned into season 1 knew what they were signing up for — and should prepare for more lighthearted fun as the series continues. “It's a heightened version of this world because it’s a comedy,” Collins explained ahead of the season 2 premiere. “And it’s a Darren Star produced, created, colorful, bright, romantic version of what the story would be.” When it comes to the second season, however, Collins hoped people would get on board and “laugh and smile and get to have the same feelings of escapism and fun that they did the first season.” She told the outlet: “I hope viewers find more of themselves in different characters and feel seen and represented in the show. And I hope that we get a season 3, because I really hope we get to come back and do this again.” Scroll down to relive Collins’ best comebacks and reactions to Emily in Paris criticism through the years: [podcast_block]

Credit: CAROLE BETHUEL/NETFLIX

Age Mishap

The British-American actress raised eyebrows in October 2020 when she estimated the age of her character as 22 years old.

“I don’t believe we’ve ever given her a specific ‘number’ for her age, but I believe that she’s pretty fresh out of college. Maybe this is her first year after graduation,” Collins told British Vogue at the time. “I want to say she’s like, 22-ish. She’s had enough experience at her company in Chicago to have earned the respect of her boss. … She’s gone to school for this, and she’s completed internships.”

Later that month, the Love, Rosie star corrected herself after receiving backlash for her estimation. “Emily looking at me when I get her age wrong,” the actress captioned a GIF of her character via her Instagram Story alongside a laughing emoji. “Sorry girl.”

Collins joked: “You might not be 22, but I gotta say – you do act like it sometimes!!!”

Credit: Carole Bethuel/Netflix

Looking on the Bright Side

“As disheartening as it sometimes is to read these things, it’s also a gift,” the Mirror, Mirror actress said in the November 2020 cover story for Vogue Arabia. “You’re being allowed to improve.”

Credit: CAROLE BETHUEL/NETFLIX © 2020

Defending Emily’s Character

“A lot of the qualities that Emily has, if you put them on paper, would seem so annoying,” Collins told Nylon in October 2021. “To have someone be optimistic, bright and bubbly — it’s sad to think that people would look and go, ‘That’s a lot.’ They’re such beautiful qualities, and the fact that she can partner that with being vulnerable and asking for help and making mistakes — she’s not infallible.”

Credit: Carole Bethuel/Netflix

Shutting Down ‘Sex and the City’ Comparisons

Before Emily in Paris, Star was best known for creating Sex and the City — but the story line aren’t related.

“She’s in no way mimicking Carrie’s life,” the Last Tycoon alum explained during her Nylon interview, noting that Emily “probably grew up having Carrie Bradshaw posters on her wall.”

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Becoming More Diverse

After viewers criticized the series for its lack of diversity, Collins revealed that she made sure to make a change for season 2.

“I really wanted diversity and inclusion in front of and behind the camera to be something that we really put our focus on, in a lot of ways,” she told Elle U.K. in November 2021. “Hiring new people in front of the camera, also giving new story lines to different characters, which was really important.”

Credit: Stephanie Branchu/Netflix

It’s Escapism

Collins addressed the controversy surrounding the Netflix series during a December 2021 interview with Glamour magazine, explaining that the show poked fun at the French just as much as it joked about Americans.

“We never represented it as anything other than what it was going to be. And we didn't know the world would be in the state that it was in when it came out,” she said. “People said they were laughing and smiling for the first time in a long time, that it reminded them of what fun felt like and that we were able to offer some escapism and romanticism and travel.”

The Rules Don’t Apply star noted that she was “proud” of how well received it was to start, which is why she didn’t expect it to “all of a sudden be something that people were upset [about].”

She continued: “And we do poke fun at America too. Emily is just as willing to mention things about where she’s from, and they joke about her as much as things are joked about her coworkers or the way of life there.”

Credit: Courtesy of Lily Collins/Instagram

Not Sweating the Small Stuff

The Netflix star posted a video of her husband, Charlie McDowell, running away from an Emily in Paris billboard covered in pink paint. "I can't say I love the new look, Em," Collins wrote alongside the Instagram clip and a photo of her posing by the sign in January 2022. "But A for effort ..."