Lily Collins Hits Back at Critics of Her ‘Emily in Paris’ Character

Lily Collins is defending her Emily in Paris character against critics who’ve deemed the fictional social media maven “annoying.” Ahead of the show’s season 2 premiere, Collins tells Nylon Magazine in her cover story that Emily Cooper may be a lot to take in for some viewers. “A lot of the qualities that Emily has, if you put them on paper, would seem so annoying,” the actress explained.

However, she sees a silver lining in the details and traits of her character. “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.”

With Sex and the City creator Darren Star behind the storyline, there were certainly going to be comparisons to Carrie Bradshaw. However, Collins shuts those ideas down saying Emily is her own person and character in a universe that’s not all so separate from Bradshaw’s big apple tale. “She’s in no way mimicking Carrie’s life,” Collins said. Though, she does admit her character would probably have a deep admiration for the fashion journalist. “Emily probably grew up having Carrie Bradshaw posters on her wall,” she continued. 

Several critics on social media have noted the fantasy lifestyle that Collins’ character lives, claiming that it’s not very believable. Collins says she feels there’s a reason for that. “I think that this is a heightened reality for Emily, to be moving to Paris, and what she experiences and what she sees,” she said. “It’s just that when you put them all together in a TV show that also aesthetically looks the way it does, it’s a little less believable.”

Criticism aside, the actress had one major reason to celebrate while working on Season 2 of the award-nominated series. Collins wed filmmaker Charlie McDowell over the labor day weekend, but she partially spent months of production time coordinating her Colorado wedding. “I was in the midst of planning it while shooting the show, nine hours ahead. Finishing filming and then Zooming with people and answering emails,” Collins recalled. “[It] was very exciting and great; it was just all happening at once.”