[Editor’s note: The following contains some spoilers for Season 3 of Emily in Paris.]

From creator Darren Star (Sex and the City), the third season of the Netflix series Emily in Paris sees Emily (Lily Collins) at a crossroads and in need of making some life decisions about both work and romance. At the same time, while Emily is immersing herself even deeper in and growing more attached to Paris, each of the other characters also reach their own turning points, some of which could be life-altering.

During this interview with Collider, co-stars Collins, Ashley Park (who plays Emily’s songstress best friend, Mindy) and Camille Razat (who plays Camille, a French socialite and close confidante of Emily) talked about their reaction to the Season 3 finale script, leaving things open-ended knowing that they’d get to return for a Season 4, whether Collins gets any more details ahead of time as a producer, what they each most enjoyed about their character journeys this season, getting to create Mindy’s stage persona, and whether Emily’s fashion choices have influenced Collins.
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COLLIDER: After that cliffhanger in the season finale, I’m so glad that this series has already been picked up for a fourth season because I would lose my mind. So, thank you. When you read the script for that last episode for the first time, what was the reaction each of you had? What was the emotion that you went through?

CAMILLE RAZAT: I think everybody was shocked. There were rumors on set about what was gonna happen. We were all thinking, “Oh, my God, if that happens, that will be amazing.” But obviously, everything happened. There are a lot of things happening in the last two episodes, and without spoiling anything, nobody’s ready for it. It’s very unexpected.

LILY COLLINS: We were not expecting it. I personally had no idea how, in 35 minutes, we were gonna fit in all of that. But I think it’s interwoven in such an articulate, intellectual, dramatic way that involved all the cast members, which was so exciting because normally we don’t get to do that. At least the three of us don’t ever get to be in that location together. It was definitely a nail-biting experience, to figure out how to bring in the nuances of each of those moments because they could be played so many different ways. So, knowing we get to go to a Season 4, but not knowing where we go in Season 4, we had to leave it open-ended for ourselves as possible, to pick up in Season 4.

ASHLEY PARK: One of the magical things about our process is that the writers write as we’re filming, so they can really see where characters are going, and then really come up with it, in the moment. But another tricky thing about that is we don’t get the scripts until right before. I remember doing one of the scenes that was confrontational, in the last episode, way before I knew what was happening in the last episode. That, for me, was the first way in which I figured out what was going on, but I was still very much like, “Wait, how is all of this happening? What’s happened?”

Image via Netflix

I feel like, even as you think you’ve figured out what’s going on, there’s still that last moment that I just didn’t see coming, and I loved that. Lily, as an executive producer, do you know more than the other actors on the show, or are you also kept in the dark?

COLLINS: (Show creator) Darren [Star] and I speak, on occasion, about where he’s thinking of going, but he also doesn’t wanna spoil too much for me because there is a fine line. I don’t wanna know everything because I want to be led with the writing, but I am also curious because, as a producer wanting to celebrate the other characters, I’m very curious to see what their trajectories are. I think we have a fine balance between communicating about where things are headed, but they don’t often know until the stories break in the room, and they’re having that experience in the writers’ room while we’re filming. So, there isn’t always that opportunity to share. We have little sidebars here and there, but I’m always excited when I start finding things out. We’re all together and in on it, so it does feel special to have those experiences of finding out, and being like, “What the?!” It’s fun.

By the third season of a show, you get to really dive deeper into the characters and into their relationships. What did each of you most enjoy about what you got to do in your character’s journey, this season? It really feels like they’re all faced with big questions and big decisions that they have to make.

COLLINS: For me, I was excited to ground myself more in the French culture, whether that be the language, the fashion, or just feeling a deeper sense of home within the city. And I was excited that the show, itself, leans more into the comedy among the characters, as opposed to all being about Emily’s fish-out-of-water experience. It allowed me, as Emily, to feel a little bit more grounded, as a character, knowing that the comedy wasn’t just about me and my experiences and the culture clash. It was more about the comedy that each of the actors brings to the characters. We lean into the fact that it is a comedy show, not just making light of someone’s situation in the city. And so, I was really excited to get to dive emotionally deeper into the character.

PARK: It’s been such a gift to do the musical moments as Mindy. What I was really excited about is doing scenes, especially in the second half of the season, within the new connection of a relationship. I was able to really ground myself and sink into scenes where it was two people talking and listening to each other. It wasn’t so much Mindy making a joke to move it forward, or serving as a comedic nuance in the scene, but really trying to understand who she is and finding that through this other connection. That was very fun to do this season.

RAZAT: For Camille, what is interesting in this season is that we see more of her work side. We see her at her gallery. We see her in her job, on a daily basis, picking art that she likes. And also, we see her even more vulnerable. Without spoiling anything, I think that brings depth to the character and makes her even more complex. What I love about Camille, and it’s even more true of this season, is that you cannot expect what’s going to be her next move, and I love that about her.

Image via Netflix

Camille seems like the one that really has it the most together, of these three women, because she knows what she wants. How would you describe her emotional journey, this season, especially with it feeling like her emotions might be a little more confusing to her now?

RAZAT: Camille’s feeling are like a rollercoaster. There are very mixed, contradictory feelings within her. She’s pretty lost in this season and trying to figure it out. It’s the season of choices for every girl, and everyone, this season. With Camille, it’s a pretty dramatic decision, if I must say. It’s almost a question of life and death, how she’s trying to figure it out – her friendship with Emily, with Mindy, how she’s gonna be in this group, and how she will choose her own path.

Ashley, you’ve gotten to sing over the seasons, but it’s been so fun to watch Mindy’s evolution as a singer. What did you most enjoy about the performances that you got this season, getting to create a stage persona this season?

PARK: That’s a testament to me, and Carole [Nicolas], and my hair and makeup team. We got to have a lot of fun, in creating this jazz club persona of what her performances would be like. And even when we don’t see her performing, and we see her after her performances, later in the season, we still have this persona going on, which is fun. But even with that, it’s interesting because Mindy’s still hiding, in a sense, behind that persona. It’ll be interesting to see what her musical journey is next because I think she found a bit of herself, but she’s always been playing a part within the music. So, we’ll see.

Lily, has all the wild fashion on this show made you more adventurous in your own choices, or does your own style feel very defined and separate from Emily?

COLLINS: I would say very defined and separate from Emily, but at the same time, she has inspired me to take risks. I don’t wear heels, all the time. I’m definitely someone that needs to feel like the shoes won’t dictate my choices, throughout the day. I want to adventure more, and I want to be able to run around at the drop of a hat, or jump on a scooter, especially when I’m [in Paris]. I definitely go towards more neutral tones. But the thing is, Emily’s boldness of choice, and bright and bubbly personality, has definitely allowed me to explore more with my fashion sense and take more risks with things I didn’t think necessarily would work for me. Not only that, but in the combining of textures and designers and prints. That’s what Marylin Fitoussi is such a genius and artist with. She really combines high and low, vintage and new. There’s a playfulness that she brings, even though she’s so seasoned within her career, that constantly makes us all giggle alongside her. I feel like having that brightness of choice, every day within your wardrobe, it doesn’t matter what the color is, as long as you feel bright in it and confident in it, you can still emulate that. I’ve learned a lot about fashion through her.

Emily in Paris is available to stream at Netflix.