September 20, 2024 • 21 mins
Ashley Park stops by the Mercedes Benz Interview Lounge to talk about Season 4 of "Emily In Paris"!
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Live from the Mercedes Benz Interview Lounge.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Ashley Park is here of course, Mendy Chen from Emily
in Paris. Yeah, we love Emily in Paris by the way,
you know. And when you walked in you said, I
love doing the show, but I'm also the demographic for
the show. I would watch it if I wasn't on
the show.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Yeah, I was shocked that you were the first fan
of the show in your office.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Absolutely well, I mean, I think it's it's women who
have great fashion style and love Paris and gay guys.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Wheelhouse hot men in Paris.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
I know it's all us. Congratulations and what I love
most and I want you to tell the story about
how this happened is not only are you just a
fantastic actor on the show and you fit in. You
guys all work together so brilliantly and the characters work
so well with each other because of you, but you
sing and you perform on this show and I'm thinking, wow,
(00:52):
they hired they needed to go out and find a
great actor who can sing, but it didn't work out
that way.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
No, the character was initially not supposed to be a singer.
I think that Darren Starr, you know, he had this
amazing idea and he wrote the pilot and it was
picked up. And so when I auditioned for the part,
the only thing that was written of my character was
that first scene where they meet on the bench in
the first season. And after our first table read, Darren
called me on my cell phone and I was on
(01:18):
my way to a costume fitting and I literally said
to the driver, I feel like I'm getting fired.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
I don't know why, but get fired.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:25):
I was like, why is he calling me?
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Like?
Speaker 4 (01:26):
Am I getting fired?
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Like? Also, is my first time in Pears, is my
first big thing, so I on screen. So I was
really nervous. And he called and he was like, hey,
you know, remember I saw you in Mean Girls twice
on Broadway.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
I know you sing.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
I'm wondering if it's okay with you if we write
some singing in for the character of Mindy. And I
was like, that's very considerate to ask me, you know,
because sometimes people want to step away from stuff that
they usually do. And so I literally thought it was
just going to be like she sings Happy Birthday, or
like goes to karaoke with.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
Emily one day.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
I had no idea that it would become this storyline
in this way to kind of open up the character emotionally, right, So.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Yeah, yeah, it does open up the character emotionally. But
also you have some campy singing things. I mean, it's
just all my fun.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
It's literally actually, And I know you've had Freddie Wexler
on the show and he's written the original music for this,
but he was saying the other day, I feel like
we have to produce so one night only Mindy sings
all the Mindy songs not somewhere.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
But I was like, that is the most.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Eclectic, like every song is a different genre, like truly
every genre, and like, so yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
We would all be there.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
I think you would sell that out easily. Great, you
guys get the front row seat.
Speaker 5 (02:32):
Do you get to keep the cool clothes that you
guys wear, because I'm sure.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
You get to ask that question every time, but I
mean you got.
Speaker 5 (02:38):
There had to be something where you said, could I
have this?
Speaker 4 (02:40):
Can I take this home?
Speaker 1 (02:41):
You know what's so funny? And I learned this also
like being on Broadway too. At the end of some
Broadway runs, I'm like, I love those shoes, like can
I have them? I've never once worn anything from a
Broadway show that I've kept because it puts me back
in that place. I don't know, it feels like a
relic of that time. Okay, but on the show too.
I mean there have been some things that I was
so excited to wear, like you know what. Like for example,
(03:05):
imagine being in a latex all latex outfit from like
sun up to sundown, like two days in a row,
and everyone's like, oh my god, it's amazing. I said,
cut it off me. I never want to see that again.
But I think that's what that that's the fun of it.
So I have Actually it's funny because Mindy actually borrowed
stuff from my wardrobe this season.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
There's like a couple of pajamas.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
There's a like this local French girl who makes these
like sustainable pajamas. I think it's called to my Paris
and she I was like, I was wearing it one
day to set and I was like, I feel like,
this is what Mindy should wear right now. So and
then there was a couple of things that I founded
a vintage place that Marilynd Fittuci are costume designer. She
goes to a lot and I it's like the purple
(03:48):
dress that's in a lot of the a lot of
the scenes. It's a Moogler dress and stuff, and I
think Mindy wears it very differently than I wear.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
But there are pieces that I've kept.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Nice, let's talk about that. Working in Paris. Yeah, I mean,
do you do you do any scenes in Los Angeles
at all? Is it all done over in Paris?
Speaker 1 (04:05):
No? Even, Like what's funny is there's sometimes I think
earlier in the seasons, Emily would FaceTime with people in
like Chicago or something like that, and those were also
done in Paris, right, like in the financial district? Well
do you spend there about four months? O?
Speaker 5 (04:23):
Well?
Speaker 4 (04:23):
What's so funny to ask me?
Speaker 1 (04:24):
And Lily especially first of all, this last season was
in the winter in Paris in the winter I don't
ever have to do again. And this is coming from
someone who's raised in Michigan, like.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
I know the winter.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
But also it's it's funny to me because my friends,
even a couple of this past, people will be like, Hey,
I'm in Paris, like want to meet up? And I'm like,
I don't live here. And when I'm living here, I'm
working every like I'm working, you know, So I'm working.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
So we're making assumptions about working in Paris or not true.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
No, but it's obviously beautiful, you know. And I think
that I remember, you know, because it was my first
time in Paris too. And when people well some people
thought we see gied the whole thing because some of
the you know, the scenes and the way that like
Andy Fleming and our directors they like they, uh, the
cinematography feels like it must be fake, which beautiful, yeah,
but all of.
Speaker 4 (05:13):
It's filmed in Paris.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
When we're there, and some of the locations too, I'm like,
I would never be able to go here.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
Usually I can't believe that we're here, or we we've
blocked off this entire piazza or park and there.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
You know, it's funny when where we've been on I
think we I sing a song on a bridge a
couple of seasons ago, and actually it's really sad when
we block off the bridge because you've been to Paris. Yes,
they're gorgeous right along this time, and every day there's
like brides and grooms who want to take their pictures there.
And there was one day where we had like this
really beautiful bridge that we were filming on, and there
(05:46):
was like crying brides because they.
Speaker 5 (05:48):
Look I know.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
How now there's even more people who like want to
come because because it looks so pretty in the show Beautiful.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
That was gonna be my question, how do the locals
treat you guys? Because you know, Resians are notoriously rude
in general, but if you're there as Americans shutting down
streets recording this show, how does that work out for you?
Speaker 4 (06:07):
I mean, the Parisians have always been like very.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Nice to be well, yeah, but I think I mean
it's different first season, you know, especially there's that the
square where like Emily's apartment, the restaurant and everything. First season,
like no one cared who we were what we were doing.
By the time I got to the second season, there's
like hundreds of people. It's like a tourist destination now
like all around all the time. But I think the
(06:31):
people in that in that particular square, of the people
who are living there, half of them are happy because
they get like the best paparazzi shots or whatever, and
the other half are like furious that the croissant prices
have gone up to like eighty dollars.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
We have that said. You know, when they shut down
a street for SBU whatever they're recording. We know that
the tourists love it, but we walk by in stell like,
dare you block.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
So to get home through an SVU shoot? Is I
mean I'll run through while they're shooting. I'm not going
to Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
So when we were on a bridge another time we
had a jogger we have I got to find the
take somewhere. But all of a sudden, because all the extras,
you know, it's an extra on the show, or like
a supporting artist when they're dressed like they're for Emily
in Paris, even if they're just like in the background,
you're like, ah, I see you there.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Cut off.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
There's a jogger that Jess was really French and just
ran through the scene. Was like this is my you know,
and we were like are we supposed to keep going?
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Like, well, I know, but it's it is invasive, but
it's your neighborhood. I went, I need to get home.
I've got dogs that need to eat, I need I
need to go pee. And you're like, I'm sorry, sorry,
you're I said, my door is right there. Sorry you
can't go. I'm going, and I walked right through the middle.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
I think the best thing though, is I mean the
Olympics really shut down the city days.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
By the way, this is actually parked with us Mendy
Chen of course on the huge hit Netflix show Emily
in Paris, So Happy You're Here, and of course this
show has okay, okay, Lily Collins. Her character gives me
anxiety because she's always breaked. She's breaking up relationships left
and right, and it's not always her fault, but it
(08:16):
just seems like it's her fault.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
I know.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
But I love what I love so much about I
literally make this sound oh so much and Ashley, when
I'm watching Lily do these scenes because she's so positive
and well intentioned, yes, and like nothing.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
Ever goes just like how life is. Right.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
I actually think I really enjoyed watching this past season
because I feel like she's really like her comedy and
the way she she's embraced like who Emily is and
she's so unapologetic and positive is like so cute to me.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
It's so funny.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
It's sort of like she's a trouble magnetative she doesn't
mean to.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Be wettings get canceled, you know things that was wild.
When I read that episode for the first time, I
was like, who's pregnant?
Speaker 4 (08:58):
What do you guys talk about?
Speaker 1 (09:00):
I was like, Mindy's like, I'm in a helicopter with
my boyfriend. I'll come and way through.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Let's talk about how you shoot these things. Of course,
we're out here in real worldland whatever this is. E
were watching Emily in Paris. We know that you shoot
out of sequence. So you you show up to the
set that day not knowing why you're there. I mean
there was a fight, right, the fight? What we're talking about?
Speaker 4 (09:20):
The fuck? Oh yeah? Last season?
Speaker 1 (09:22):
Well, I think what a fun thing is is that
our writers and Darren Starts so brilliant about weaving together
stories and storylines and truly people ask us all the time,
what do you want for your character? And I'm like,
I would have never imagined what has happened so far,
So let's just let them do it. But they write
the they obviously have a plan maybe for the whole season.
But we all go to Paris and they have the
first two episodes written and they're working on the scripts
(09:45):
as we're filming. Wow, And so we film it in
block shooting, so usually we do like one and two
at the same time, but all out of order, three
and four, five, six, seven, eight, whatever. And I think
it was last season. I mean, so it's so fun
to get the scripts all together. But last season We're
gonna We were shooting in a location with me and
my boyfriend Paul Foreman, and it was his character Nicola's apartment,
(10:05):
and we had to We only had that location one day,
so we had to film a big fight scene between
me and him.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
Ideaout Yeah, And it.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
Was the day before, so they realized, oh, we do
can't get this location again. Here's this fight from the
tenth episode. We know you don't have it yet, but
here it is. And I was like, what are the
stakes of this fight? Like did he like steal my fork?
Or are we like or is this like what's happening here?
But yeah, i'd always have really good guidance from the
people in charge.
Speaker 5 (10:35):
Now, I know you're dating him in real life, but
I need you to end up with Ben wah Place.
Oh really, Yeah, I think a lot of people want
you to end up with him.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Oh. I think that people love that they associate Mindy
singing with him, but.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
Also like I've always like guys.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
He walked out on her while they were performing on
stage and was very jealous, and I don't think I
think they're both. You know, I'm glad that Mindy's kind
of choosing herself and has ended up there, But he
was kind of a little.
Speaker 4 (11:02):
I think he loves you though deep I mean, not
you the character.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
Deep down way. Are we spoiling things here? Because I'll
tell you tell the story? Who was it we had
in this seat?
Speaker 5 (11:16):
We just told her this.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
American horror story. She comes in the day after the
big season.
Speaker 5 (11:23):
Finale, and you know that show is like, you know,
a mystery and you never know what happened, And she
just went ahead and told that what happened.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
If you're a fan, you should have bleep and watched it.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
By now, can you watch Emily and Paris as a fan?
Is it? Are you too close to it? How does
that work for the actors?
Speaker 1 (11:41):
You? I mean usually This season was a little bit
different for me because you know, I came a month
late to filming and like on it, like to be
very candid, filming was very physically, emotionally, mentally challenging for me,
just because I had just come from having sepsis, and
I was I was very ill during it, and we'll
get to that in this Okay, Okay, but I think
(12:07):
that for me, I do watch it as a fan
of the show because I'm not, you know, in the theater,
which is the world I come from. We're all in
a rehearsal room. You see the show all together, you
know what the story is. I have no clue when
I'm not on set what's happening in the office, like
what my other friends are doing. Like, I love getting
to watch the scenes. I you know, I see it
on paper, but I'm like, you know, so I get
to watch it for the first time and be a
(12:28):
fan of like all my friends on the show.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Right. Well, it's an amazing show, by the way, because
I've always been in love with Paris. Paris is a
character in and of itself. It's a star of the show.
Speaker 5 (12:39):
And there's little hot people on the show. It's all
one ugly person like Emily has to pick between these
three hot guys.
Speaker 4 (12:46):
It's like, how do you pick?
Speaker 2 (12:48):
You do always go with the chef.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
It's gotta feel great though, knowing everyone's hot men. You
have a role, So like, okay, I'm hot.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
I know, but sometimes I show up to set and
I'm like, good luck to my hair and makeup in
the morning.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
To this, let's talk about stepsisus so you, uh, let's
talk about that feels good speaking of sepsis. I mean
that's sepstius can kill you. I mean, so, uh, you
don't have to go through all the particulars if it's
because I'm sure it's an emotional thing knowing that your
death doorstep in the hospital. And as I laugh, I
(13:22):
don't mean to laugh, but you, I mean, what happened.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
Well, I think you know, it's funny you bring up
laughing because I think I'm also a cancer survivor, and
so I think that humor much like and it's one
of the things I connected to with the character of
Mindy is sometimes humor is a really amazing device to
help you get through hard times, you know. So I
find myself leading with humor a lot. But uh, yeah,
I mean it was it was a really freak thing.
(13:46):
And I again, I'm so so lucky that my boyfriend
was with me, Paul Foreman, and that he was going
to come back and film the show with me, because
I would not have been able to get through this
season otherwise.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
But I what was the question?
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Was there a question sepsis? I mean, so you get
very sick. Yeah, and it's and it affects different people
in different different levels of severity.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Oh so, I mean Paul took me to the hospital
on New Year's Day and we are across the world,
and I was I was told that I had five
organs failing pneumonium, both lungs and it was very severe.
And we're at a local ICU. So a lot happened.
It was very fast and very very scary, but this
is where I was. He was being told that I
(14:35):
had a forty percent mortality rate. And then I was
told that this is not sepsis, at septic shock, which
is the severest kind. But what I heard, I go,
oh my gosh, Yes, I am shocked that I have sepsis,
Like that's what.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
I thought it was.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
So, which is why you know, it was just World
Sepsis Day and like raising awareness about that it could
happen from a cut. I got it from what they
think it was tonsilitis spread to that. So it's weird
and wild to watch this because I think I experienced
firsthand what people why people watch the show when they're
having a bad day, when they're in a rough point,
and I had to really it was I think it
(15:11):
was the most mental accomplishment that I was I've been
able to do so.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Coming out on the other end, Okay, this this actually
turned out.
Speaker 4 (15:20):
I'm obviously still processing.
Speaker 5 (15:22):
Yeah, how do you come out of the hospital and
have the energy to just get back into filming like that?
Speaker 4 (15:27):
I don't so I think.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
I think again it's if my scene partner was not
Lily Collins and Paul and if my our producers, especially
Stephen Brown, like we're so incredible, and because what was
wild is I when I was cleared from the hospital,
I couldn't fly home. I've been open about that. I
had to fly directly to Paris just because it was closer,
(15:51):
and so I recovered there for a while and then
step back into filming and the you know that Black
and White Ball was one of the first my first
night shoot back on SEM and this the tour thing,
I mean, the stilettos. So it was a little bit
of disbelief and disassociation and thank god, I've walked in
Ninda's shoes for like three seasons and I knew these
people so well, or else I don't think I would
(16:11):
have been able to get through it.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Wow, you know Gandhi, Yes, you had to dance with
a little sebstance.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
I had to dance with kind of a lot of
what you're talking about too.
Speaker 4 (16:20):
How has it.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
Changed the way you look at everything and the way
you do everything now? Has it changed the way you
look at everything now?
Speaker 4 (16:26):
I mean vastly. I think that also.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
You know, having having cancer as a fifteen year old,
that definitely informed the person that I am, mostly because
I really didn't want to be identified by that and
then in that personality trade of mind of not wanting
to be the bald, sick girl or the you know,
have that identity and really made me the person I
(16:49):
am in terms of the artists, I am the human
I am the kind of person I am. But I
think that, I mean, this is wildly changed. I think
it's just a it's a complete perspective change, and you've
experience at firsthand. It's wild me to watch a scene
where a month before I was just like hooked up
all over in the hospital.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
You know, I feel like a lot of times it
just becomes this thing in your life where there's the
before and after, and that's how you look up so
many things.
Speaker 4 (17:13):
Yeah, yeah, that was before and now that was.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Yeah, we say presepsis and post sepsis a little bit
now because but I think for me the biggest thing
was it, you know, when you go through stuff like
that with people that you love, like that, the grace
and the patients and the care that Paul showed me,
and that, like it was far beyond Oh they started
dating in season three of Emily in Paris, you know,
(17:38):
and I.
Speaker 4 (17:38):
See now I want you to end up with him,
even though.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
Danielle, daniel I'm good. I mean, I count a proud
for you. By the way, it's just turning us on.
You need to listen to this interview from the very
beginning on our on demand channel Ashley Park. Of course,
Mindy Chen from Emily in Paris. So you just discovered
season five is on the road. What was it like
being told it's like, oh god, we got to do
this again.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
Well, it's funny because I didn't even because we've been
doing Presby did a Rome premiere. We were in Paris,
I went to London for a couple of days and
Darren texted me, and I knew I was flying to
New York the next day to start this whole week.
So in my mind, I'm like, we're not going to
hear for a while, Like the show just came out,
and Darren texted and was like, can't wait to celebrate
in New York where you know, we got picked up
for season five officially, we're announcing it tomorrow. And I
(18:27):
was like, well, I'm not even in New York yet,
Like what's happening? So I mean, but that's a testament too,
I mean truly, the fact that people all over the globe.
You know, I'm so grateful to the fans of the
show and people who love this show because there would
not be a fifth season otherwise.
Speaker 5 (18:41):
How long before you'll start like filming that because we wait.
I feel like we wait so long with a lot
of shows.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
Sometimes we wait season. Sometimes we wait too long.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
What I'll say, is there because you know, we wrapped
in May and then the show, the first half of
it came out in August.
Speaker 4 (18:55):
So I actually don't know how they do that so fast.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Like Darren is an expert, uh editor of these TV shows,
you know, so I don't know you know what, though,
I really and I've been very open about this, I
do not want to do it in the winter again.
Speaker 4 (19:10):
We got through Christmas.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Winter.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
I think maybe it had to do also like.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
I love the sun, and I love like I'm very
much affected by weather, I think, and I was like
depressed from having stepsis, so like it was not a
fun time, and so I think, I just want the
sun to be out again.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
Okay, I get it. Paris in the sunshine.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
Also, you tried being like in stilettos on cobblestone. And
also half the time we had to pretend like it
was warm still, and because we were filming stuff from
the previous episode, So I was like in a bathing
suit outside everyone else was in a parka, and I
was like, I just I just barely got here and survived.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Put this on, get out there. Yeah, well, how do
you know I haven't been in I believe street, don't assume.
Actually we have to.
Speaker 5 (20:00):
Talk about the naked song, but we can't because I
don't want to ruin it for other people.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
There's just a naked don't care all. It's all out
there literally just on Instagram.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
No, it's not naked songs.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
I don't want to ruin it for anybody yelling at
us about spoiling the sopranos.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
So that is true, got mad for spoiling Uh do.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
You mean a crazy worst song? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (20:21):
Okay, I was like, wait, maybe Titanic naked song? Naked
song because you're supposed to be naked.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
Yeah, we got yelled at ruining Titanic.
Speaker 4 (20:28):
What you did?
Speaker 1 (20:30):
She did by literally who it's a historical event, like
they I know that.
Speaker 4 (20:37):
No, King Kong, I got mad at us about that one.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
I know when he does exactly. I don't want to
spoil it. You die, just ru damn you.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
Both. Damn Everyone climb up, and then the blonde girls
like you're okay, Oh my god, are you serious?
Speaker 2 (20:55):
We gotta move on.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
This is horrible, god Zilla, I know it's fine. Wait,
I really thought they survives. You don't the apes?
Speaker 2 (21:05):
I don't know's not ruin all of them, Ashley, thank
you for coming in Actley Park. Of course, Emily in Paris.
If we ruin part of it, sorry.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
Your fault.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
God Morning, Good Morning
Speaker 5 (21:24):
Show
Live from the Mercedes Benz Interview Lounge.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Ashley Park is here of course, Mendy Chen from Emily
in Paris. Yeah, we love Emily in Paris by the way,
you know. And when you walked in you said, I
love doing the show, but I'm also the demographic for
the show. I would watch it if I wasn't on
the show.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Yeah, I was shocked that you were the first fan
of the show in your office.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Absolutely well, I mean, I think it's it's women who
have great fashion style and love Paris and gay guys.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Wheelhouse hot men in Paris.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
I know it's all us. Congratulations and what I love
most and I want you to tell the story about
how this happened is not only are you just a
fantastic actor on the show and you fit in. You
guys all work together so brilliantly and the characters work
so well with each other because of you, but you
sing and you perform on this show and I'm thinking, wow,
(00:52):
they hired they needed to go out and find a
great actor who can sing, but it didn't work out
that way.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
No, the character was initially not supposed to be a singer.
I think that Darren Starr, you know, he had this
amazing idea and he wrote the pilot and it was
picked up. And so when I auditioned for the part,
the only thing that was written of my character was
that first scene where they meet on the bench in
the first season. And after our first table read, Darren
called me on my cell phone and I was on
(01:18):
my way to a costume fitting and I literally said
to the driver, I feel like I'm getting fired.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
I don't know why, but get fired.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:25):
I was like, why is he calling me?
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Like?
Speaker 4 (01:26):
Am I getting fired?
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Like? Also, is my first time in Pears, is my
first big thing, so I on screen. So I was
really nervous. And he called and he was like, hey,
you know, remember I saw you in Mean Girls twice
on Broadway.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
I know you sing.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
I'm wondering if it's okay with you if we write
some singing in for the character of Mindy. And I
was like, that's very considerate to ask me, you know,
because sometimes people want to step away from stuff that
they usually do. And so I literally thought it was
just going to be like she sings Happy Birthday, or
like goes to karaoke with.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
Emily one day.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
I had no idea that it would become this storyline
in this way to kind of open up the character emotionally, right, So.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Yeah, yeah, it does open up the character emotionally. But
also you have some campy singing things. I mean, it's
just all my fun.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
It's literally actually, And I know you've had Freddie Wexler
on the show and he's written the original music for this,
but he was saying the other day, I feel like
we have to produce so one night only Mindy sings
all the Mindy songs not somewhere.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
But I was like, that is the most.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Eclectic, like every song is a different genre, like truly
every genre, and like, so yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
We would all be there.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
I think you would sell that out easily. Great, you
guys get the front row seat.
Speaker 5 (02:32):
Do you get to keep the cool clothes that you
guys wear, because I'm sure.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
You get to ask that question every time, but I
mean you got.
Speaker 5 (02:38):
There had to be something where you said, could I
have this?
Speaker 4 (02:40):
Can I take this home?
Speaker 1 (02:41):
You know what's so funny? And I learned this also
like being on Broadway too. At the end of some
Broadway runs, I'm like, I love those shoes, like can
I have them? I've never once worn anything from a
Broadway show that I've kept because it puts me back
in that place. I don't know, it feels like a
relic of that time. Okay, but on the show too.
I mean there have been some things that I was
so excited to wear, like you know what. Like for example,
(03:05):
imagine being in a latex all latex outfit from like
sun up to sundown, like two days in a row,
and everyone's like, oh my god, it's amazing. I said,
cut it off me. I never want to see that again.
But I think that's what that that's the fun of it.
So I have Actually it's funny because Mindy actually borrowed
stuff from my wardrobe this season.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
There's like a couple of pajamas.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
There's a like this local French girl who makes these
like sustainable pajamas. I think it's called to my Paris
and she I was like, I was wearing it one
day to set and I was like, I feel like,
this is what Mindy should wear right now. So and
then there was a couple of things that I founded
a vintage place that Marilynd Fittuci are costume designer. She
goes to a lot and I it's like the purple
(03:48):
dress that's in a lot of the a lot of
the scenes. It's a Moogler dress and stuff, and I
think Mindy wears it very differently than I wear.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
But there are pieces that I've kept.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Nice, let's talk about that. Working in Paris. Yeah, I mean,
do you do you do any scenes in Los Angeles
at all? Is it all done over in Paris?
Speaker 1 (04:05):
No? Even, Like what's funny is there's sometimes I think
earlier in the seasons, Emily would FaceTime with people in
like Chicago or something like that, and those were also
done in Paris, right, like in the financial district? Well
do you spend there about four months? O?
Speaker 5 (04:23):
Well?
Speaker 4 (04:23):
What's so funny to ask me?
Speaker 1 (04:24):
And Lily especially first of all, this last season was
in the winter in Paris in the winter I don't
ever have to do again. And this is coming from
someone who's raised in Michigan, like.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
I know the winter.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
But also it's it's funny to me because my friends,
even a couple of this past, people will be like, Hey,
I'm in Paris, like want to meet up? And I'm like,
I don't live here. And when I'm living here, I'm
working every like I'm working, you know, So I'm working.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
So we're making assumptions about working in Paris or not true.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
No, but it's obviously beautiful, you know. And I think
that I remember, you know, because it was my first
time in Paris too. And when people well some people
thought we see gied the whole thing because some of
the you know, the scenes and the way that like
Andy Fleming and our directors they like they, uh, the
cinematography feels like it must be fake, which beautiful, yeah,
but all of.
Speaker 4 (05:13):
It's filmed in Paris.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
When we're there, and some of the locations too, I'm like,
I would never be able to go here.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
Usually I can't believe that we're here, or we we've
blocked off this entire piazza or park and there.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
You know, it's funny when where we've been on I
think we I sing a song on a bridge a
couple of seasons ago, and actually it's really sad when
we block off the bridge because you've been to Paris. Yes,
they're gorgeous right along this time, and every day there's
like brides and grooms who want to take their pictures there.
And there was one day where we had like this
really beautiful bridge that we were filming on, and there
(05:46):
was like crying brides because they.
Speaker 5 (05:48):
Look I know.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
How now there's even more people who like want to
come because because it looks so pretty in the show Beautiful.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
That was gonna be my question, how do the locals
treat you guys? Because you know, Resians are notoriously rude
in general, but if you're there as Americans shutting down
streets recording this show, how does that work out for you?
Speaker 4 (06:07):
I mean, the Parisians have always been like very.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Nice to be well, yeah, but I think I mean
it's different first season, you know, especially there's that the
square where like Emily's apartment, the restaurant and everything. First season,
like no one cared who we were what we were doing.
By the time I got to the second season, there's
like hundreds of people. It's like a tourist destination now
like all around all the time. But I think the
(06:31):
people in that in that particular square, of the people
who are living there, half of them are happy because
they get like the best paparazzi shots or whatever, and
the other half are like furious that the croissant prices
have gone up to like eighty dollars.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
We have that said. You know, when they shut down
a street for SBU whatever they're recording. We know that
the tourists love it, but we walk by in stell like,
dare you block.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
So to get home through an SVU shoot? Is I
mean I'll run through while they're shooting. I'm not going
to Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
So when we were on a bridge another time we
had a jogger we have I got to find the
take somewhere. But all of a sudden, because all the extras,
you know, it's an extra on the show, or like
a supporting artist when they're dressed like they're for Emily
in Paris, even if they're just like in the background,
you're like, ah, I see you there.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Cut off.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
There's a jogger that Jess was really French and just
ran through the scene. Was like this is my you know,
and we were like are we supposed to keep going?
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Like, well, I know, but it's it is invasive, but
it's your neighborhood. I went, I need to get home.
I've got dogs that need to eat, I need I
need to go pee. And you're like, I'm sorry, sorry,
you're I said, my door is right there. Sorry you
can't go. I'm going, and I walked right through the middle.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
I think the best thing though, is I mean the
Olympics really shut down the city days.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
By the way, this is actually parked with us Mendy
Chen of course on the huge hit Netflix show Emily
in Paris, So Happy You're Here, and of course this
show has okay, okay, Lily Collins. Her character gives me
anxiety because she's always breaked. She's breaking up relationships left
and right, and it's not always her fault, but it
(08:16):
just seems like it's her fault.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
I know.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
But I love what I love so much about I
literally make this sound oh so much and Ashley, when
I'm watching Lily do these scenes because she's so positive
and well intentioned, yes, and like nothing.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
Ever goes just like how life is. Right.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
I actually think I really enjoyed watching this past season
because I feel like she's really like her comedy and
the way she she's embraced like who Emily is and
she's so unapologetic and positive is like so cute to me.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
It's so funny.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
It's sort of like she's a trouble magnetative she doesn't
mean to.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Be wettings get canceled, you know things that was wild.
When I read that episode for the first time, I
was like, who's pregnant?
Speaker 4 (08:58):
What do you guys talk about?
Speaker 1 (09:00):
I was like, Mindy's like, I'm in a helicopter with
my boyfriend. I'll come and way through.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Let's talk about how you shoot these things. Of course,
we're out here in real worldland whatever this is. E
were watching Emily in Paris. We know that you shoot
out of sequence. So you you show up to the
set that day not knowing why you're there. I mean
there was a fight, right, the fight? What we're talking about?
Speaker 4 (09:20):
The fuck? Oh yeah? Last season?
Speaker 1 (09:22):
Well, I think what a fun thing is is that
our writers and Darren Starts so brilliant about weaving together
stories and storylines and truly people ask us all the time,
what do you want for your character? And I'm like,
I would have never imagined what has happened so far,
So let's just let them do it. But they write
the they obviously have a plan maybe for the whole season.
But we all go to Paris and they have the
first two episodes written and they're working on the scripts
(09:45):
as we're filming. Wow, And so we film it in
block shooting, so usually we do like one and two
at the same time, but all out of order, three
and four, five, six, seven, eight, whatever. And I think
it was last season. I mean, so it's so fun
to get the scripts all together. But last season We're
gonna We were shooting in a location with me and
my boyfriend Paul Foreman, and it was his character Nicola's apartment,
(10:05):
and we had to We only had that location one day,
so we had to film a big fight scene between
me and him.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
Ideaout Yeah, And it.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
Was the day before, so they realized, oh, we do
can't get this location again. Here's this fight from the
tenth episode. We know you don't have it yet, but
here it is. And I was like, what are the
stakes of this fight? Like did he like steal my fork?
Or are we like or is this like what's happening here?
But yeah, i'd always have really good guidance from the
people in charge.
Speaker 5 (10:35):
Now, I know you're dating him in real life, but
I need you to end up with Ben wah Place.
Oh really, Yeah, I think a lot of people want
you to end up with him.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Oh. I think that people love that they associate Mindy
singing with him, but.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
Also like I've always like guys.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
He walked out on her while they were performing on
stage and was very jealous, and I don't think I
think they're both. You know, I'm glad that Mindy's kind
of choosing herself and has ended up there, But he
was kind of a little.
Speaker 4 (11:02):
I think he loves you though deep I mean, not
you the character.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
Deep down way. Are we spoiling things here? Because I'll
tell you tell the story? Who was it we had
in this seat?
Speaker 5 (11:16):
We just told her this.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
American horror story. She comes in the day after the
big season.
Speaker 5 (11:23):
Finale, and you know that show is like, you know,
a mystery and you never know what happened, And she
just went ahead and told that what happened.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
If you're a fan, you should have bleep and watched it.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
By now, can you watch Emily and Paris as a fan?
Is it? Are you too close to it? How does
that work for the actors?
Speaker 1 (11:41):
You? I mean usually This season was a little bit
different for me because you know, I came a month
late to filming and like on it, like to be
very candid, filming was very physically, emotionally, mentally challenging for me,
just because I had just come from having sepsis, and
I was I was very ill during it, and we'll
get to that in this Okay, Okay, but I think
(12:07):
that for me, I do watch it as a fan
of the show because I'm not, you know, in the theater,
which is the world I come from. We're all in
a rehearsal room. You see the show all together, you
know what the story is. I have no clue when
I'm not on set what's happening in the office, like
what my other friends are doing. Like, I love getting
to watch the scenes. I you know, I see it
on paper, but I'm like, you know, so I get
to watch it for the first time and be a
(12:28):
fan of like all my friends on the show.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Right. Well, it's an amazing show, by the way, because
I've always been in love with Paris. Paris is a
character in and of itself. It's a star of the show.
Speaker 5 (12:39):
And there's little hot people on the show. It's all
one ugly person like Emily has to pick between these
three hot guys.
Speaker 4 (12:46):
It's like, how do you pick?
Speaker 2 (12:48):
You do always go with the chef.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
It's gotta feel great though, knowing everyone's hot men. You
have a role, So like, okay, I'm hot.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
I know, but sometimes I show up to set and
I'm like, good luck to my hair and makeup in
the morning.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
To this, let's talk about stepsisus so you, uh, let's
talk about that feels good speaking of sepsis. I mean
that's sepstius can kill you. I mean, so, uh, you
don't have to go through all the particulars if it's
because I'm sure it's an emotional thing knowing that your
death doorstep in the hospital. And as I laugh, I
(13:22):
don't mean to laugh, but you, I mean, what happened.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
Well, I think you know, it's funny you bring up
laughing because I think I'm also a cancer survivor, and
so I think that humor much like and it's one
of the things I connected to with the character of
Mindy is sometimes humor is a really amazing device to
help you get through hard times, you know. So I
find myself leading with humor a lot. But uh, yeah,
I mean it was it was a really freak thing.
(13:46):
And I again, I'm so so lucky that my boyfriend
was with me, Paul Foreman, and that he was going
to come back and film the show with me, because
I would not have been able to get through this
season otherwise.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
But I what was the question?
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Was there a question sepsis? I mean, so you get
very sick. Yeah, and it's and it affects different people
in different different levels of severity.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Oh so, I mean Paul took me to the hospital
on New Year's Day and we are across the world,
and I was I was told that I had five
organs failing pneumonium, both lungs and it was very severe.
And we're at a local ICU. So a lot happened.
It was very fast and very very scary, but this
is where I was. He was being told that I
(14:35):
had a forty percent mortality rate. And then I was
told that this is not sepsis, at septic shock, which
is the severest kind. But what I heard, I go,
oh my gosh, Yes, I am shocked that I have sepsis,
Like that's what.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
I thought it was.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
So, which is why you know, it was just World
Sepsis Day and like raising awareness about that it could
happen from a cut. I got it from what they
think it was tonsilitis spread to that. So it's weird
and wild to watch this because I think I experienced
firsthand what people why people watch the show when they're
having a bad day, when they're in a rough point,
and I had to really it was I think it
(15:11):
was the most mental accomplishment that I was I've been
able to do so.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Coming out on the other end, Okay, this this actually
turned out.
Speaker 4 (15:20):
I'm obviously still processing.
Speaker 5 (15:22):
Yeah, how do you come out of the hospital and
have the energy to just get back into filming like that?
Speaker 4 (15:27):
I don't so I think.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
I think again it's if my scene partner was not
Lily Collins and Paul and if my our producers, especially
Stephen Brown, like we're so incredible, and because what was
wild is I when I was cleared from the hospital,
I couldn't fly home. I've been open about that. I
had to fly directly to Paris just because it was closer,
(15:51):
and so I recovered there for a while and then
step back into filming and the you know that Black
and White Ball was one of the first my first
night shoot back on SEM and this the tour thing,
I mean, the stilettos. So it was a little bit
of disbelief and disassociation and thank god, I've walked in
Ninda's shoes for like three seasons and I knew these
people so well, or else I don't think I would
(16:11):
have been able to get through it.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Wow, you know Gandhi, Yes, you had to dance with
a little sebstance.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
I had to dance with kind of a lot of
what you're talking about too.
Speaker 4 (16:20):
How has it.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
Changed the way you look at everything and the way
you do everything now? Has it changed the way you
look at everything now?
Speaker 4 (16:26):
I mean vastly. I think that also.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
You know, having having cancer as a fifteen year old,
that definitely informed the person that I am, mostly because
I really didn't want to be identified by that and
then in that personality trade of mind of not wanting
to be the bald, sick girl or the you know,
have that identity and really made me the person I
(16:49):
am in terms of the artists, I am the human
I am the kind of person I am. But I
think that, I mean, this is wildly changed. I think
it's just a it's a complete perspective change, and you've
experience at firsthand. It's wild me to watch a scene
where a month before I was just like hooked up
all over in the hospital.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
You know, I feel like a lot of times it
just becomes this thing in your life where there's the
before and after, and that's how you look up so
many things.
Speaker 4 (17:13):
Yeah, yeah, that was before and now that was.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Yeah, we say presepsis and post sepsis a little bit
now because but I think for me the biggest thing
was it, you know, when you go through stuff like
that with people that you love, like that, the grace
and the patients and the care that Paul showed me,
and that, like it was far beyond Oh they started
dating in season three of Emily in Paris, you know,
(17:38):
and I.
Speaker 4 (17:38):
See now I want you to end up with him,
even though.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
Danielle, daniel I'm good. I mean, I count a proud
for you. By the way, it's just turning us on.
You need to listen to this interview from the very
beginning on our on demand channel Ashley Park. Of course,
Mindy Chen from Emily in Paris. So you just discovered
season five is on the road. What was it like
being told it's like, oh god, we got to do
this again.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
Well, it's funny because I didn't even because we've been
doing Presby did a Rome premiere. We were in Paris,
I went to London for a couple of days and
Darren texted me, and I knew I was flying to
New York the next day to start this whole week.
So in my mind, I'm like, we're not going to
hear for a while, Like the show just came out,
and Darren texted and was like, can't wait to celebrate
in New York where you know, we got picked up
for season five officially, we're announcing it tomorrow. And I
(18:27):
was like, well, I'm not even in New York yet,
Like what's happening? So I mean, but that's a testament too,
I mean truly, the fact that people all over the globe.
You know, I'm so grateful to the fans of the
show and people who love this show because there would
not be a fifth season otherwise.
Speaker 5 (18:41):
How long before you'll start like filming that because we wait.
I feel like we wait so long with a lot
of shows.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
Sometimes we wait season. Sometimes we wait too long.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
What I'll say, is there because you know, we wrapped
in May and then the show, the first half of
it came out in August.
Speaker 4 (18:55):
So I actually don't know how they do that so fast.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Like Darren is an expert, uh editor of these TV shows,
you know, so I don't know you know what, though,
I really and I've been very open about this, I
do not want to do it in the winter again.
Speaker 4 (19:10):
We got through Christmas.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Winter.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
I think maybe it had to do also like.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
I love the sun, and I love like I'm very
much affected by weather, I think, and I was like
depressed from having stepsis, so like it was not a
fun time, and so I think, I just want the
sun to be out again.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
Okay, I get it. Paris in the sunshine.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
Also, you tried being like in stilettos on cobblestone. And
also half the time we had to pretend like it
was warm still, and because we were filming stuff from
the previous episode, So I was like in a bathing
suit outside everyone else was in a parka, and I
was like, I just I just barely got here and survived.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Put this on, get out there. Yeah, well, how do
you know I haven't been in I believe street, don't assume.
Actually we have to.
Speaker 5 (20:00):
Talk about the naked song, but we can't because I
don't want to ruin it for other people.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
There's just a naked don't care all. It's all out
there literally just on Instagram.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
No, it's not naked songs.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
I don't want to ruin it for anybody yelling at
us about spoiling the sopranos.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
So that is true, got mad for spoiling Uh do.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
You mean a crazy worst song? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (20:21):
Okay, I was like, wait, maybe Titanic naked song? Naked
song because you're supposed to be naked.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
Yeah, we got yelled at ruining Titanic.
Speaker 4 (20:28):
What you did?
Speaker 1 (20:30):
She did by literally who it's a historical event, like
they I know that.
Speaker 4 (20:37):
No, King Kong, I got mad at us about that one.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
I know when he does exactly. I don't want to
spoil it. You die, just ru damn you.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
Both. Damn Everyone climb up, and then the blonde girls
like you're okay, Oh my god, are you serious?
Speaker 2 (20:55):
We gotta move on.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
This is horrible, god Zilla, I know it's fine. Wait,
I really thought they survives. You don't the apes?
Speaker 2 (21:05):
I don't know's not ruin all of them, Ashley, thank
you for coming in Actley Park. Of course, Emily in Paris.
If we ruin part of it, sorry.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
Your fault.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
God Morning, Good Morning
Speaker 5 (21:24):
Show
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Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.