What do Sandra Bullock and David Beckham have to do with Emily In Paris?
Well, apparently, they both served as “guiding lights” for the show’s stars at the start of their careers.
Speaking to Sky News, Lily Collins says watching Sandra Bullock be the “kindest, most kickass, badass female” on the set of The Blind Side made her realise that it is possible to be in the spotlight and remain a nice person.
“My first film, I was mothered by Sandra Bullock, and she really took me under her wing during that experience and showed me the ropes,” she said.
Pic: Netfix
“Even when she didn’t know she was teaching me, she was teaching me because I would watch her on set… the way that she spoke to everyone, treated everyone, the questions she asked, and how she just valued her character in ways that I didn’t know going into it that you can value, or things that you can ask or the right that you have to, you know, bring your own ideas.”
“I really appreciated and respected the way that she handled a set and herself and we stayed in touch” she added.
“It made such an impact on me as my first experience to have this amazing, strong, kind female lead the way.”
Lily Collins with other cast members of Emily In Paris. Pic: Netflix
Collins explains that similar characteristics are what made her fall in love with her lead role in Emily In Paris.
The Netflix series follows an American woman who moves to Paris to continue her marketing career in the “city of love”.
Collins said Sandra Bullock ‘mothered’ her at the start of her career. Pic: Netflix
It follows her learning French, finding her footing in a foreign country, and making friends and relationships along the way.
“To have the juxtaposition between strong and confident and unapologetically oneself and admitting that you don’t have all the answers and having a breakdown like you can be both versions of yourself at the same time.
“So, this season, we get to see Emily experiencing the lows a little more, and I think that grounds her.”
Collins added: “You can’t be all the things to everyone at the highest level all the time and still show up for yourself. And I think she realises that and allows herself a little grace, which we all need to do.”
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Lily Collins and Lucien Laviscount in season four of Emily In Paris. Pic: Netflix
David Beckham’s impact on Lucien Laviscount
The series includes several love interests – including Lucien Laviscount who plays Alfie, an English financier who refuses to learn French.
Before joining the Netflix show, he had appeared in Scream Queens, Skins, and Coronation Street.
Laviscount credits David Beckham with kickstarting his modelling career. Pic: Netflix
He credits David Beckham for finding his path to an acting career.
“I was scouted to do some modelling when I was in Manchester for Marks & Spencer, and it turned out that David Beckham was on the set. He ended up calling an acting school in Manchester to take me on.”
Laviscount said that years later he got to speak to Beckham again about the impactful moment for him.
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‘David Beckham called an acting school for me’
“I bumped into him at [a hotel in LA] and I approached him and went: ‘Thank you for changing my and my family’s life’.”
“We had a little moment and I’m sure he has no recollection of it whatsoever. I’m good friends with his son now which is kind of strange but yeah,” he added.
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The star says that despite his success in acting and modelling over the years, he is still in disbelief about how his career has gone so far.
“I think every day I kind of have that moment of ‘what am I doing?’ I guess a little bit of imposter syndrome kicks in and it’s kind of just blagging it in my head till I make it type of situation.”
Part one of season four of Emily In Paris streams on Netflix now