<keyword id="20428788" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Emily-in-Paris" source="keywords">Emily in Paris</keyword> star <keyword id="20266006" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ashley-Park" source="keywords">Ashley Park</keyword>, known for her role as aspiring singer <keyword id="20270653" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mindy-Chen" source="keywords">Mindy Chen</keyword>, recently shared her experience filming one of the most challenging scenes in the popular series. In an interview with People, Park described the moment as "every actor's worst nightmare," explaining how tough it was to perform. The difficult scene takes place during the Crazy Horse sequence in episode 8 of season 4. In the scene, Mindy faces a nerve-racking moment on stage where she must dance topless while performing to <keyword id="19992607" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Britney-Spears" source="keywords">Britney Spears</keyword>' song, Oops!... I Did It Again. Mindy, who is anxious about the performance, realises her voice falters when she’s topless. To solve this, her best friend Emily, played by Lily Collins, throws purses from offstage to help her cover herself during the performance. Park admitted that shooting this scene was "so stressful and hard," but she credited choreographer Kyle Hanagami and her supportive team for helping her get through it. She now feels proud of the scene, calling it an unforgettable experience. In addition to the bold dance scene, Park also reflected on another musical moment from the final episode of season 4. In the episode, Mindy is inspired by the magic of Rome to write a song while walking through a piazza with Emily. Park noted how special this original song felt to her, as it mirrored the emotions of her character and her real-life experiences. Songwriter Freddy Wexler, who worked on the song, beautifully infused these personal touches into the performance. "The final song in Rome is special, just because it was original. It's one that Mindy wrote," said Park and added, "Songwriter Freddy Wexler did such a beautiful job at infusing what felt like truth in my life into what was happening for the character." Emily in Paris season 4, including parts 1 and 2, is now available for streaming.

So stressful, worst nightmare: Ashley Park on topless scene in Emily in Paris

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The "Emily in Paris" star Ashley Park said she was recognized by men at the 2022 Super Bowl in LA.</li><li>She told The Sunday Times she hadn't expected anyone to know who she was.</li></ul>The "Emily in Paris" actor Ashley Park said a host of middle-aged men recognized her at the Super Bowl in February and asked her to send videos to their wives."You would think that this show has a certain demographic, but I went to the Super Bowl in LA and didn't think anyone would know who I was," she said in an interview with <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ashley-park-people-say-emily-in-paris-is-fluff-but-we-want-it-to-be-fun-2c7dqcjvv">an interview with The Sunday Times' Scarlett Russell</a> published on Sunday.The second season of "Emily in Paris" aired in December 2021, two months before <a href="https://www.insider.com/los-angeles-rams-bengals-super-bowl-2022-2">Super Bowl LVI took place</a> at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Park told The Times that she hadn't expected anyone at the game to recognize her — but she was proved wrong."I've never had more middle-aged men come up to me and say, 'Um, hey, my wife watched the show but then I watched it without her. Can you just send a video to my wife?' It was funny," she said.Park also spoke about the upcoming season of the hit Netflix series and the criticism around the show. Park plays Mindy Chen, a nanny and aspiring singer who becomes friends with the titular Emily, <a href="https://www.insider.com/emily-french-girl-bangs-emily-in-paris-season-three-trailer-2022-12">played by Lily Collins</a>.While <a href="https://www.insider.com/emily-in-paris-star-lucas-bravo-understands-netflix-show-criticism-2020-10">critics have said</a> "Emily in Paris" is an unrealistic portrayal of life in France, Park told the outlet it's supposed to be a lighthearted watch, comparing the appeal of the show to candy.<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Xl3HY9yMEBI" frameborder="0"></iframe>"People can say it's fluff, but we want the show to be fun," she said. "It's candy, right? It's unhealthy, but everyone likes it."<div type="image" title="Ashley Park smiles in a yellow dress at PaleyFest in Hollywood, California." height="2112" width="3000" msid="96155318" hostid="261"></div>Park also opened up about having cancer at 15. <a href="https://www.shape.com/ashley-park-cover-story-6750067">Shape reported</a> that she had acute myeloid leukemia, which <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/6212-acute-myeloid-leukemia-aml">Cleveland Clinic describes</a> as a blood cancer that begins in the bone marrow. According to the clinic, it's one of the most common types of leukemia in adults, accounting for about one in three adult leukemia diagnoses.Park said six rounds of chemotherapy and an eight-month hospital stay made her realize how strong she is. "I think not wanting to be defined by that has made me who I am today. It definitely made me more resilient, but I think I was always like that," she told The Times. "I think it made me more solution-driven rather than, 'Let's sit on this problem.'""Emily in Paris" returns to Netflix for its third season on December 21.

'Emily in Paris' actor Ashley Park said middle-aged men came up to her at the 2022 Super Bowl and asked her to send videos to their wives

<ul class="summary-list"><li>"Emily in Paris" returns to Netflix for a third season on December 21. </li><li>Midwestern native Emily Cooper is sporting bangs in a new trailer.</li></ul>Emily Cooper rocks wispy bangs in the upcoming third season of "Emily in Paris," ushering in a new beauty era for the fictional social media star.A trailer shows the social media guru, played by <a href="https://www.insider.com/lily-collins-saw-podiatrist-weekly-filming-emily-in-paris-2022-3">Lily Collins,</a> frantically snipping her fringe in the mirror as her friend-turned-roommate Mindy Chen stands by horrified. Overwhelmed by a string of career blunders and awkward sexual encounters that even her excessive pastry consumption can not fix, Emily gives herself bangs as a symbol of her decision to stay in Paris and take a risk. <div type="image" title="Emily Cooper Lili Collins" height="926" width="1840" msid="95945981" hostid="261" sizebytes="48704"></div>She may not have control over her <a href="https://www.insider.com/emily-in-paris-love-interests-ranked-2022-1">desire for Chef Gabriel</a> or Madeline Wheeler's decision to staff the Savoir office with young, underpaid lemmings, but she does have full say in her hairstyling choices. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uymS6HPM1mw" frameborder="0"></iframe>These bangs not only represent Emily's inner turmoil — largely sparked by her pledge to leave Savoir for the unnamed marketing firm of her former boss Sylvie Grateau— but they also highlight her character's style evolution. <div type="image" title="Emily Cooper Lilly Collins" height="888" width="1842" msid="95945983" hostid="261" sizebytes="49188"></div>Emily wears the bangs in a variety of ways, including plastered to her forehead with a messy half-up half-down style and paired with long strands fanning behind her throughout the season. <div type="image" title="Emily in Paris" height="953" width="1271" msid="95945984" hostid="261" sizebytes="36258"></div>The look also mirrors the <a href="https://www.insider.com/french-girl-fringe-bang-trend-2018-2">trend of French girl bangs</a> infiltrating the American beauty landscape.Vogue labeled "Modern French Fringe" the ultimate beauty trend of the summer in August 2020 and, like Emily Cooper, it seems like the style is here to stay.Selena Gomez posted a snap of herself wearing wispy bangs in March, Anne Hathaway wore a side-swept version to promote her movie <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/anne-hathaway-couture-filled-instagram-updates">"Locked Down,"</a> and Dua Lipa wore them to the <a href="https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/beauty-hair/celebrity-hair-makeup/a41494054/dua-lipa-french-y2k-side-fringe/">Albie Awards</a>. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px); data.width~540;"><div style="padding:8px;"><div style="background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.4537037037% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbx80EjOUmo" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank"></a> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Selena Gomez (@selenagomez)<time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime=""></time></div></blockquote>The famed French actress Bridget Bardot owned this look in the 1960s, <a href="https://www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/style-file-brigitte-bardot">inspiring copycats</a> worldwide. Fuller and more romantic than Emily's modern take on the trend, Bardot's signature bangs helped cement her status as a <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/brigitte-bardot-birthday-french-girl-throwback-style-shop-the-look-fall-2016">timeless style icon.</a> However, the current French girl look is not as effortless as it seems.<div type="image" title="Bridget Bardot" height="1815" width="2420" msid="95945985" hostid="261" sizebytes="956008"></div>When it works, it works. But the carefree look is easy to fumble. The trailer indicates that Emily gets a better handle on the style as the season progresses. <div type="image" title="emily in paris season 2 sylvie and emily" height="2397" width="3197" msid="95945986" hostid="261" sizebytes="453814"></div>Throughout season one, Emily stuck to structured hairstyles, like the voluminous ponytails she wore with the Pierre Cadault dress at the American Friends of The Lourve auction and the Chopard party. She also wore several fun hats and sleek ponytails. Her style was loud, but not exactly risky. It looks like a change is coming to the city of light."Emily in Paris" returns to Netflix on December 21. See the trailer below. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Xl3HY9yMEBI" frameborder="0"></iframe>

Let's talk about Emily's wispy French girl bangs in the new 'Emily in Paris' trailer

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The "<keyword id="343" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Friends">Friends</keyword>" reunion special was released on HBO Max on Thursday. </li><li>In several shots of the special, <keyword id="516747" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Matt-LeBlanc">Matt LeBlanc</keyword>, who played Joey, sits with his arms crossed.</li><li>The image became a meme on Twitter, with people saying LeBlanc looked like an Irish uncle.</li></ul>An image of actor Matt LeBlanc sitting with his arms crossed in a striped shirt has taken Twitter by storm, with users posting <a href="https://twitter.com/ShaneDoherty/status/1398651338494459907?s=20">memes about him having massive "Irish uncle energy."</a>LeBlanc reunited with former costars David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, and Courteney Cox in an HBO Max special celebrating the renowned sitcom "Friends." The unscripted reunion event <a href="https://www.insider.com/friends-reunion-special-details-information-2020-3">also brought in other celebrities including</a> BTS, Mindy Kaling, and Lady Gaga.While the evening was full of reminiscing about the show, Twitter users - including many from Ireland - had a very specific take on the event. LeBlanc, as riffed on in many viral tweets, gave off the vibe of an Irish uncle or dad."The rest of the world should know that for the last 24 hours Irish Twitter has become OBSESSSED with how much Matt Le Blanc looks like everyone's uncle/cousin," Irish comedian Dara Ó Briain tweeted on Saturday, quote-retweeting a thread compiling the <keyword id="1605152" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Memes">memes</keyword> from Twitter user @theofluffycat. "Read this thread to get the full sense of it. Or don't; because you won't understand the half of it."<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-Dara Ó Briain (@daraobriain) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1398749723012517892?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2021</a></blockquote>The screencaps of LeBlanc that are floating around online do have a paternal energy that seems to have resonated with Irish Twitter users in particular, who fired off meme after meme over the weekend after the special premiered. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-Conor (@Erne_Kid) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1398602074015899650?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2021</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-Triona Wynne (@TeeCunningham) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1398758003961122817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2021</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-❀ Faye ❀ (@beyonfaye) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1398571248578408448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2021</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-✨ Dean Tāne ✨ (@Maccadaynu) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1398603860759957504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2021</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-sophie (@lyonsteafan) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1398573236909133824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2021</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-Jamie (@FCTwenteBenson) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1398585902751006720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2021</a></blockquote><a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/tanyachen/irish-twitter-matt-leblanc-friends-meme">BuzzFeed News' Tanya Chen polled Irish Twitter users</a> to ask what it was about LeBlanc that made him resonate so heavily as the uncle next door online. <a href="https://twitter.com/HawHillFarm/status/1399107024466726918?s=20">One Twitter user said</a> that he "looks like the Irish Uncle with a heart of gold" who is "behind the times, rough round the edges, loves life, his family, his cattle and you, hugs like a bear, drinks like a fish, talks the hind legs off a donkey and punched that guy in the gob who slagged off your gay partner."Of course, some of the memes also riffed on LeBlanc's "Friends" character Joey's iconic line: "How you doin'?"<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-Peter McGann (@peterjmcgann) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1398592403578228750?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2021</a></blockquote>It's unclear if LeBlanc is aware of the memes, as he has yet to acknowledge them publicly. He did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Matt LeBlanc is everyone's favorite Irish uncle in 'Friends' reunion Twitter meme

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Warning: This article contains spoilers for "<keyword id="10217071" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="the-queens-gambit">The Queen's Gambit</keyword>."</li><li>Jolene, one of the only Black characters on the <keyword id="128682" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Netflix">Netflix</keyword> show, falls into a series of <keyword id="10406141" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="racist-tropes">racist tropes</keyword>.</li><li>Jolene's sole purpose is to serve the emotional and financial needs of the white protagonist, Beth Harmon.</li><li>"The Queen's Gambit" is not Netflix's only original series to mishandle its limited cast of BIPOC characters.</li></ul><a href="https://www.insider.com/interesting-things-about-the-queens-gambit-fun-facts">"The Queen's Gambit"</a> is one of Netflix's newest <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/data-shows-netflix-queens-gambit-a-word-of-mouth-hit-2020-11">hit</a> series and the latest to have a diversity problem. Based on the novel by Walter Tevis, the seven-episode show follows Elizabeth "Beth" Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy) navigating the intersections of being a chess wunderkind while dealing with loss, addiction, and burdening expectations - <a href="https://www.insider.com/shows-to-watch-after-the-queens-gambit-similar-series">all while being a woman in the 1960s</a>.So far, "The Queen's Gambit" has mostly been critically acclaimed, with many calling it "<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2020/10/28/the-queens-gambit-review-one-best-shows-2020/3753873001/">one of the best shows of 2020</a>." But one can't help but notice how the show drops the ball by turning one of its only Black characters, Jolene (Moses Ingram), into little more than a harmful trope. <h2>During the first 2 episodes of the series, Jolene's sole purpose is to cater to whatever Beth's emotional needs are </h2>Jolene is Beth's childhood companion in the Methuen Home, the all-girls orphanage they live in as kids. Jolene makes it her responsibility to immediately take a shy, dour Beth under her wing.<div type="image" title="the queen's gambit young jolene and beth" height="2400" width="3600" msid="79649034" hostid="261"></div>During the first episode of the limited series, Jolene gives Beth advice on how to cope while living in the establishment. For example, the orphanage staff gives each girl two pills a day in order to keep them docile. Jolene advises Beth to save one of the pills under her tongue and take it before bed because the tranquilizer will make sleeping easier and more interesting. Later, however, Jolene notices Beth becoming obsessed with the tranquilizing pills and cautions her against becoming addicted.After Beth is adopted, Jolene disappears from the narrative.<h2>Jolene is not seen again until the final 2 episodes when she cleans up Beth's spiraling life as an adult</h2>At this point in the show, Beth's substance abuse has severely worsened, her feelings of self-worth are at an all-time low after losing to her challenging chess opponent, Vasily Borgov (Marcin Dorociński), and she feels utterly alone. Luckily, Jolene appears at Beth's house just in time to save Beth from herself.Together, the two essentially embark on a swift healing journey that includes attending the funeral of William Shaibel (Bill Camp), the janitor from the orphanage who taught Beth how to play chess. They visit the basement where Mr. Shaibel taught Beth and they have meaningful discussions around Beth's current mental state and what's in store for her future.All of the above give Beth the closure she needs to find herself and her confidence once more.Using money from her law-school fund, Jolene pays for Beth's trip to Russia so Beth can play Borgov again and defeat him now that she's mentally in a better place (again, thanks to Jolene).<div type="image" title="beth and jolene queens gambit" height="2400" width="3199" msid="79649037" hostid="261"></div><h2>Jolene's character falls in line with the 'modern mammy' trope, which can be mistaken by viewers for effective representation </h2>A number of critics, including Gloria Oladipo for <a href="https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/netflix-the-queens-gambit-jolene-magical-negro-trope">Bitch Media</a>, have called out the series as using Jolene as a sidekick and stereotype. Oladipo refers to the usage of Jolene's character as the "Magical Negro," a term popularized by Spike Lee in 2001 to describe "the insertion of a black character into a narrative who is bestowed upon the protagonist the wisdom he or she needs to move forward in some way," as summarized by Roxanne Gay in her 2014 book of essays titled <a href="https://instr.iastate.libguides.com/c.php?g=808612&amp;p=57716721672">"Bad Feminist."</a>But Jolene's role seems to go beyond that and verge into "modern mammy" territory, a trope that specifically relies on a Black female character doing the bidding of a white character. Historically, the mammy figure has been shown on screen as an older <a href="https://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/mammies/">Black woman who is a dutiful caregiver</a> to her white family. She's docile, loyal, maternal, non-threatening, probably religious, and at times crosses over with the sassy Black woman trope, but overall doesn't let much get in the way of her responsibilities to her white family.The modern depictions of the mammy trope do not necessarily need to be a mother or nanny figure. This character often has motherly traits and unrelentingly supports the white people in her life, who usually don't reciprocate her devoted effort to their goals or arc. She is usually conveniently written out of the plot when she no longer serves a purpose.<div type="image" title="jolene and beth queens gambit" height="2348" width="3131" msid="79649039" hostid="261"></div>"The Queen's Gambit" maintains some level of self-awareness. There's an attempt to anticipate criticism of Jolene's role in the show by having Jolene say she is not Beth's "guardian angel."Instead, Jolene justifies - maybe even defends - her help for Beth by saying they're "family."But for Jolene and Beth to supposedly have such a close familial bond, it doesn't make sense that Jolene is only seen by viewers when Beth needs her help. And aside from a few bits of dialogue, Jolene's character and arc are never explored outside of her commitment to helping Beth.<h2>This isn't the first Netflix original to have a problem with diversity on- and off-screen</h2>Notably, "The Queen's Gambit" is not the first time Netflix has mishandled or neglected the Black characters in its original series. One of Netflix's earliest originals, "Orange Is the New Black," also sidelines its Black characters and places a white woman in the foreground within the context of the prison system, which <a href="https://www.naacp.org/criminal-justice-fact-sheet/">disproportionately impacts BIPOC women</a> more than <a href="https://www.sentencingproject.org/publications/the-changing-racial-dynamics-of-womens-incarceration/">white women</a>.The award-winning show features a diverse cast, but as it progressed, many criticized it as <a href="https://wearyourvoicemag.com/orange-is-the-new-black-trauma-porn-written-white-people/">"trauma porn written for white people</a>," calling it out as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/jun/05/orange-is-the-new-black-stars-taystee-crazy-eyes-sophia">exploiting Black struggles</a> for <a href="https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/racism-orange-new-black-makes-it-traumatic-watch">shock value</a>. The first four seasons of the show were written primarily by white writers and not a single Black writer, <a href="https://splinternews.com/go-ahead-guess-how-many-black-writers-work-on-orange-1793857745">as Splinter reported in 2016</a>.<div type="image" title="orange is the new black" height="1992" width="2657" msid="79649042" hostid="261"></div>Netflix's animated comedy "Big Mouth" had its main Black character, Missy, <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/big-mouth-replace-jenny-slate-black-actor-biracial-character-1300237">voiced by white actress Jenny Slate for the better part of four seasons</a>. In 2020, amid the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/inside-big-mouths-big-change">Black Lives Matter movement,</a> Slate publicly gave up the role in June and the series later <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/michaelblackmon/big-mouth-new-season-jenny-slate-netflix?utm_source=dynamic&amp;utm_campaign=bffbbuzzfeed&amp;ref=bffbbuzzfeed&amp;uzzfeed&amp;">gave the role to Black actress Ayo Edebiri</a>.There's also the streaming service's newest comedy-drama "Emily in Paris," which has been <a href="https://www.flare.com/tv-movies/emily-in-paris-diversity/">criticized</a> for its lack of <a href="https://www.fr24news.com/a/2020/10/emily-in-paris-review-lily-collins-saves-a-trivial-story-from-wanderlust.html">diversity</a> in a <a href="https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/emily-in-paris-misses-diversity-in-lack-of-moroccan-and-algerian-representation-in-the-series.html/">diverse city</a>. The series follows white protagonist Emily (Lily Collins), and its main source of inclusivity comes from her Black coworker, Julien (Samuel Arnold), and her Asian best friend, Mindy Chen (Ashley Park).<a href="https://www.insider.com/shows-you-should-watch-if-you-like-emily-in-paris">"Emily in Paris"</a> provides very little background or substance to Julien's character outside of his proximity to Emily and his tendency to fall into the <a href="https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/emily-in-paris-misses-diversity-in-lack-of-moroccan-and-algerian-representation-in-the-series.html/">sassy Black character trope</a>. Mindy's main purpose is to serve as Emily's helpful sidekick. <h2>Netflix has made efforts to diversify its shows and storylines, but there's always room for improvement</h2>In recent years, <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/z4gmw5/why-netflix-has-decided-to-make-diversity-a-top-priority">Netflix has made progressive attempts toward diversifying</a> its staff and content to provide viewers with more representation.Black creators are leading the charge. Filmmaker Ava Duvernay has worked with Netflix to create acclaimed projects that examine racism in America, like the documentary "13th" and the limited series "When They See Us." Shonda Rhimes and Kenya Barris also signed on with the streaming platform, <a href="https://observer.com/2020/11/netflix-shonda-rhimes-ryan-murphy-kenya-barris-deals-ratings-budget/#:~:text=In%202017%2C%20Netflix%20signed%20Grey's,Horror%20Story%20creator%20Ryan%20Murphy.">each to the tune of $100 million</a> (still less than the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/tvs-first-300m-man-inside-netflixs-blockbuster-ryan-murphy-deal-1099145">reported $300 million "American Horror Story" creator Ryan Murphy received</a>).And there are Netflix original series telling diverse stories with diverse leads. Its animated series "The Dragon Prince" - featuring BIPOC characters, LGBTQ storylines, and characters with disabilities - got renewed for a <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2020/07/24/the-dragon-prince-has-been-renewed-by-netflix-for-season-4/#:~:text=EDT%20%7C95%2C266%20views-,'The%20Dragon%20Prince'%20Has%20Been%20Renewed%20By%20Netflix,For%20Season%204%20And%20Beyond&amp;text='The%20Dragon%20Prince'%20will%20return,a%20fourth%20season%20on%20Netflix.lix.">fourth season</a> earlier this year. Mindy Kaling's comedy-drama "Never Have I Ever," which features an Indian-American protagonist, is set to debut a second season in <a href="https://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/a32356667/never-have-i-ever-season-2-news-date-cast-spoilers/#:~:text=Never%20Have%20I%20Ever%20is,%2C%20%22%20It's%20official%2C%20people!">2021</a>.Still, Netflix should keep in mind that any inclusive projects won't erase harmful tropes and lack of representation in its other predominantly white original series. "The Queen's Gambit" - and Jolene - deserved better.Read More:<a href="https://www.insider.com/interesting-things-about-the-queens-gambit-fun-facts">16 things you probably didn't know about 'The Queen's Gambit'</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/how-jojo-siwa-criticism-impacts-fans-2020-12">People scrutinizing JoJo Siwa's appearance are hurting young women in the spotlight - and setting a terrible example for their younger fans</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/best-book-to-tv-adaptations-2018-8">31 TV shows based on books that you should watch in your lifetime</a>

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<keyword id="14272605" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tan-france" source="Orion">Tan France</keyword> is holding his smartphone out at eye level, scrolling and tapping through it to retrieve a photo. "He's shockingly gorgeous," France says. "Look how handsome he is." France is referring to his son, Ismail, who was born last July. Ismail's face is a rare sight, as France and his husband, Rob, choose to cover it on social media. But now, the <a href="https://www.insider.com/cast-of-queer-eye-then-and-now-2018-10">"Queer Eye"</a> and <a href="https://www.insider.com/tan-france-wanted-to-quit-queer-eye-interview-profile-2019-7">"Next in Fashion"</a> star leans toward me on a gray velvet sofa in the corner of the Bar Room at The Beekman, a hotel ensconced in a 19th-century building in Manhattan's Financial District, eager to show him off. "He's beautiful," I murmur, taking in the baby's warm beige skin and tufts of chestnut-colored hair."He's a fucking joy," France says, adding that fatherhood has put him more in touch with his feelings. "I've got a few siblings, and I send them pictures and videos every day." France's decision to protect his son's identity felt natural. But the need to do so in the first place took him by surprise. "I thought that '<keyword id="12973719" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="queer-eye" source="Orion">Queer Eye</keyword>' wasn't going to be successful and that it would be a flop — we'd do one season, then it'd be over," he tells me. "We never planned on having the child of known people, recognizable people, and how that could affect them." "I see so many <keyword id="6355064" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="celebrity" source="Orion">celebrity</keyword> kids, and they feel so much pressure," France adds. "They're constantly scrutinized."<div type="image" title="Tan France playfully eats cake, surrounded by cakes, in a white bed with brown backboard." height="1500" width="2000" msid="92416046" hostid="261" sizebytes="163466"></div>France understands how bright the spotlight can be. Starring in Netflix shows like "Queer Eye" has made the 39-year-old fashion guru, <a href="https://www.insider.com/tan-france-queer-eye-fashion-trends-this-year-2021-1">known for his style tips and gravity-defying coif</a>, a cultural fixture. These days he's more settled in that identity — and he's beginning to transcend it. As he expands beyond "Queer Eye" with "Next in Fashion" and <a href="https://www.thmbl.com/collections/was-him">Was Him</a>, his genderless clothing line, France has also expanded his sense of self, having his first child and grappling with what it means to raise a family in this beautiful, horrible, complicated world. As a fan of France's since the<a href="https://www.insider.com/netflix-queer-eye-for-the-straight-guy-reboot-2017-1"> February 2018 debut of "Queer Eye,"</a> I've watched with pleasure as the Fab Five's most fashion-forward member enters this brave new world, balancing assertiveness with empathy. It's a philosophy he applies to all of his work; he has no problem, for instance, telling "Queer Eye" producers how he prefers to be seen onscreen. During his photo shoot with Insider in late May, he instructed photographer <a href="https://www.martinschoeller.com/">Martin Schoeller</a> to make sure the lighting would complement his brown skin."If anybody ever asked if I would play a terrorist, a taxicab driver, or a grocery store owner, the answer is, 'Go fuck yourself,'" France says. "I would like to believe I'm very, very kind, but if you insult me, I will be the first one to tell you: 'Go fuck yourself.'"<blockquote><blockquote class="pullquote-wrapper"><q class="pullquote-quotation">If anybody ever asked if I would play a terrorist, a taxicab driver, or a grocery store owner, the answer is, 'Go fuck yourself,</q> <cite class="pullquote-source">Tan France</cite></blockquote></blockquote>Raised by Pakistani Muslim immigrants in South Yorkshire, England, France has always had a taste for fashion. As a child, France mixed and matched outfits and wore multiple looks throughout the day, inspired by his grandfather, who owned a factory that produced denim products for Disney. After working at Zara and several other clothing retailers, he founded <a href="https://kingdomandstate.com/">Kingdom &amp; State</a>, a women's swimwear line, which he sold when he was 33, as well as a women's fashion brand he created with blogger Rachel Parcell.France was vacationing with Rob in Las Vegas when a talent manager called him about the audition for <a href="https://www.insider.com/cast-of-queer-eye-then-and-now-2018-10">Netflix's "Queer Eye" reboot</a>. The fashion designer thought the odds of being cast were remote, but after several rounds of auditions, he wowed producers with his snappy attitude and sartorial sense.The original "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" was a trailblazer when it premiered on Bravo in 2003, helping to <a href="https://www.insider.com/we-us-ours-lgbtq-communities-and-queer-spaces">normalize the LGBTQ community </a>in the eyes of America at a time when meaningful queer representation on TV was scarce. The reboot debuted in 2018 at a more progressive, if more turbulent, time for the country. The show took off thanks to its joyful, compassionate tone and its willingness to address intersectional issues head-on. The reboot's Fab Five — France, Jonathan Van Ness, Karamo Brown, Bobby Berk, and Antoni Porowski — have drawn on their expertise in fashion, beauty, self-care, design, and food, respectively, to transform the lives of willing participants who run the gamut from a shy manga illustrator in Naka-ku, Yokohama, to a transgender powerlifter from San Antonio, Texas. By the end of its first season, the show had nabbed three Emmys, including one for outstanding structured reality program. Over the years, it has racked up six more. When "Queer Eye" first premiered, it felt like a safe haven for those of us wringing our hands over what the country might become. As I wondered what the Trump administration's colossal incompetence would yield next, I retreated to my couch and a show whose every episode brimmed with charm, exuberance, and messages of inclusivity. For roughly 45 minutes at a time, the world felt less angry and polarizing. <div type="image" title="Tan France holding a yellow hairdryer." height="2667" width="2000" msid="92416050" hostid="261" sizebytes="248338"></div>For France, the show was an unimaginable gift. "We get to be our queer selves, unabashedly," he says. "I've never felt like I've had a space like that before where I can be 100% comfortable to say: This is who I am. Like it or lump it."He became particularly close with one of his cohosts, food expert Porowski, after the first week of filming "Queer Eye." Porowski describes their relationship as intimate in a playful yet deeply significant way. "We hold hands, we sit in each other's laps, and we're two grown-ass men," Porowski says of France, adding that he didn't have many queer friends growing up. "I think part of me is reliving the childhood that I never really had where I was able to be free like that, where I had a friend who was like him. It's the joy of the chosen family."France's family expanded again with the addition of Ismail, <a href="https://www.insider.com/celebrity-parents-who-used-surrogates-2020-5">who was carried by a surrogate</a> — a process that he says was shockingly expensive and stressful. (A surrogacy can cost between $90,000 and $130,000.) Ismail arrived seven weeks early and spent the first three weeks of his life in the newborn intensive care unit. Still, France says that he's ready to do the whole thing over again — he and his husband Rob plan on trying for another child within the next two years — though he'll make a few adjustments."With the job that I have, and my husband's a full-time artist, we needed help," France says. "We should have done that sooner." He and Rob didn't have additional help with childcare for four months after they brought Ismail home; France describes that period as one of the most beautiful but "most difficult" times of his life. They eventually hired a night nurse for nearly two months to sleep train Ismail; now they employ a part-time nanny whom France calls a "life saver" and considers part of the family. The couple is currently building a new home, with a schoolroom, in Salt Lake City. They plan to host a community school with their friends' children and homeschool Ismail, motivated by incidents like the <a href="https://www.insider.com/timeline-of-school-shooting-at-robb-elementary-in-uvalde-texas-2022-5">recent mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas,</a> that left 19 children and two adults dead. France says he's horrified by the violent trend. "I don't know if it's happened in my lifetime, a school shooting in England, so for me, it's completely shocking," he says. "Yes, I've lived here for almost 15 years, but I'm still shocked that this has been allowed to keep happening. So those were the main conversations I would have with Rob: How do we keep our children safe?"<div type="image" title="Tan France smiles in a white shirt as a baby's hand rests on his cheek." height="2667" width="2000" msid="92416052" hostid="261" sizebytes="107946"></div>He is also concerned about the <a href="https://www.insider.com/insider-database-2020-deadliest-year-on-record-for-trans-people-2021-4">looming anti-trans</a> and so-called <a href="https://www.insider.com/florida-sudents-fight-back-after-dont-say-gay-yearbook-censorship-2022-5">"Don't Say Gay" bills </a>that threaten to further infringe upon the rights of LGBTQ people — and children — in over a dozen states. "I don't understand how we got here," he tells me. "It does worry me seeing just how hard people are fighting to take rights away from people when they're just minding their own business. They're just trying to live their lives. They're not doing anything to anyone. It is wildly frustrating."But there are some aspects of the US that he prefers to the UK. For instance, he believes his home country is "massively behind" when it comes to representation of brown people. France points to shows like <a href="https://www.insider.com/never-have-i-ever-season-3-netflix-details-information-2022-5">"Never Have I Ever"</a> and <a href="https://www.insider.com/the-sex-lives-of-college-girls-showrunner-nico-kimberly-interview-2021-12">"The Sex Lives of College Girls"</a> with brown actors in their casts, and entertainers like Mindy Kaling, Kumail Nanjiani, Hasan Minhaj, and fellow British-Pakistani actor Riz Ahmed — <a href="https://www.insider.com/youtube-asian-representation-wongfu-nigahia-michellephan">high-profile South Asians in Hollywood</a> who have become mainstream pop-culture fixtures in the past five years. In the UK, meanwhile, France says his community remains largely invisible on big and small screens. "I think that the people in power don't believe our value," France adds. "They don't understand our value. I don't know what more we can do to show that we can be entertainers. I'm on a big show for Netflix. We have won countless Emmys — if we win one more, we've broken the record for the most Emmys of any unscripted show in history. Yet I'm still not seen as bookable in the UK for a prime-time show. That's an issue."Stateside, France's career is thriving. He hosted the <a href="https://www.insider.com/selling-sunset-season-4-netflix-details-information-2020-8">"Selling Sunset" reunion</a>, which aired on Netflix in early May — an opportunity that came knocking just two weeks before the taping of the episode. France doesn't watch reality TV but believes he was tapped to host because he "can be a little more aggressive" than some of his "Queer Eye" counterparts. To prepare, he watched all five seasons of "Selling Sunset" over the course of two days on flights to and from London. <div type="image" title="Tan France flies in the air, holding a tuxedo jacket." height="1500" width="2000" msid="92416054" hostid="261" sizebytes="116488"></div>"I don't understand a filter, or I don't care about a filter," France explains. "I don't care about the weather. I want to know, 'Why did you get a divorce? Tell me about your relationship.' I don't do small talk. But I like to balance it out by truly caring about people and truly wanting to discover who they are and why they behave the way they behave."France also recently wrapped season two of Netflix's reality show, "Next in Fashion." Filmed in Brooklyn over the course of five weeks — a shoot that Rob and Ismail visited from time to time — France doesn't know exactly when it will air. (Netflix, he tells me, can take months to edit and review a season's episodes, leaving even a show's stars in the dark about a release date.)He is, however, willing to drop tantalizing hints about what exactly the season will entail. "For season one, it was all based on themes, like universal clothing that you would find pretty much in every closet around the world," he says. "This time that's not the case. I think it's more difficult. I think we pushed the designers to be even more creative."<iframe src="“https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/jcJyDSeV-3pQvepeD.html”" width="“100%”" height="“100%”" frameborder="“0&quot;" scrolling="“auto”" title="“Final" style="“position:absolute;”"></iframe>Another change to the program: France is cohosting this season with <a href="https://www.insider.com/gigi-hadid-facts-things-you-didnt-know-2018-11">supermodel Gigi Hadid</a> instead of British designer Alexa Chung. The swap seems like a logical one, given France and Hadid have been close friends since they met more than four years ago through a FaceTime call facilitated by <a href="https://www.insider.com/email-hack-eva-chen-automatic-responses-2018-12">Instagram's director of fashion partnerships, Eva Chen</a>. When France and Rob initially learned their surrogate was pregnant, Hadid was the first friend he told. Hadid, in turn, has given France parenting tips on baby supplies, sleep training, and schooling. "You've got to know how to work with somebody where you match your energy," France says. "So when you're on, you are down to play, you are a child, and that's what I am." When the cameras are off, he says, he and Hadid take mutual advantage of the downtime; they usually sit side by side watching TikTok videos or calling their respective babies. "There's a level of respect for how we work together like I've never understood before," he says. Hadid says she learned a lot from France while shooting "Next in Fashion," from handling technical aspects of a show to softer skills like keeping conversations going with contestants while the cameras are rolling. There's a synergy between the cohosts, she says. "You never really know, you can be friends with someone, respect someone, and then be put in a work environment with them — and it's why a lot of boy bands don't work out," she says. "It was such a blessing that my and Tan's work styles are very similar. We have a similar need for companionship. We got lucky." <div type="image" title="Tan France sits on the edge of a bed." height="1500" width="2000" msid="92416056" hostid="261" sizebytes="132782"></div>France is most excited to expand further into unscripted series, though at this point, it's unclear whether "Queer Eye" and "Next in Fashion" will come back for subsequent seasons. The former is getting a little long in the tooth by Netflix standards, particularly as the streamer has become choosier about which shows to renew. But all signs suggest Netflix is content to let the series continue its run: France and the rest of the Fab Five started filming the seventh season of "Queer Eye," set in New Orleans, earlier this month. (Netflix's longest-running show, <a href="https://www.insider.com/jane-fonda-says-netflix-chose-to-end-grace-and-frankie-2019-12">"Grace and Frankie," </a>with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, wrapped its run after seven seasons earlier this year.) "We're all knocking on a bit," France acknowledges, referring to the cast getting older. "I don't know how much people will care about our opinion on fashion and hair and whatever when we go into the middle-aged period of our life. I'm sure that they'll want somebody younger and hipper to advise them." Credits: Photography by Martin Schoeller Creative Direction by Liane Radel Production by Very Rare Productions, NYC Styling by Joseph Turla Grooming by Andrew Karrick Prop Styling by Anna Holmes Hurely Prop Styling Assistance by Brent Wingen Photographic Assistance by Jan Erting and Sarah Keum Video by Emily Christian, Kiran Chitanvis, and Marisa Frey Design and Development by <keyword id="12453087" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="kazi-awal" source="Orion">Kazi Awal</keyword> and Skye Gould Booking by Carl Leibowitz Editing by Claire Landsbaum, Joi-Marie McKenzie, Julie Zeveloff West, and Jonann Brady Social by Tanita Gaither, Elizabeth Morales, Victoria Gracie, and Tyler MurphySpecial thanks: Keisha James at Thompson Hotels Thompson Suite courtesy of The Beekman, a Thompson Hotel

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