Kicking off our new MINI MOMENTS series, which will feature behind-the-scenes snaps from the most sensational pop culture releases, we asked Lily Collins to send photos taken while filming Emily in Paris, just ahead of the show’s third season premiere. Because we’re obsessed, we rang up the actress and producer to learn more about Emily’s forthcoming adventures, as well as the cast and crew’s vibe when the cameras stop rolling.

See below for the full discussion with Lily Collins.

MINI V: Hi Lily! Thanks for sending us these photos. Can you tell me a bit more about them?

LILY COLLINS: I had some BTS pictures, but also Ashley [Park], who plays Mindy Chen] is the queen of polaroids and actual film cameras. She’s always snapping away, and she sends them to me all the time. I was like, “Do you give me permission to use these?” And she said, “Of course!”

MV: Netflix is now releasing the third season of Emily in Paris. On your first day of shooting, did you have any sense that the show might have this longevity?

LC: You never know, when you’re signing up to do something that’s brand new, how it will be received or how long it’ll go on. We had no idea when season one would come out that it would be during a pandemic, when people weren’t able to travel, weren’t laughing so much, weren’t able to have a sense of escapism. And to be able to now talk about an upcoming season three, knowing that we’re going into season four, I’m still pinching myself. It feels like just yesterday that we shot the first season, ‘cause what even is time anymore?

MV: Now that the show has such a massive following, do you feel pressure to deliver something specific to fans who are hoping for certain storylines, or plot points, etc.?

LC: You know, it’s a matter of wanting to give the audience what they’re hoping for, because they’ve known (the show) for two years, and we want to deliver that laughter, that escapism, that beautiful aesthetic. But, at the same time, we want it to be clued into the time we’re living in—everything that is happening socially, economically, environmentally, and politically. I think it’s important, when you have the opportunity to listen to an audience, to take note of what people respond to, take note of what people have comments about, and to think, Okay, so how can we listen? How can we grow? How can we make this thing even better?

MV: I imagine one of the hardest things about being not only an actor but also a producer for a show is trying to balance all these things—the show’s levity but also some of its more serious or heartfelt topics.

LC: Something I’m learning in life and also learning in work is that you can’t be all things to all people. So, it’s just a matter of being true to what you’re trying to do…that’s what I’m learning more and more by playing Emily.

MV: Very true. You also sound exactly like my therapist, so thank you for that reminder.

LC: Well, that just means that all of my therapy over the years has been doing me good!

MV: Back to the photos—they make filming the show seem really fun. What is the energy like off-camera?

LC: It literally feels like the cameras just keep rolling. Sometimes it’s hard to figure out what is the show and what is real life, because we have so many familiar experiences compared to the show—there’s so much mirroring that happens. But the show feels fun when you watch it because it feels fun when we film it. Darren Star does a really great job of casting and bringing people together. It’s a skill that you can’t learn. And all the photos that I sent you, those moments are so genuine and so pure. I’m very, very lucky and grateful. It’s rare to have this sense of camaraderie and familial friendship.

Emily in Paris (season three) is out on December 21st, 2022.

As seen in the pages of MINI V, now available for preorder.