Lily Collins is the first to agree that the finale of season four of Emily in Paris was a wild one – and it looks like Netflix is going to need to rename the show Emily in Rome. But, it wasn’t just the chaotic location change that stuck with viewers – it was also the vulnerable side of Emily that we finally got to see.

Emily’s character is at times insufferably happy, and it always seems like there’s no problem too big for her to navigate. But, it all seemed to come crashing down for her after she loses both of her love interests, Gabriel and Alfie.


lily collins breakdown crying scene

via Netflix

At a season four press event, Lily Collins spoke with PEOPLE about her heavy-going tearful moments in Emily in Paris, which she actually seemed happy about filming: “I was really actually so happy that Emily finally has moments to break, and to break down, because it was important to showcase more of a vulnerable side to her this season since there were so many things being thrown her way, so many things she thought were true and then weren’t true.”

However, according to Lily, Emily’s losses aren’t as sad as they’re made out to be: “I think it’s really important to also just showcase Emily as someone who is very strong and capable and able, and at the same time, capable and able of feeling emotions and not knowing what’s going on, because you can’t have your stuff together all the time, and I think that was really important.”
Emily in paris lily collins

via Netflix

It seems that Emily has taught Lily a lot of life lessons, too. She gushed that playing the marketing queen has shown her “how to think on my feet very quickly. How to be more solution-driven. How to always lead with kindness and love.” She loves how it “hits home daily” to play “someone that leads with kindness and love.” How adorable! Maybe we can all take a leaf out of Emily’s book.