Ashley Park talks about the “stressful” experience of filming the topless scenes for “Emily in Paris.”
The character of 33-year-old Mindy Chen is an aspiring singer who sets out on a journey to raise money for her band’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest in the fourth season of the hugely popular Netflix show.
In the eighth episode, she agrees to perform at the Crazy Horse, a Parisian cabaret known for its naked dancers.
But Park wasn’t so quick to say “oui” to what came next. The former “Only Murders in the Building” star described the topless scene as “every actor’s worst nightmare.”
“We have this recurring memory of being on stage in your underwear and not knowing what you’re doing,” Park confessed to People on Tuesday. “And that’s exactly what I experienced, but all around me were the most beautiful dancers in the world.”
The “Beef” actress even admitted that she had trouble getting through the scene.
“It was so stressful and so hard,” Park told the outlet. “If choreographer Kyle Hanagami and my team hadn’t come, I don’t think I would have been able to do it.”
However, Park told People that she was “really, really proud of (the scene) now,” noting that it was an acting experience she would “never forget.”
The topless scene was filmed after Park was hospitalized in January after contracting tonsillitis that “escalated into critical septic shock,” leading some fans to fear she would not appear in the show’s fourth season.
Earlier this week, Park shared a photo of herself at the season premiere of “Emily in Paris” in Rome and reflected on being a part of the show.
“Grazie mille to Rome for the warmest welcome,” she wrote on Instagram, “and to Netflix and everyone who made this premiere so special for our #emilyinparis family. Honestly, the fact that I almost couldn’t take part in this season hits me often and deeply… I am grateful for my health, for this show and for the support of all of you. A special pleasure to spend this once in a lifetime night in the exquisite @dior and with people I love!!”
