Move over Hot Chef, there’s a Hot Banker in Paris now! After being hand-picked by creator Darren Star, Lucien Laviscount has joined Emily In Paris for season two, as the American ingénue’s new love interest, sarcastic Brit Alfie. He arrives as a love rival to Gabriel, played by Lucas Bravo{
While Alfie isn't so keen on Paris, Lucien couldn’t be more enthusiastic about the ‘beautiful’ city. He also loved filming with Sex And The City creator Darren (‘It’s in the name, he’s a bigger star than anyone else’) and Lily Collins, who is also a producer on the show. ‘She opened the doors with open arms and that filters down for the rest of the cast and crew,’ he says.
The show might have been divisive when it first dropped on Netflix last year (with one review describing it as an ‘excruciating exorcism of French clichés’) but Lucien was a fan, and jumped at the chance to appear after his manager told him to ‘drop everything’ to take the role. ‘Especially with the world going crazy with the pandemic, to be able to be part of something that kind of brings a little bit of light, a bit of joy to people’s day,’ he says, ‘I felt blessed.’
It looks like Lucien is about to be the UK’s first major crush of 2022 – following in the footsteps of Regé-Jean Page and his spoon in Bridgerton, or Paul Mescal and his chain in Normal People. He says he’s ‘blushing’ already, though really he’s being humble, as female attention is nothing new for the actor – he’s been something of a poster boy since his teens. If you feel like you recognise his face, that’s because a decade ago Lucien was absolutely everywhere. He had recurring roles on Waterloo Road and Coronation Street and appeared in Skins and Casualty. At 19, he even appeared on Celebrity Big Brother (yes, alongside Jedward) and has been linked with a string of famous women, including Kelly Osbourne and Keke Palmer.
‘I’m glad I experienced the things I did back then,’ the 29-year-old says. ‘And I think that kind of puts me in good stead for things that can come in the future.’
Unbelievably, he only started acting because, after starring in an M&S ad campaign with David Beckham at the age of 10, the footballer suggested he gave acting a try. Becks’ assistant then hooked him up with a drama school in Manchester. ‘I owe the man a lot,’ he laughs.
Since his first taste of fame, Lucien has been working here and in the States, with appearances in various American shows, such as Scream Queens and Katy Keene, although his part in Emily In Paris is definitely his biggest. ‘I’m just really thankful that Darren and Lily thought I could bring Alfie to life,’ he says.
After recent photos appeared of him with Little Mix’s Jesy Nelson, Lucien’s love life is also back in the headlines. He says he understands it comes with the job, but he isn’t going to dwell on it. ‘I just keep focused on the work and that will speak for itself,’ he explains.
And while it’s likely that Emily In Paris fans will now be googling whether he’s single or not, Lucien is going to keep us guessing, insisting, ‘Nobody wants to know that!’ We think you’re about to be proven very, very wrong Lucien…
‘Emily In Paris’ is on Netflix now.
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