Emily in Paris' Lily Collins, Ashley Park Say Their Characters' "Sisterhood" Needed to Be Challenged

When Emily—who had just returned from Italy after the Rome office failed to take off—learned about the news through her boss Sylvie's assistant, her très cute bond with the rising pop star was put to the test. 

"What's important to us is that these characters are still growing and learning and really finding themselves," Ashley, 34, continued. "I think that personally, you have the most personal growth when a rug is pulled out from under you."

Meanwhile, Lily emphasized how Emily and Mindy ultimately reconciled was just as important. After all, the former wasn't hurt that her best friend was involved with Alfie, but rather that she had kept it a secret.

"For us, it's always our friendship and our relationship that is so important to us, to maintain, to uphold, to celebrate, to challenge," Lily told E!. "This year was a challenge because they were thrown these shocking turns of events."

"If it was going to go there, we really needed it to live and breathe in that uncomfortability," she recalled. "It can't just be something that's referenced, and then it's like, 'OK, half an episode later, it's fine.'"

Although Mindy and Emily fought and made amends in episode six—in which the latter admitted that she needed to "stop punishing" her—the 36-year-old wanted their eventual reunion to feel genuine.

"It has to be realistic in the way that it's handled and dealt with," Lily added, "and we need the space and time to breathe and separate."

As Emily embraces this chapter in her life, keep reading for a closer look at season five of Emily in Paris.

Emily in Paris season five is now streaming on Netflix.