Emily in Paris star Ashley Park is Glamour Germany’s 2024 Actress of the Year and opens up about challenges, her near-death experience, and how she found her voice.

Ashley Park is among the reasons—if not the reason—you love Emily in Paris. As Mindy Chen, Park provides both lightness and depth in a series that oscillates between kitsch and charm. Her singing, her comic timing, and her undisguised vulnerability are a key part of the Netflix series’s success.

But Ashley Park is far more than the entertaining bestie of the title character: Since her Grammy nomination for the Broadway show The King and I (2016) and her Tony Award nomination for the Broadway version of Mean Girls (2018), she has made the leap to in-demand star, having booked a wide array of projects recently, including roles in Joy Ride, Girls5eva, Beef, and Only Murders in the Building.

The themes of self-reflection and openness run like a thread through our interview, which we conducted in New York as part of our cover shoot. Her strength, says Park, comes from the many challenges in her life: As a teenager, she overcame a bout with leukemia; as a young actress, she battled her way through nerve-racking auditions, where she often faced rejection by pointing out her Asian heritage.

And as recently as January, she was hospitalized for a month for septic shock—the doctors saw little chance of recovery. But Park fought her way back to life, thanks in part to the help of her boyfriend, Emily in Paris costar Paul Forman, and soon after filmed the fourth season of the Netflix series alongside Lily Collins and shared her experiences with the public to raise awareness about sepsis and trauma.

Congratulations on the fourth season! Is Mindy moving to Rome now?

Ashley Park: I hope so! Mindy definitely gets that typical “girly girl” moment where she says, “I’m coming.”

How much has your life changed since Emily in Paris?

Completely! But some of it would have happened without the series. It’s been with me since my late 20s—a special time when I learned a lot about myself. Like the characters, I also found my voice. The series has accelerated my development and opened up opportunities for me—including cover shoots. I’m now part of conversations I never expected to be a part of.

You sing and perform in the show. Were producers specifically looking for a multitalented person for Mindy?

No, that was a coincidence. Mindy wasn’t exactly defined yet, but the producers knew my work on Broadway. The vocals came in after I asked if I would sing in the show. It shows Mindy’s emotional side behind her confident façade.

How much Ashley Park is in Mindy—and how much Mindy is in Ashley Park?

We are both vulnerable and openhearted, nonjudgmental, and value friendships. But Mindy is less of a people pleaser—I could still learn that from her!

Mindy is also a real power player when it comes to fashion. Do you have similar taste?

We definitely both have our own style. And Mindy sometimes wears Balmain, sometimes pajamas. I know that well. We also both have a completely different background to those around us. I grew up in Michigan—I didn’t even know what a luxury item was back then. I can empathize with this difference.

Would Mindy have to fight more in real life? We know the common stereotype of women in short skirts or with platinum blonde hair who are considered superficial.

Absolutely. Growing up often means dealing with pigeonholing and realizing that it happens whether you like it or not. I was ashamed of my appearance and heritage for a long time, growing up in a white community without many Asian friends.

In my 30s, I developed my self-esteem and found it easier to walk into a room proudly. That doesn’t mean I no longer have challenges or that social problems have disappeared. But being comfortable in your own skin plays a big part. What’s refreshing about the series is that the friendship between Mindy and Emily works without them wanting to change each other. Of course, there are misunderstandings and conflicts, but they grow from them.

What are your thoughts on diversity in Hollywood? Specifically within the Asian community?

A lot still needs to change! Many creatives are still fighting for a seat at the table. I feel particularly responsible as there are very few Asian actors in my privileged position. When I came into the industry, I actually felt like the path was already clearer for someone like me. But we’ve only just started. The difference compared to 10 years ago is that we can now talk openly about these issues. Representation is no longer a taboo subject.

You were diagnosed with cancer as a teenager and suffered from septic shock this year. How do you handle extreme health situations?

Every trauma has given me a new perspective. People often just see the fancy gown on the red carpet or me on a magazine cover without knowing what I’ve been through. My struggles have taught me that everyone has experienced something we can’t see. Empathy has become my foundation. And I’ve become more solution-oriented and motivate myself when I’m feeling down. In this way, I hope to inspire others.

No one benefits from a mentality where everyone thinks they’ve had the worst. I know what it means to get through trauma and to move on. But it’s also important to feel the pain. I promise, when you get to the other side, you will be much stronger than you were before.

What’s your approach to mental health?

An important lesson was not to be so hard on myself. I was in a lot of pain after my septic shock and didn’t know if I would make it through my working day. It was incredibly difficult not to let myself get frustrated. My biggest lesson has been to not see doing less as a failure. My friends Paul and Lily saved me in many ways.

The press tour was also surprisingly healing. Meeting people who told me I helped them get through a bad day was healing. And becoming Mindy again, slipping into her incredible outfits, helped me too. Some people think distraction is the opposite of healing, but for me it’s not. I’ve learned that everyone heals differently.

You and Paul are such a great couple, in the show and in real life. How did it start?

Just before Paul joined the show, I swore I would never date an actor again. Besides, he lived in London and I didn’t want a long-distance relationship. When he was on set for the first time and looked so incredibly good, I thought: “I’m not falling for this red flag.” But then he blew me away. I had never met a straight white man who was so thoughtful and so generous. He challenged the script when his character was mean to Mindy—that’s rare in the industry.

After Paul was cast for the role, we spent a weekend together working on our parts. On our trip to Warsaw, I realized, “I am so in love with this man.” I never believed in fate, but the timing was right. He’s the perfect person for me, and I’m more confident in our relationship than ever before.