Emily in Paris star Lily Collins says show will address controversy in season 2

"I really wanted diversity and inclusion in front of and behind the camera."

Emily in Paris season two is going to look and feel a little different, its star and producer Lily Collins has said.

The Netflix series, which is due to return at the end of the year, now has a greater focus on "diversity and inclusion", after some viewers criticised the first season for not being truly reflective of Paris.

"For me as Emily, but also as a producer, after season one, hearing people's thoughts, concerns, questions, likes, dislikes, just feelings about it, there were certain things that spoke to the time that we're living in and what's right and moral and correct and should be done," the actress said, in reference to the first season's predominantly white cast.

Sharing her commitment to a more diverse and representative series, Collins added: "[That was] something that I felt passionate about. [The producers] all believed in the same things.

"I really wanted diversity and inclusion in front of and behind the camera to be something that we really put our focus on, in a lot of ways."

As for what that entails practically, Lily said that Emily in Paris has since hired "new people in front of the camera" and given "new storylines to different characters".

Collins' reassurances about season two come after she was forced to defend the "optimistic, bright and bubbly" nature of her character – which some found annoying.

"It's sad to think that people would look and go, 'That's a lot'. They're such beautiful qualities," she said. "[She can also] partner that with being vulnerable and asking for help and making mistakes – she's not infallible."

Emily in Paris is available to stream on Netflix now. Season two is set to premiere on December 22.