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Malcolm McDowell is saying “non merci” to Emily in Paris.
The actor, 82, tells PEOPLE in an exclusive interview that the Netflix series his daughter-in-law Lily Collins leads, about a young woman who relocates to Paris for a job opportunity, isn’t his cup of tea.
“To be honest with you, it’s not my kind of thing, and Lily knows that,” McDowell says, referring to son Charlie McDowell’s wife and her popular show.
“But I’m the biggest fan of my daughter-in-law. I think she’s absolutely one of the great actresses,” the Et Tu star continues.
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Collins stars in Emily in Paris as Emily Cooper, a woman who juggles her career at a French marketing firm with her love life, friendships and more.
The series, created by Darren Star, premiered in October 2020. Its season 5 is currently filming and has a yet-to-be-announced release date.
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Collins and Charlie, 42, wed in September 2021. The couple announced the arrival of their first baby, daughter Tove Jane, whom they welcomed via surrogate, earlier this year.
The pair both share familial connections to the entertainment industry. Charlie’s dad is the A Clockwork Orange actor, and his mother is Mary Steenburgen. Collins’ father is Phil Collins, and her mom is Jill Tavelman.
Giulia Parmigiani/Netflix
According to Malcolm, “the aura around” daughter-in-law Collins “is so beautiful.” He continues, “She has such a beautiful quality.”
“As far as I’m concerned, when she’s on the screen, there’s nobody else on it, because she’s not only a good actress, but she has a beautiful quality. I suppose, it’s a sort of charisma,” adds the proud father-in-law.
And though he doesn’t watch Emily in Paris, Malcolm believes the European city owes Collins “a great debt” for all the tourism she has brought in. “I’m sure [it] has gone up so much from people in the United States watching and going, ‘Yeah, let’s go to Paris,’ ” says the Golden Globe and SAG Award nominee.
Et Tu is available to stream and purchase now. All four seasons of Emily in Paris are available to stream on Netflix.