Ashley Park says topless scene in Emily in Paris was a 'nightmare'

Ashley Park is opening up about the challenges of shooting topless for Emily in Paris' season 4, episode 8. The 33-year-old actress recently revealed how stressful the experience was.

At a press event in Rome on September 10, Park described the scene as “every actor’s worst nightmare.” In the episode, Mindy agrees to perform at the iconic cabaret to raise funds for her band’s Eurovision competition bid. However, the performance comes with a catch — it’s a venue known for its nude dancers.

“We have this recurrent memory of being onstage, not knowing what you're doing, in your underwear,” Park explained. “And that is what I was living out, actually, but surrounded by the most beautiful dancers in the world around me.”

The Beef star admitted that the scene took a toll on her. "It was so stressful and so hard to do," she told People. Park credited choreographer Kyle Hanagami and her support team for helping her push through. “If it had not been for the choreographer… I don’t think I would’ve gotten through it.”

In the episode, Mindy’s on-stage nerves are on full display, with her singing voice faltering during rehearsals when she has to strip down. However, she finds a creative solution during the performance, covering herself with different purses tossed to her by best friend Emily (played by Lily Collins) while dancing to Britney Spears’ "Oops!... I Did It Again."

Looking back, Park feels proud of her performance. “It’s one acting experience I will never forget doing,” she said.

Park also shared details about another touching moment from season 4: a singing scene in Rome where her character performs an original ballad called “Beautiful Ruins.” In the final episode, Mindy spontaneously writes the song after being inspired by a late-night conversation with Emily in the city’s historic piazzas.

“The final song in Rome is special because it was original,” Park said. She praised songwriter Freddy Wexler for bringing authenticity to the piece, adding, “He did such a beautiful job at infusing what felt like truth in my life into what was happening for the character.”