The perennial question faced by protagonists in fiction — especially, let’s be honest, female protagonists — is whether they are “likable.” It’s both an understandable question (to convince an audience to spend any significant amount of time in their company, one would think it should be pleasant to be around them) and a limiting one (“likable” characters are not the only ones who are interesting and rewarding to engage with).
Emily Cooper, the heroine of “Emily in Paris,” has been widely deemed unlikable, despite her immaculate brunette waves, kooky couture ensembles (courtesy of Patricia Field), and sunny disposition. Lily Collins, who plays Emily, has even felt compelled to defend her character’s “beautiful qualities” in interviews. “To have someone be optimistic, bright, and bubbly — it's sad to think that people would look and go, ‘That’s a lot,’” she told Nylon.
And we have to admit, we’re among those people. Since Emily first stepped a stiletto on th…
