Marley Dias Is Making the Literary World a Little More Colorful

Cortney Clift
Oct 01, 2018

Marley Dias Is Making the Literary World a Little More Colorful

Marley Dias learned to read when she was only two years old. She’s a voracious reader and self-proclaimed book nerd. But when Dias was 11 years old, she noticed that most of the books being taught at her school were about “white boys and their dogs.” So, she did something about it. In 2015, Dias launched #1000BlackGirlBooks.

With her initial goal to collect and distribute 1,000 books featuring Black girls as the lead character having been surpassed more than tenfold, Dias has now gone on to write her own book, Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You, a guide teaching other kids how they can become activists and create change in their own communities.

Now entering her first year of high school, Dias is showing no signs of slowing down — at least not until “we can create diversity and equity in institutions and in school curriculums,” she tells us. Here, the 13-year-old shares more about her campaign, her aspirations for the future, and what it was like writing a book of her own.

B+C: Initially your #1000BlackGirlBooks campaign was intended to run until you found 1,000 books where Black girls are the main characters. But now you’ve collected 12,000 books and the initiative is still going strong. When did you realize this was something with lasting power?

Dias: I think I first realized that when I spoke to a bunch of superintendents in New York State Schools. They were very impressed and I convinced them why it’s really important to have diversity in books. It showed me that I wasn’t going to be able to just solve this problem in my school, but that it was going to extend beyond New Jersey and my school district.

B+C: Going off that, why do you think it’s important for adults to listen to the opinions of kids?

Dias: First of all, we are sponges to the world around us. There are little things that parents and adults do that every kid can absorb. So, it’s important that you spread messages of positivity and acceptance of everybody to young kids because — second point — we are the future. The things that we absorb when we’re younger, they affect how we treat others as we grow up.

B+C: Why do you think it’s important for young Black girls to see themselves as main characters in books?

Dias: It’s important because it develops a sense of identity. I think that you can tell already that I’m articulate in what I have to say. I’m clear and I know my opinions and I can express my opinions because I always saw other young Black girls in books doing that. I never felt like I wasn’t capable of being an archaeologist or a doctor or an activist or a singer because I knew that there were stories out there and people out there in the world — whether they were made up or not — who had done those things as young Black girls. I think it encouraged me to be like, “Marley, even if this is hard, even if this is difficult, you know that Velma in One Crazy Summer, she was able to do that. So, you can do that too. You know that Jacqueline in Brown Girl Dreaming was able to stand up to a student who was making fun of her. So, you can too.” I think one of the things people really value about the campaign is seeing their children — their Black children — feel like they have so much more potential.

B+C: What do your friends think of all the work that you do?

Dias: A lot of my friends who are Black or people of color can very much understand what that struggle was and now they get to see the improvements, even in our own schools. And for my white friends, they get to understand more of the social action part about expressing your voice. I teach them, “This is what it’s like. This is hard. You can use your power that you have to help others.” I show them the campaign is a mix of all of that. My Black identity and me as a Black girl, it allows for my social justice to be able to come together and it allows for my voice to be able to be heard.

B+C: Speaking of you and your friends, what characteristics do you think Gen Z has that other generations don’t?

Dias: I think we’re innovative when it comes to technology and creative about the ways that we share our ideas. Being a performance artist or a spoken word poet, all these things already have existed, but I think that the access to technology that everybody has now uplifts all these ways of self-expression. That’s something I get to witness even in my school and even online. That’s really exciting.

B+C: You’ve done so much in the book realm, but this year you wrote and published your own book, Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You! What was that experience like?

Dias: Writing Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You was a really fun experience. It was difficult, though, because I wrote it during school. I don’t think everybody realizes that I still go to school. Writing it was really tough but also so rewarding, because I think that the book is now just something that people can physically hold to see the representation of all my ideas. I don’t think Scholastic knew I had so many other ideas, but I’m happy that we were able to get basically all of them into the book.

B+C: What do you have coming up that you’re excited about?

Dias: I start high school soon. I’m excited for that! As far as activism, I think the next thing is the 1,000 Black Girl Books app. We have a resource guide already online that has 1,000 of the books that have been collected with the campaign. So, I’m excited to make that digital so we can support local authors and make sure that their stories can be bought on Amazon or that people have more access to these other stories.

B+C: What’s the big dream for you when you grow up?

Dias: The big dream… I’d like to be a stage producer or a field producer. I’d like to be working in TV and directing and writing. I like that stuff a lot. Ava DuVernay wrote the introduction to my book. She was one of the first people to really invest in 1,000 Black Girl Books, so I got a lot of inspiration from her and what she does.

B+C: How would you like to see the world change by 2030?

Dias: By 2030, I would like for institutions to be shaped in a way where everyone feels as though their voices are represented and their ideas are represented. So, when it comes to schools, when it comes to housing, when it comes to law, I wanna make sure that everyone — whether or not I know them or not, I agree with them, or I disagree with them — that they are able to have their voices shared and that their ideas come from a place of equity.

Written by: Cortney Clift and Kat Armstrong

Design by: Yising Chou

Photos via: Cynthia Edorh/David Livingston/Getty Images

“Future Women of America” is a multimedia project spotlighting 15 young women under 20 who are making bold moves. Click here to see all the trailblazing women and girls featured.

Amanda Gorman Is Speaking Out and It’s Pure Poetry

Before youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman recited her breathtaking poem, "The Hill We Climb," at the inauguration of President Joe Biden on January 20, 2021, Brit + Co featured her as part of our "Future Women of America," a multimedia project spotlighting 15 young women under 20 who were making bold moves. Click here to see all the trailblazing women and girls featured.

In November of 2017, Amanda Gorman went on MTV to deliver her “State of the Union" address. Standing at a podium in a sparkly, coral dress, Gorman leaned into the mic and began reciting her poem: “History doesn't wait / It doesn't reach out / Change only comes to those who speak out / So I did." Gorman wasn't addressing the nation as president (although she does plan to run in 2036), but rather as the nation's first-ever youth poet laureate. The title, awarded to Gorman in April 2017, wasa trailblazing role and one that Gorman seemed born to play.

As a spoken word poet, she's used to taking center stage and using her work to speak out on topics like oppression, feminism, race, and marginalization. But in this new role, she made a point to take some time to sit back and listen to America's youth. During her year as youth poet laureate of the U.S., she went on a summer tour to visit libraries and schools across the country. She also focused on bringing poetry into places (like MTV) where it isn't typically seen.

Gorman has now passed the year-long tenure to another talented young poet, but her career has only just begun. A student at Harvard, Gorman still performs frequently across the country, all while maintaining a 4.0 GPA (she has since graduated cum laude). Here we talk with Gorman about what it was like to be the first-ever youth poet laureate, what inspires her as a writer, and what happened when she finally met her hero, Lin-Manuel Miranda.

B+C: What was your greatest accomplishment of the last year?

Gorman: I got to meet Lin-Manuel Miranda last month, and I'm sorry, it doesn't get much better than that! I was asked if I wanted to perform a poem honoring him and also Dick Van Dyke — they were both receiving an award — and it was kind of like, “Duh," with a capital D-U-H, exclamation mark! I didn't bring world peace. I didn't find a cure for cancer. But I have to say, getting to meet Lin-freakin'-Manuel Miranda literally makes me feel like I have an armored shield on my chest. He is such an idol, especially with what he did with Hamilton, really revolutionizing the way in which stories can be told. That is always what I'm aspiring to with my own work as a poet.

B+C: Speaking of celebrity run-ins, back in 2016 you were invited to the White House to meet Michelle Obama. What was that like?

Gorman: When I got there, I was looking out and I saw the White House lawn. I remembered Michelle Obama's Democratic National Convention speech, where she mentions looking out at that lawn and seeing her daughters play in the house that was built by slaves. I'm the descendant of slaves, particularly one further up the line whose name was Amanda as well, and I was just having a full-circle moment. Meeting with the first black First Lady as a descendant of slaves, being honored for writing when my ancestors would be prosecuted for doing the same thing, I was literally about to faint from just the majesty of it.

B+C: There's often this idea that poetry is archaic and boring. What do you think of the relationship between young people and poetry today?

Gorman: I think there's something in the way in which poetry is taught in the classroom that gives it a characteristic of being old and this kind of medieval form that only has one shape and one voice. Growing up, I wasn't always really deeply exposed to young writers, writers of color, or writers that were women. What's really exciting, especially now with technology and the digital age, is there's a lot of access and exposure that instantly happens when you have spoken word poets who can get millions of views online. You have poets posting their work on Instagram, and that becomes shareable and accessible. So poetry is no longer just siphoned to an exclusive realm, but it really can be by anyone, for anyone. It's really the art of the people, and I think younger generations are really the ones who are taking that, running with it, and doing really phenomenal things.


B+C: How do you think poetry and performing have affected your confidence and your self-esteem?

Gorman: You know, I think it's a dual relationship. My poetry is all the more self-assured and profound when it's coming from a place of security rather than a place of doubt. That's not to say that I don't question myself, but being a performance poet, being a spoken word poet is 80 percent about body language. It's about convincing people that my words deserve to be heard before they even hear my voice. If I'm going to pursue my art, if I'm going to continue doing that which I love, then I have to love myself. I have to be confident enough in myself that I can compel other people to love my work as well.

B+C: What do you do when the writer's block hits?

Gorman: My game plan changes depending on the situation, but what I've been doing recently is reading memoirs, letters, or essays by mostly women writers who struggled with the same thing. I read about how they knocked down those barriers. There's this one essay I've been reading and rereading. It's called “Thoughts on Writing: A Diary," by Susan Griffin, in the collection The Writer on Her Work. There's a line where she says, “This experience renders a precise meaning," and I just repeat that to myself. This experience of having writer's block, this experience of suffering, this experience of doubt, has a precise meaning through my writing. I might not see it yet, but over time and with work and with perseverance, that meaning will make itself clear to me.

B+C: What is the biggest struggle for you in your work?

Gorman: Being a full-time student [at Harvard]. I'll be traveling to Colorado, California, New York City… but I also have a paper due that's not going to write itself. I hope that challenge doesn't sound too self-centered, but I'm trying to be honest about it because I don't like to pretend I'm someone I'm not. What I can say is that I'm someone who's in love with poetry and sharing it with others, and I'm also someone who's in love with learning and being a student.


B+C: What's on the horizon for you?

Gorman: Finishing my last two years at Harvard and graduating. My life is a mosaic of many different things. I'm really taking the time to focus on my writing. I'm working on some book ideas, and I'm hoping that I can turn those out before I go back to school and have more essays due. That's definitely something that's on the horizon for me. Also, probably stalking Lin-Manuel Miranda.

B+C: What do you say to other young women who are your age or maybe your age when you started, who have big career dreams but aren't sure how to go about achieving them?

Gorman: I don't believe in an aspiring anything. I don't believe in an aspiring writer, an aspiring director… If you want to go do it, go out there and do it. If you want to lead your community, if you want to be a scientist, that's something you can desire to do, but it's also something that you can get started on right now. Don't hesitate, don't wait. Don't aspire. I'm trying to find something that rhymes with this to make it sound cooler. Oh, maybe like, “Don't aspire, achieve!"

Written by: Cortney Clift

Design by: Yising Chou

Photos courtesy of Anna Zhang and Amanda Gorman

This article has been updated from a 2018 post.

Premieramanda gormanpoetryFuture Women of America

6 Crazy "Outer Banks" Opinions That Would Totally Change The Show

I'll admit out of the many teen dramas I've consumed, Outer Banks is one of the most ridiculous. But the insanity surrounding the plot is half the reason it's enjoyable! John B. wrestling an alligator with his bare hands? Kiara getting kidnapped then making a daring escape in her PJ's? John B. and Sarah getting married (kind of) by the power of "the sky, the stars, and the sea" after escaping the SBI?

Considering my favorite fan theory for the future is that Madelyn Cline's Sarah and Rudy Pankow's JJ learn they're secret siblings, I know the crazy train isn't slowing down anytime soon. I took to Reddit to find the wildest Outer Bankshot takes and I was not disappointed. Keep reading to see if you agree with any!

JJ and Kiara Never Should Have Happened

Image via Netflix

While JJ and Kiara is one of the most popular ships on the show, a lot of Outer Banks fans think the "no Pogue-on-Pogue macking" rule from the pilot should have stayed in effect. The individual romances between Kiara and JJ, John B., and Pope make the story really messy, and the fact the show writes Kiara to be with all three of them in the span of three years gives a lot of viewers the ick.

I'll be team #Jiara forever (and literally screamed when The Backseat Lovers' "Kilby Girl" started playing during the motorcycle ride in season 3), but I'll say it would incredibly compelling to see a friend group take care of each other as much as the Pogues do without ever crossing over into romantic territory. That's found family, after all!

Pope Should Have Ditched The Treasure Hunt

Image via Netflix

One Reddit user is convinced that "Pope should’ve focused on his future in school instead of giving everything up to search for treasure." And TBH, I totally agree.

In season 1, Pope has a breakthrough about the hidden treasure in the middle of his scholarship interview. He ditches the scholarship committee to tell the rest of the Pogues, throwing away a crazy educational opportunity. Pope beats himself up for it, and his parents definitely aren't pleased, but at least it meant he got to stay in the show instead of leaving for college, which leads me to...

Outer Banks Should Have Started With The Pogues In Their 20s

Image via Netflix

As one of the only people alive who loves the post-time jump One Tree Hill, I would have loved to see OBX start off with the characters in their 20s (although it looks like that's where Outer Banks season 4 will pick up!). This would eliminate SO MANY problems from the jump because the Pogues wouldn't have to worry about missing school, they'd be more self-sufficient, and instead of being the same old high school drama, it could have provided a commentary on figuring out life in your 20s the same way Friends did.

Rafe Shouldn't Have Any Kind Of Redemption Arc In Outer Banks Season 4

Image via Netflix

Drew Starkey the man that you are. According to one Reddit user, "Rafe should not have a love interest or a redemption arc" like we see in season 3. We spent all of season 1 and season 2 establishing that Rafe (played by Drew) would do anything it took to get what he wanted (including one successful murder and two other attempts?!). He shows next to no remorse for his actions, and exploring his literal psychopathic tendencies would take the show to a whole new level.

Big John Should Never Have Returned

Image via Netflix

John B.'s dad's disappearance is the catalyst for the Pogues' journey at the beginning of Outer Banks, and Big John's return means the story feels somewhat repetitive in the third season, and it undoes a lot of the growth we've seen from John B. Plus, Big John is just SO chaotic, selfish, and dramatic. If he had truly died in season 1, we could have seen John B. wrestle with that finality, and how to cope with loss in the face of finding the treasure and falling in love with Sarah.

And Finally, Outer Banks Should Have Ended After Season 1

Image via Netflix

Outer Banks season 1 was exactly what we needed at the height of the pandemic. It was escapist — both in terms of the beach vacation vibes, but also because the '00s aesthetic took us right back to simpler times — and it had such a wonderfully resolved finale that some fans think nothing has matched it.

Do you agree with any of these Outer Banks opinions? I'm such a romance fan, I don't know what I'd do if the show didn't have JJ and Kiara get together! Check out all the best New TV Shows coming this year for more.

Lead image via Netflix

tvouter banksentertainmentpop culture

Brit + Co's 'Grammable Guide to Holiday Cookies


Brit + Co's 'Grammable Holiday Cookie Guide

As long as Rudolph’s nose is red and wintry wonderlands are white, the holidays and cookies will go hand in hand (or, preferably, in both hands). We teamed up with cookie artists Ashley McNeal and Vickie Liu to help you create some of the prettiest cookies on the block! Get ready for serious inspiration, whether you're a total cookie newbie or a next-level baker.

Cookie Decorating Essentials

Cookie Decorating Essentials

Must-have tools and equipment

Half the battle of whipping up the perfect batch of cookies is having the right equipment. Here are all the essential tools you'll need in the kitchen to help master any recipe.

FOR MAKING DOUGH

Measuring Cups & Spoons

$10
Buy Now

Stand Mixer

$229
Buy Now

FOR ROLLING OUT DOUGH

Parchment Paper

$4
Buy Now

FOR BAKING COOKIES

Baking Sheet

$14
Buy Now

Cookie Cutters

$18
Buy Now

FOR DECORATING

Mixing Bowls

$23
Buy Now

Piping Bags

$17
Buy Now

FOR FINISHING TOUCHES

Gel Food Colors

$12
Buy Now

Pearl Sprinkles

$4
Buy Now

Succulent Cookies

Succulent Cookies

Homegrown… well, homemade!

Create a Christmas succulent garden on top of a round cookie for an on-trend treat. We used a peanut butter sugar cookie as the base and vanilla buttercream for the cactus effect, but you could always go with your fave flavors and apply the same decorating technique.

(Makes 24 cookies)

Ingredients:

  • 1 batch peanut butter cookie dough
  • 1 batch buttercream frosting
  • gel food colors: green, black, brown, terracotta, lime green
  • pearl sprinkles: red, white, gold

Equipment:

Directions:

1. Bake the cookies. Roll out the cookie dough, cut it using a round cookie cutter, and bake until golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool completely before decorating.

2. Dye the buttercream frosting. Divide frosting into five bowls and use the coloring to create varying shades of green plus terracotta. Bowl one: Dye with black and green food gels, beginning with just a drop until you create a dark green. Bowl two: Add drops of green and brown to achieve a less-dark green. Bowl three: Dye with black and green to form darkest color green. Bowl four: Dye with terracotta. Bowl five: Dye with lime green.

3. Transfer frosting into piping bags. Bowl one goes into a piping bag fitted with tip #243. Bowl two is fitted with tip #62, and Bowl three is fitted with tip #2. Bowl four and five go into the bag together (one on each side), fitted with tip #21.

4. Pipe on details with buttercream icing. Use tip fitted with #61 to pipe on a large succulent on the cookie. Pipe a cone-shaped base for the center, then pipe arch-shaped rows from top to bottom as you turn the cookie. Then use a medium rosette piping tip #243 to create smaller succulents. Pipe multi-color spikes for filler succulents with #21 piping tip. Lastly, apply small green pearls for final filler with #2 piping tip.

5. Sprinkle on those pearls. After icing each cookie, quickly sprinkle a few pearls. Allow to dry.


Get the Recipes

Peanut Butter Sugar Cookies

Buttercream Frosting

Galaxy Snowflake Cookies

Galaxy Snowflake Cookies

Hello, cosmic creation

These starry night snowflake cookies look pretty stellar, don’t they? There are various icing techniques used in this intermediate recipe. You can make them simpler by skipping some of the decorative piping and focusing on the mirror glaze. The results will still be out of this world.

(Makes 24 cookies)

Ingredients:

  • 1 batch peanut butter cookie dough
  • 1 batch royal icing
  • gel food colors: purple, blue, black
  • edible silver stars
  • edible gold luster dust (mixed with vodka to create a gold paint)
  • white pearl sprinkles
  • white sanding sugar

Equipment:

Directions:

1. Bake the cookies. Roll cookie dough out, cut it using a snowflake cookie cutter, and bake until golden brown. Allow cookies to cool completely before decorating.

2. Dye the royal frosting. Divide it into four bowls. Bowl one: Dye with enough purple food gel to create a vibrant color. Bowl two: Do the same with the blue drops. Bowl three: Dye with black, beginning with one drop and adding more as needed. Bowl four: Leave white.

3. Transfer frosting into piping bags. Fill the purple, blue, and half of the black royal icings into a bag fitted with tip #2. Put the remaining black icing from bowl three into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. White icing goes into a bag fitted with tip #1.

4. Line and fill each cookie. Use the black icing bag and outline each snowflake to create a dam for flooding with icing (AKA filling the entire cookie with icing). Flood with the purple, blue, and black mixture. Drizzle in a little white. Use a toothpick or chopstick to lightly swirl the frosting to the outside edges.

5. Add galactic touches. Sprinkle on stars, and splatter on the edible gold luster dust with the paint brush. Let royal icing dry until hardened.

6. Pipe on the snowflake. Pipe on a snowflake design on the tops of each cookie using the white icing. Add a pearl sprinkle to the center. Coat with sanding sugar and shake off excess. Allow to dry.


Get the Recipes

Peanut Butter Sugar Cookies

Royal Icing

Candy Cane Sloth Cookies

Candy Cane Sloth Cookies

Slow things down

We're always rush-rush-rushing during the holidays, so why not take after the sloth and slow things down. Bake cookies and meticulously ice them, sloth-like, so every detail is perfectly placed. We created our own custom cookie cutter! Download our cookie cutter printable, take it to your local baking supply shop, and have them 3D print the cutter for you. Or, in a pinch, print the doc, cut out the shape, and use it to trace around the dough.

(Makes 24 cookies)

Ingredients:

  • 1 batch peanut butter cookie dough
  • 1 batch royal icing
  • gel food colors: brown, black, red, pink, green
  • edible black pen

Equipment:

Directions:

1. Bake the cookies. Roll out the dough out, cut it using a candy cane sloth cookie cutter, and bake until golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool completely before decorating.

2. Dye the royal frosting. Divide it into six bowls. Bowl one: Adding one drop at a time, create a light brown color with brown food gel. Bowl two: Dye black, using one drop and adding more as needed. Bowl three: Dye red, using those drops a few at a time. Bowl four: Do the same with the pink gel. Bowl five: Leave white. Bowl 6: Dye green using those drops, a few at a time.

3. Transfer frosting into piping bags. The green icing goes into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. The remaining icings go in separate piping bags fitted with tip #2.

4. Sketch on your design. Use the edible black pen to draw out your design.

5. Pipe on the icing. Line the candy cane with white and red. Flood the candy cane with white and red icing, and allow for dry time. Line the scarf with green icing, the Santa hat with red and white icing, and the sloth body with brown. Flood the scarf and hat with green, red and white icing. Repeat for the sloth body and add the eye detail with light and dark brown. Allow dry time.

6. Add final details. Draw on a mouth and nose with the edible marker. Add eyes and toenails with black icing in piping tip. Line the scarf and hat. Add face details by dotting eyes with white, and adding pink cheeks with #2 piping tips.


Get the Recipes

Peanut Butter Sugar Cookies

Royal Icing

Grinch Linzer Cookies

Grinch Linzer Cookies

Hearts that are two sizes too small

Linzers get a Grinch make-over for this beginner decorative cookie recipe. Start with animal cracker cookie dough, dye it Grinch green, and cut out tiny hearts in the center of each cookie. Then, sandwich the cookies in-between bright red raspberry rosé jam. You can’t help but get in the spirit of Christmas after one bite of these cookies.

(Makes 12 cookies)

Ingredients:

Equipment:

  • ruffle-edged round cookie cutter
  • mini heart cookie cutter

Directions:

1. Make the jam and Santa hats the day before decorating. Allow jam to cool completely and chocolate hats to firm up (pop them in the fridge or freezer to speed up time).

2. Bake the cookies. Using a stand or hand mixer, dye the cookie dough Grinch green with green food gel (use 2 drops or more as needed.). Roll out the dough, cut it with ruffle-edge round cookie cutter, and bake it according to directions.

3. Cut out the hearts. Once out of the oven, on half of the cookies, cut out a small heart in the center of the cookies using the mini heart cookie cutter. Allow the cookies to cool completely.

4. Assemble the sandwiches. Spread a dollop of jam on each solid cookie. Carefully sandwich with the heart cut-out cookie. Use a little bit of leftover melted compound chocolate to glue the hats (directions below) to the top side of each cookie.

GET THE CHOCOLATE SANTA HAT RECIPE










GET THE RECIPES

Raspberry Rosé Jam

Animal Cracker Cookies

Blue Ombré Pinwheel Cookies

Blue Ombré Pinwheel Cookies

Hypnotically colorful

Although these look complicated, the recipe and technique is quite simple. The trickiest part is all the refrigeration needed. In total, these cookies will take about seven to eight hours to complete, so plan to divide the labor into two days. The best part, of course, is rolling the dough in the sprinkles of your choice. Just be sure they won't melt! We found sanding sugar and jimmies work best.

(Makes 12 cookies)

Ingredients:

  • 1 batch animal cracker cookie dough
  • blue food gel
  • sprinkles: dark and light blue jimmies, white and silver sanding sugars

Directions:





































Get the Recipes

Animal Cracker Cookies

Rudolph Corgi

Rudolph Corgi

Fluff-tastic

Surely nothing is cuter than a corgi tush, so of course, we had to create our own custom cookie cutter. Just like with the sloth, download our cookie cutter printable, and either have the custom cutter made or print and cut it out.

(Makes 24 cookies)

Ingredients:

Equipment:

Directions:

1. Bake the cookies. Roll it out, cut it using the corgi cookie cutter, and bake according to directions. Allow the cookies to cool completely before icing.

2. Dye the royal frosting. Divide it into six bowls. Bowl one: Dye light tan with food gel, beginning with just a drop until you achieve the desired shade. Bowl two: Dye red, using those drops a few at a time. Bowl three: Dye black, starting with just one drop at a time. Bowl four: Repeat with the pink dye. Bowl five: Leave white. Bowl six: Dye brown, using a few drops at a time.

3. Transfer frosting into piping bags. The brown icing goes into a piping bag fitted with a #7 tip. The remaining icings go in separate piping bags fitted with #2 tips.

4. Pipe on details with royal icing. Line the rump and feet using skin tone, and line the tail and fur with the same icing. Allow to dry completely.

5. Ice the body and ears. Flood the top part of the rump with light brown, and the bottom part with white. Add a small dollop of pink on each ear, and lightly spread with an offset spatula. Allow to dry.

6. Create the face. Line the head and ears with skin tone. Line the center of the face with white. Flood the cheeks with light brown and the center of the face with white, and allow for dry time.

7. Add the finishing details. Add antlers with brown icing. Allow to dry. Use an edible marker for the mouth. Add eyes with black and nose with red. Re-line the rump with skin tone.


Get the Recipes

Animal Cracker Cookies

Royal Icing

Millennial Pink Ornament Cookies

Millennial Pink Ornament Cookies

Sweet, simple, and of-the-moment

Just because you're new to the baking game, doesn't mean you can't wow in the cookie swap. Cut out these simple ornament shapes, and replace those standard reds and greens with of-the-moment millennial pink icing and decoration.

(Makes ~40 cookies)

Ingredients:

  • 1 batch sugar cookie dough
  • white compound chocolate or candy melts
  • pink and white hard candy or candy canes (crushed)
  • pink oil-based food coloring

Equipment:

  • ornament cookie cutters
  • pink or white ribbons/string

Directions:

1. Bake the cookies. Roll out the cookie dough, cut it using an ornament cutters. Cut a hole in the top of the ornament with a straw before baking to put the ribbon through. Chill, then bake according to directions. Cool the cookies for 30 minutes minimum.

2. Melt the chocolate according to package directions. Divide into three bowls. Set aside one bowl. In a second bowl, add 1-2 drops of pink dye and stir to form a light shade of pink. In another bowl, add 3-5 drops of dye and stir for a darker shade of pink.

3. Dip the cookies into various shades of melted chocolate. You can dip multiple layers to create an ombre effect. Sprinkle with crushed candy. Allow to dry completely.

4. Attach ribbons/string to cookies. Hang them up to show off your work!


Get the Recipe

Easy Sugar Cookies

Reindeer Jolly Rancher Cookies

Reindeer Jolly Rancher Cookies

Brighten up your cookie tray with these little Rudolphs.

Ready to step it up a bit? Grab a standard gingerbread-man cutter, and invert these guys to create reindeer — voila! Rudolph’s red nose gets a sleek upgrade thanks to melted candies.

(Makes ~40 cookies)

Ingredients:

  • 1 batch sugar cookie dough
  • hard red candy like Jolly Ranchers (crushed)
  • 1 batch royal icing
  • gel food colors: brown, black

Equipment:

Directions:

1. Bake the cookies. Roll the cookie dough out and cut it using gingerbread-man cutter. Cut round hole in head of the cut-out men to make space for the red nose. Transfer to baking sheets, and chill in freezer for 15 minutes. Bake for approximately 10 minutes.

2. Remove from oven and fill nose holes with crushed hard candy. Bake for an extra few minutes (until candy has melted). Cool cookies for 30 minutes minimum.

3. Dye the royal icing. Divide it into three bowls. Bowl one: Dye light brown with brown food gel. Bowl two: Dye darker brown with brown food gel. Bowl three: Dye black with black food gel.

4. Pipe on details with royal frosting. Outline the reindeer's face with light brown royal icing. Fill in, then use a toothpick to swirl the icing to fill in any gaps. This also helps it dry in an even layer. Allow to dry completely.

5. Use dark brown to pipe on the antlers and ear detailing and black to dot on the eyes. Allow to dry completely.


Get the Recipes

Easy Sugar Cookies

Royal Icing

Read More

Holiday Llama Sugar Cookies

Holiday Llama Sugar Cookies

Fa-la-la-la llamas

Now things get a bit more challenging and a lot more adorable. Decked out in scarves, hats, and holiday decor, these almost too-cute-to-eat cookies will have you singing fa-la-la-la-llama.

(Makes ~25 cookies)

Ingredients:

  • 1 batch orange-spiced Christmas cookie dough
  • 1 batch royal icing
  • gel food colors: pink, green, red, black, blue, yellow
  • Christmas-themed candies: Red Hots and holly

Equipment:

Directions:

1. Bake cookies. Roll out cookie dough, and cut it using llama cutter. For some of the cookies, cut out hats with a small triangle cookie cutter to give your llamas a tiny holiday hat. Chill and bake according to instructions. Cool for 30 minutes minimum.

2. Dye the royal icing. Divide it into seven bowls. For bowl 1: leave white. Remaining bowls, dye light pink, green, red, black, blue, and yellow with gel food colors.

3. Transfer icing into piping bags. Fit each icing into a separate piping bag, fitted with a #2 Wilton icing tip.

4. Pipe on details. Outline the llama's body with light pink royal icing. Fill in, then use a toothpick to swirl the icing to fill in any gaps. This also helps it dry on in an even layer. Dry for 30 minutes.

5. With the same technique, use the white icing to ice on the second layer (the face and feet of the llama). Dry for 30 minutes.

6. Ice the third layers (green scarf, red Santa's hat, black strings of the lights). Dry for 30 minutes.

7. Ice on final details (face with black icing, lights with different colors, white fluff of Santa's hat, etc.). Add any candies. Allow to dry completely.


Get the Recipes

Orange-Spiced Christmas Cookies

Royal Icing

Read More

Snuggly and Pugly Gingerbread Sweaters

Snuggly and Pugly Gingerbread Sweaters

Warms you up on a cold day

Kick your sweater cookies up a notch by sketching out adorable furry fondant friends, and attach them to the front of your sweater creations.

(Makes ~24 cookies)

Ingredients:

  • 1 batch royal icing
  • gel food colors: orange, brown, black, red, green
  • 1 batch gingerbread cookie dough
  • fondant (white, dyed red and green, rolled and cut out into sweater shapes)

Equipment:

Directions:

1. Make royal icing, dye it, and transfer into piping bags: Divide icing into six bowls. Bowl one, leave white. Remaining bowls, dye orange, brown, black, red, and green. Transfer each into separate piping bags fitted with a #1 tip.

2. Pipe on the royal icing transfers. On a parchment sheet, pipe on the transfers like the pug with Santa hat on parchment paper. Allow to set overnight, then carefully peel off once totally try. Set aside.

3. Bake the cookies. Roll out cookie dough, and cut it using sweater cookie cutters. Bake according to instructions. Cool for 30 minutes minimum.

4. Decorate the fondant base layer. Pipe on sweater decoration with white royal icing. Dry for 1-2 hours. "Glue" on pre-made royal icing transfers with royal icing. Add any final touches and allow to dry completely.

5. Attach the fondant layers to the cookies. Outline each cookie with white royal icing, and carefully attach fondant base layer. Allow to dry completely before serving.


Get the Recipes

Royal Icing

Gingerbread Cookies

Palm Springs Gingerbread House

Palm Springs Gingerbread House

Spice up your cookie display

Sure, anyone can make the standard gingerbread house, but if you're looking for a real challenge, you'll love our Palm Springs variety. Mid-century design enthusiasts — and edible house aficionados — will salivate at this reimagined version of the classic gingerbread construction.

(Makes 1 gingerbread house)

Ingredients:

  • pre-baked sugar cookies: cacti, pool, plus crushed cookies (for sand)
  • 1 batch gingerbread cookie dough
  • fondant: dyed in light pink, light grey, and dark grey
  • gel food colors: pink, black, green, blue
  • clear piping gel
  • royal icing
  • compound white chocolate or white candy melt
  • pastel Jordan almonds
  • green sprinkles (for grass) — enough to fill base
  • white chocolate blocks (steps)
  • small chocolate pebbles (if possible) — can be replaced with crushed chocolate cookies for dirt
  • green taffy candy (palm tree leaves)
  • long rolled wafer biscuit (palm tree)

Equipment:

Directions:

1. Make the cactus and pool decorations. Roll out the dough, cut it in various shapes, and bake. Decorate with fondant and piping gel dyed blue with gel food coloring. Crush some baked cookies for sand.

2. Bake the gingerbread. Refrigerate the dough for 1-2 hours. Preheat the oven, and roll out the dough. Cut out the cookies according to templated shapes and bake. Cool the cookies for at least 30 minutes.

3. Construct the gingerbread house. Place a large white foam board on a flat surface and construct the house on top of it, using royal icing as the mortar between the cookie pieces. Decorate house with fondant/royal icing.

4. Finish with surrounding decorations. Glue on the pool, fondant driveway, cookie palm trees, sprinkle grass with royal icing. Allow it to dry completely.


Get the Recipes

Gingerbread Cookies

Royal Icing

Pastel Chocolate Tree Cookies

Pastel Chocolate Tree Cookies

So simple and lovely

When it comes to giving your tree-shaped Christmas cookies some added personality, you won't want to rely on the typical red and green icing. Instead, give your trees a chocolatey base and some pastel shades on top.

(Makes 12-24 tree cookies, depending on size)

Ingredients:

  • 1 batch chocolate cookie dough
  • 1 batch royal icing
  • gel food colors: blue, pink
  • pearl sprinkles
  • white sanding sugar

Equipment:

Directions:

1. Bake the cookies. Roll out the cookie dough, cut out using tree cutters, chill, and bake according to instructions. Cool the cookies for 30 minutes minimum.

2. Dye the royal frosting. Divide it into three bowls. Bowl one: Dye Tiffany blue with blue food gel. Bowl two: Dye light pink. Bowl three: Leave white.

3. Transfer into piping bags. Each color goes into a piping bag fitted with a #2 tip.

4. Line and fill the cookie. Pipe a border of royal icing on each tree using pink or blue royal icing. Fill in (AKA flood) with more frosting, then use a toothpick to swirl the icing to fill in any gaps. This also helps it dry on in an even layer. Allow to dry completely.

5. Add final touches. Pipe on white royal icing details and sprinkle on sanding sugar and position pearl sprinkles. Allow to dry completely.


Get the Recipes

Chocolate Cookies

Royal Icing

Peppermint Penguin Sandwich Cookies

Peppermint Penguin Sandwich Cookies

Almost too adorable to eat

If you've got an Oreo lover on your list of loved ones to treat, these adorable peppermint-filled penguins are perfect. Our DIY version pairs just as flawlessly with a glass of milk as the classic store-bought cookie.

(Makes ~6 cookie sandwiches)

Ingredients:

  • 1 batch chocolate cookie dough
  • 1 batch royal icing
  • gel food colors: orange, black, red
  • peppermint candy, red Skittles, mini marshmallows, mini red heart sprinkles
  • fondant: white, red
  • water

Filling:

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons of milk
  • 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract
  • red gel food coloring (optional)

Equipment:

Directions:

1. Bake the cookies. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Preheat oven, then roll out dough. Cut it with round cookie cutters, and freeze/chill for 15 minutes. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Cool the cookies for 30 minutes minimum. Allow to cool completely.

2. Make the filling. Beat butter until light and creamy. Slowly beat in 1 cup powdered sugar, followed by 1 tablespoon milk. Alternate until all is added. Beat in peppermint extract. Lastly, stir in red gel food coloring until swirls are formed (don’t beat in).

3. Assemble the sandwiches. Add small dab of filling to cookies and sandwich them together.

4. Dye the royal frosting and transfer it into piping bags. Divide it into four bowls. Leave one bowl filled with white icing. Dye the remaining icing in each bowl orange, black, red with gel food colors. Transfer each into a separate piping bag fitted with a #1 tip.

5. Decorate. Glue on white fondant belly to top of sandwich cookie with royal icing. Pipe on details of penguin's face, bow tie, etc. Make hats out of peppermint candy with a mini marshmallow glued on top using royal icing. Allow to dry completely.


Get the Recipes

Chocolate Cookies

Royal Icing

Hot Cocoa Cookie Cup Cookies

Hot Cocoa Cookie Cup Cookies

Cocoa and cookie in one

From hot chocolate to peppermint schnapps, the holiday season is filled with festive beverages. Add your favorite to these edible jiggers that have a chocolate coating to prevent them from getting too soggy before you can say, “Bottoms up!”

(Makes ~6 cookie shots)

Ingredients:

  • 1 batch chocolate cookie dough
  • compound chocolate: milk and white
  • shortening or coconut oil (to thin the chocolate if necessary)
  • candy canes (for the handles)
  • sprinkles in Christmas colors
  • 1 batch royal icing
  • gel food color: black
  • white sanding sugar
  • pretzels
  • red M&Ms
  • whipped cream, marshmallows, and cocoa dusting (for garnishing)

Equipment:

Directions:

1. Bake the cookies.Roll out the cookie dough, and cut it into shapes similar to a shot glass. Prep the cookie shot mold with non-stick cooking spray, and press dough into molds. Cut off any excess. Preheat oven. Chill dough in molds for 15 minutes. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Cool completely for 30 minutes minimum before you unmold them from the shot glass mold.

2. Melt chocolate. Thin out with shortening or coconut oil, if necessary. Coat the inside of cookie cup by swirling melted chocolate inside, and leave to set. Glue on candy cane handle with white chocolate. Dip cups in white or milk chocolate followed by a plate of sprinkles to create a sprinkle rim.

3. Add extra decoration. Pipe on holiday designs with royal icing and white sanding sugar, or transform your cup into Rudolph faces using candy and royal icing "glue."

4. Fill with desired drink and top with whipped cream, marshmallows, and cocoa dusting.


Get the Recipes

Chocolate Cookies

Royal Icing

Disney Holiday Cookies

Disney Holiday Cookies

These are pure magic.

Every Disney fan at your cookie party is going to to go nuts for these beauties. We teamed up with Disney Freeform and cookie artist Aime Pope to craft six magically frosted goodies from across the Disney and Freeform holiday lineup. Check them out!

Disney Holiday Castle Cookie

Every Disneyland fan will love this cookie version of their favorite theme park's central landmark.

Mickey Clause Cookie

You really can't have a proper Disney cookie display without the Mouse himself. Watch our tutorial on how to create this classic version of Mickey Claus.

Buddy the Elf Cookie

We all know the main food groups are candy,candy canes, candy corns, and syrup. But did you know the fifth is holiday cookies? They are when they're Elf cookies!

Olaf the Snowman Cookie

Do you want to build a snowman...cookie? This Frozen buddy will definitely bring huge smiles to even the the smallest faces.

The Grinch Who Stole This Cookie

If your fam's favorite holiday character is actually more green than red and has a heart two sizes too small, this cookie is a perfect pick for your next gathering.

More Holiday Cookie Inspo

More Holiday Cookie Inspo

Winter themes for your cookie platter

You know you want even *more* ideas for amazing holiday cookies. Well, we've got 'em! We teamed up with cookie artist Aime Pope to create four more adorable winter-themed treats that are simple and stunning.

Jolly Ol' Santa Cookie

Nothing goes better with milk than this Santa cookie. Leaving this one out for Kris Kringle should definitely get you some extra goodies in your stocking.

Bright Little Snowflakes

Inject some technicolor into your cookie game with these gorgeous colorful snowflakes, laced with delicate white royal icing.

Chillin' With the Snowmen

Take a basic snowman cookie to the next level by adding earmuffs, mittens, scarves, and even sunglasses. These frosty friends are too cool and too cute to eat.

Share your cookie creations with us @BritandCo!

This article has been updated from a previous post.

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

christmaschristmas cookie recipe ideascookiesdiy holidayholiday recipespremierchristmas recipesholidayscookie recipeChristmas

Mariska Hargitay’s Powerful “Me Too” Message Proves She’s Olivia Benson IRL

Mariska Hargitay is the woman of the hour anywhere she goes, with her iconic Law & Order: SVUrole as Olivia Benson under her belt for the last 25 years. The character is an absolute advocate to women — and assault victims of any gender — through her words, actions, and powerful convictions of each perpetrator on the show. She takes great care with her victims and pursues perpetrators with fervor, and slowly as you watch the show..the line blurs between Olivia and Mariska.

This isn't anything new — just recently Mariska literally stopped production on the show to help a child (who mistook her for an actual police officer) find her mom. It's just who Mariska is. She walks the walk and talks the talk — including during her speech at Variety's Power of Women's Power of Women event.

Image via NBC Universal

As a Power of Women honoree, Mariska was recognized in regards to her work as an advocate for sexual assault survivors. She took the stage and used her platform to discuss rape and assault conviction reversals, shining a light on the recent overturned ruling in Harvey Weinstein's landmark NYC case. Here's what she said:

Today I want to talk about reversing convictions, and more specifically I want to talk to you about how impossible it is to reverse mine. It’s impossible to reverse my conviction that survivors matter. It is impossible to reverse my conviction that what happens to us matters, and that our society must respond to survivors with a more a compassionate, holistically, deeper, and more nuanced understanding of what healing means.

It is impossible to reverse my conviction that after a trauma, survivors can reclaim lives of hope, of possibility, of audacious risk, beautiful intimacy, and glorious, glorious abundant joy. And I stand before you as evidence of that statement.

It is impossible to reverse my conviction that we must listen to survivors as experts on what justice means. It is extraordinary how little their voices are consulted, let alone incorporated, in the process of deciding how to repair harm. Justice is not a one-size-fits-all journey.

It is impossible to reverse my conviction that patriarchal impunity has to end. Patriarchal impunity is when a male-dominated system exempts perpetrators from punishment. Studies show that only 20% of all rape cases in the U.S. are reported to the police, and that between 5 and 0% of all rapes result in a guilty plea or a conviction. So why do 80% of victims not report? Because they're met with a system that grants impunity to perpetrators; a system that blames victims; a system that accepts only those victims who are experienced as "real" rape; a system that completely misunderstands the neurobiology of trauma, which causes behavior in women that doesn't fit the picture of how a "real victim" would act.

Is that change needed that victims should just pull themselves together? Just buck up and report anyway? No. No, it's the system that receives them that needs to change

It is impossible to reverse my conviction — and the conviction of my extraordinary team, The Joyful Heart — that the backlog of untested rape kits can be brought to zero; that the testing of all new kits must be mandated; that we need a statewide kit tracking system; and that survivors have the right to access the status of their kits.

It is impossible to reverse my conviction that grammar — yes, grammar — that we use when we speak about rape must change. In the sentence, "A woman is raped," there's a crime and there's a victim, but there's no perpetrator. Where's the perpetrator? Where is he? Statistically, as we know, most likely he's walking free. He's so free that he doesn't even appear in the language about the crime that he committed. Is that not extraordinary? It's extraordinary that in the very grammar, the perpetrator goes free. Reintroducing perpetrators in the language of rape will make some very unwieldy grammar, but that's the nature of change. It's unwieldy, it's messy, it's uncomfortable, but it's necessary.

Image via NBC Universal

Hargitay continued on in her prolific speech to describe that rape shouldn't be considered a "crime of passion" because it's "not simply the next step in the trajectory of his passion" when a man takes a consensual hookup too far and assaults a woman against her will. She stated that it's "an exercise of power," doubling down that the language we use is important.

The speech went on to address that rape is both about power and control, as a "construct" that was "built, and assembled, and reinforced over time." She noted that there are people with these positions of power — and she specifically called out those in the entertainment industry — that could make a difference and aligned themselves to victims and survivors.

After this and some other remarks, Hargitay specifically called out the Weinstein conviction reversal. She said:

I do want to say something about the Harvey Weinstein conviction, specifically about the reason that it was overturned: too many women's voices. Too many women's voices were allowed to speak. Hallelujah! Amen! I can't imagine anything more beautiful than that. The Daily podcast episode talked about how it was so risky for the prosecution to have that many women testify. Risky to let women speak? You're damn right it is!

Too many women speaking brings change. Too many women speaking shakes the establishment. Too many women means we get listened to more, and people might actually hear what we have to say. Look what happened when women started saying just two words, right? Me too — just as an example — a tidal wave of change. Me too.

And then of course, there was the response: the Me Too Movement. The backlash. The examination of whether the changes that have come are lasting, or are even positive. Of course there's a backlash! What did they expect? For women to speak repeatedly, loudly, together, with a purpose — for there to be no backlash? The backlash is evidence of how powerful those voices were, how powerful those voices ARE.

Watch Mariska Hargitay's Full Speech Here

www.youtube.com

Mariska Hargitay's Gets Emotional as She Thanks Her Support System and the Women Around Her

Turns out that your TV heroes really can be your IRL heroes after all. Long live Olivia Benson! Long live Mariska Hargitay!

Follow us on Facebook for more celebrity and pop culture news.

Header image via NBC Universal

entertainmentcelebrity newstvpop culturecelebrityCelebrity

Here’s When You Can Watch “Emily in Paris” Season 4

After Emily in Paris season 3 dropped on Netflix in December of 2022, we were hoping to get the fourth installment of the hit show in 2023. But production halted when the WGA writers' strike, then the SAG-AFTRA actors' strike went to affect, and our beloved cast and crew campaigned for better wages and industry protection. But with the end of the writers' strike, and new SAG negotiations, Emily in Paris season 4 finally began production in February 2024 — and I can already tell you there's sure to be plenty of drama and French fashion this time around.

Not only will we see Emily in Paris (see what I did there?!) but she's also pulling an Audrey Hepburn and taking a little Roman Holiday. That's right — our favorite Parisians are heading to Italy! If that doesn't sound like a dreamy comfort show then I don't know what does. Here's everything we know about the upcoming season of your favorite TV brain candy!!

Is Emily in Paris season 4 coming soon?

Image via Lily Collins/Instagram

Via Variety, Emily in Paris season 4 began production in Paris the week of January 15! "Did someone say Saison Quatre?!" Lily Collins says in her Instagram post announcing production. "Finally reunited with my @emilyinparis fam back in Paris and it feels so good. Although, I may need to brush up on my selfie skills for Emily’s sake…"

Now the wait is over! According to the official announcementfor Emily in Paris, we know part one drops on Netflix August 15, followed by part 2 on September 12. I've been impatiently waiting for this considering we didn't know how filming would be impacted by things like the WGA writers strike!

Is Emily in Paris filmed in Paris?

Image via Lily Collins/Instagram

Yes, Emily in Paris is filmed on location in Paris! We got our first look at Emily in Paris season 4 when Lily Collins and Ashley Park were seen filming in the City of Love (via Daily Mail). The costumes for the series are still as bold and bright as ever, with Ashley's Mindy wearing cobalt and metallic boots, and Lily's Emily dressed head-to-toe in lemon yellow. I can't wait to see what these best friends get up to this season! Check out our Paris travel recommendations to live out your own Emily in Paris dreams ;).

On April 27, Lily Collins confirmed Emily in Paris season 4 had wrapped its France shoot and that the cast & crew have swapped the City of Love for the Eternal City! "When you’re the first ones on the dance floor at the Paris wrap party. Next stop: Rome!" she says on Instagram. Late spring is literally the perfect time to film in Italy and I just know this season is going to give me more wanderlust than ever before. I need gelato!

What's Emily In Paris season 4 about?

Image via Netflix

Season 3 left us with a huge cliffhanger: Alfie breaks up with Emily, Camille learns she's pregnant with Gabriel's baby, Benoit's "Mon Soleil" has been chosen for the Eurovision Song Contest, and Emily and Gabriel realize they've been in love with each other the whole time. Whew.

Emily in Paris season 4 will have a ton of cliffhangers to bring full circle, and a bunch of damage that all the characters need to heal. We know from the Netflix TUDUM fan event that we might also see Emily have to deal with an ultimatum head-on, as well as an unexpected twist. Plus, it looks like she's heading on a "Roman holiday," according to lead actress Lily Collins. We'll take any nod to an Audrey Hepburn movie, please and thank you!

Is Alfie coming back in season 4 of Emily in Paris?

Image via Netflix

We don't have OFFICIAL word on whether Alfie (played by Lucien Laviscount) will return for Emily in Paris season 4, but we're hoping for his sake that he gets some closure. Lucien wants to come back as well! "[The dream is] to keep this gravy train going and just to kind of really live in this world a little bit longer," he says in an interview with Elle. " The writers on the show and the creators behind it and everyone that comes into contact with it is so amazing and fantastic. Their minds [have] way, way, way, way surpassed mine. So, yeah. I’ll let them do their thing.”

Who else is in the Emily in Paris season 4 cast?

Image via Netflix

We can expect the rest of the cast — Lily Collins as Emily, Lucas Bravo as Gabriel, Ashley Park as Mindy, Camille Razat as Camille, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu as Sylvie, Samuel Arnold as Julian, and Bruno Gouery as Luc — to return.

Will there be a season 5 of Emily in Paris?

Image via Marie Etchegoyen/Netflix

It looks like Emily in Paris season 4 will not be the final season, according to creator Darren Star. “There’s a lot more story to tell here and we’re not wrapping things up anytime soon,” Star tells Elle. “And also hopefully season four isn’t the end either. I feel like we’re all creatively feeling like we’re in the middle of something not heading towards the end.”

Darren also told Deadline season 4 is "not necessarily conceived as a final chapter. I think like every other show, it’s a rich ensemble. There’s no end in sight until everybody feels like it’s time to end. And I don’t think this show is limited by a number of seasons, I think it’s limited by everybody’s enthusiasm and excitement about doing it and telling stories about these characters."

We'll take as many seasons of Emily in Paris as they'll give us!!

What has the cast said about Emily in Paris season 4?

Image via Marie Etchegoyen/Netflix

Lucas Bravo told People he's excited for a coming-of-age for Gabriel. "When you start a character, then there's a year where you experience the world and you mature, you become another person and you come back and it's exactly the day you left off," he says. "I'm happy that in season four I'll be able to bring more of what I became and what I've experienced in the past four years."

Even though Lily Collins is now an executive producer, she doesn't want to know TOO much about the future of the show. “Darren and I speak, on occasion, about where he’s thinking of going, but he also doesn’t wanna spoil too much for me because there is a fine line,” she tells Collider. “I don’t wanna know everything because I want to be led with the writing, but I am also curious because, as a producer wanting to celebrate the other characters, I’m very curious to see what their trajectories are."

What happened at the end of Emily in Paris season 3?

Image via Netflix

To be fully prepared for Emily in Paris season 4, it's important to remember just what happened during season 3! The junior season was a bumpy ride for Emily, and it ends with the craziest finale yet. After Camille and Gabriel decide to get married, Camille stops the wedding, saying she knows Gabriel is in love with Emily instead of her. This declaration leads Alfie to break up with our leading lady because he refuses to be her second choice (and honestly, I respect it). That's not the only shocker because Camille also reveals that she's pregnant with Gabriel's child, which comes as a surprise to everyone. Meanwhile, Mindy learns Benoit has submitted a song (specifically "Mon Soleil") to the Eurovision Song Contest and Laurent has his heart set on opening a club in Paris.

Are you excited for Emily in Paris Season 4? Give us your craziest theory in the comments, and check out our Facebook for more pop culture news. Read up on how This Emily In Paris Theory Could Be Why Emily And Gabriel Aren’t Together (Yet).

Lead image via Netflix.

This post has been updated.

tv showemily in parispop cultureentertainmenttv