Best known to global audiences as Julien on Netflix’s Emily in Paris, Samuel Arnold brings a background in dance, a love of comedy, and a deeply personal approach to his craft. We sat down to talk about his journey into acting, the role that changed everything, and the advice that continues to ground him.
Sophie Elgort: Where are you calling in from?
Samuel Arnold: I’m in Los Angeles actually. I moved here last summer.
Sophie: How are you liking it?
Samuel: So far so good. Listen, back in the UK and France, it’s snowing and it’s freezing, so I’m very grateful to be here, not gonna lie.
Sophie: What does a typical day look like for you when you’re not filming?
Samuel: I wouldn’t say that my days are typical. It depends. Right now I’m in promo, so it’s a lot of interviews and going to events. We were doing some promotion with Netflix as well, so there was a lot of traveling, going to premieres and stuff like that.
I’m trying to be creative and proactive as much as I can. I produced a short film a couple of years ago, and I’m thinking about continuing to produce as well. A perfect day for me when I’m not working is I wake up early, I go to the gym, get to my email box, we all know that email box and messages that you need to get to. And when I have free time, I play PlayStation. I love playing video games. I’m also trying to watch as many things as I can. I’ve got Netflix, HBO, all the things.
Sophie: What’s something you’ve watched lately that you’ve enjoyed?
Samuel: Actually, I went to see Marty Supreme. It was very good.
Sophie: I want to go into your backstory. I saw an interview where you said you told casting you lived in Paris in order to get the role on Emily in Paris.
Samuel: Yes. So when I decided to become an actor, I went to drama school in Paris for a year and it didn’t suit me. So I did some research and I was like, in the UK they do something that seems very interesting in drama school, so I lived there for four years and graduated from drama school there.
When I auditioned in Paris, they wanted a Paris local, so I obviously said that I was. It was a small white lie, I’d say, because I’ve got family and friends there, so I knew in my head that if I booked the job, in the worst case I could make it work. And we made it work in the end.
Sophie: You also have a background in dance.
Samuel: Yeah. I kind of stopped dancing professionally when I went into drama school, but I danced ever since. I was very drawn to hip hop culture, the music, the fashion, the rap, the dance, everything. I really grew up with that.
I did France Got Talent when I was 18. We went to the finals, and that literally kicked off an entire dancing career. We toured all around France, I was giving dance classes and workshops, doing competitions and battles. And then I was like, okay, let’s go to drama school.
Sophie: Does dance help your acting?
Samuel: A lot. Tremendously. When you go to drama school, they teach you how to break down a story and a character psychologically. What I came to learn is that you need to do what works for you, depending on the project and the character. For Julien, it was more about my instincts and the way I move. I didn’t really go into my head. I really went into my body. I put a lot of music on that I felt was Julien’s inner rhythm and just danced the character until I could have him in my body and make everybody believe that I was that guy.
Sophie: How similar are you to Julien?
Samuel: Very different. I’m much more shy and introverted. He’s sassy and outspoken. I wasn’t a fashion king like he is. Playing him got me out of my shell, and I’m very grateful for that. Playing a character so different from you is a great challenge for an actor.
Sophie: You play him so well, and he’s such a fan favorite.
Samuel: Thank you. It’s a great part because I know that every time I’m on screen it’s going to be impactful. If you can feel my presence, then I’m doing something right.
Sophie: You’re also very funny on the show. Does comedy come naturally to you?
Samuel: Yes. I love comedy. I’ve always been the clown at school. I laugh a lot with people around me. The comedic aspect wasn’t the hardest part. The personality and characteristics of the character were more of a challenge than the comedy.
Sophie: What’s it like behind the scenes on set?
Samuel: It’s amazing. We’re like teenagers on a field trip, going to amazing locations with people I now call my friends. I honestly think the behind the scenes is even funnier than the actual show.
Sophie: The show was just renewed for season six.
Samuel: Yes. That’s amazing. I’m very happy, mostly because that doesn’t happen to many shows.
Sophie: Can you share anything about what’s next?
Samuel: I literally just found out we got renewed. Everybody’s talking about Greece, but no one from the decision side. It’s just fans and friends. I’ve never been to Greece though, so that would be nice.
Sophie: What else are you working on right now?
Samuel: I’m auditioning a lot. I’m writing. I’m getting ready for the next season. I’m doing a lot of promotion at the moment.
Sophie: What advice would you give to someone who wants to do what you do?
Samuel: I would tell them not to do what I do, but to do what they do. Every project is unique. Every career is unique. You can’t reproduce someone else’s journey. Be sure that’s what you want to do and be okay with the outcome if it doesn’t work out. If you want to win, you’ve got to be ready to lose. Be you. At the end of the day, you know best. Even if the consequences are negative, it’s still experience, and it’s still valuable.
Sophie: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Samuel: When I was a dancer, my teacher told me, “Keep your feet on the ground and your head in the clouds.” And I try to live by that.
Sophie: What does that mean to you?
Samuel: Don’t be afraid to dream big. Don’t be afraid to be unrealistic in what you want to achieve. Have no limits. But be grounded in reality.
Sophie: Is there something about you that your fans might be surprised to learn?
Samuel: There’s so much people don’t know. But what I can say is that Emily in Paris was my first international season regular role where I could showcase to the world what I could do. I’m really looking forward to the next one, the next league, where I can stretch my range even more.
