Lucas Bravo in the kitchen as chef Gabriel in Emily in Paris.

Lucas Bravo has opened up on what he dislikes about playing heartthrob Gabriel in the Netflix hit Emily in Paris.

The star reprised his role of Emily Cooper’s hard-working neighbour and chef, hopeful to earn a Michelin star, in season four which dropped on Thursday August 15. And while fans swoon over his good looks, the 36-year-old has confessed he prefers having long hair and a beard – unlike his clean-shaven, shorter-haired character.

He told PEOPLE: “I feel like every time I try to be myself and let things grow, people don’t really want me to look like anything else than Gabriel. But I don’t really take the clean-shaven short cut look, I’m more about letting things grow.”

Lucas Bravo prefers to sport facial hair and wear his brunette locks longer than Gabriel

Lucas Bravo prefers to sport facial hair and wear his brunette locks longer than Gabriel -Credit:Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images
Lucas grew his hair for his role in HBO’s Dangerous Liaisons. He said: “I’m shooting Dangerous Liaisons for HBO and there’s going to be a lot of sword fighting, horse riding, and a beautiful moustache and long hair.”

Meanwhile, Lucas has admitted he feels like he knew himself “better” before Emily In Paris. The French actor admitted he still suffers with “self-doubt” even after the comedy drama’s huge success.

He told the UK’s Independent newspaper: “Professionally and financially speaking, I wasn’t where I wanted to be [before Emily In Paris]. At the same time, I felt like I knew myself better back then. I had more clarity and a lot less anxiety. I’d been chasing that goal for 27 years. But once you step into it, it’s hard to find another purpose. Every level has its own paralysing self-doubt.”

Emily and Gabriel in front of the Eiffel Tower in Emily in Paris

Lucas Bravo stars in Emily in Paris alongside American actress Lily Collins -Credit:Stephanie Branchu/Netflix
Lucas insisted he is “doing well” and “fine” despite opening up in a such a candid way. He added: “Being deep doesn’t mean you’re depressed. It’s just important to talk about these things.”

In the past, he tried to explain the difference between real life for a successful actor, and the assumptions people might make. He recalled: “I wanted to bring nuance to the fact that just because you do one season of a Netflix show doesn’t mean you have a beautiful house in the hills, and that you’re rich and you’re set for life and you’re happy.

“You’re allowed, as a human being, to go through a huge range of emotions and to question things. It doesn’t mean you’re not grateful, or you’re not enjoying the ride… It just means things are real. We’re complex. It’s not black and white.”

Similarly, playing “the boy next door” chef in Emily In Paris hasn’t come easy for him, particularly as he tries not to focus too much on looks. He said: “Emily in Paris is a very aesthetic-driven show, so of course you get self-conscious. But I’m trying as much as possible not to focus on looks – it doesn’t allow you to really lose yourself in a character.”