Lucas Bravo Shares His Passion For Rom-Coms Like Ticket To Paradise (2024)

Ticket to Paradise is out in theaters this weekend, ready to quench audiences' thirst for a bonafide romantic comedy with beloved stars of cinema. Julia Roberts and George Clooney perfectly fit the bill as bitter exes, David and Georgia, whose love for their daughter seems to be the only thing they can agree on. Director and co-writer Ol Parker (Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again) makes the most of that premise when Lily (played by Booksmart's Kaitlyn Dever) decides to get married to a seaweed farmer while vacationing in Bali.

Dever is joined by several other actors who are ushering in a new generation of rom-com talent. Maxime Bouttier (Meet Me After Sunset) plays Lily's fiance Gede, Billie Lourd (American Horror Story) plays her carefree best friend Wren, and Lucas Bravo (Emily in Paris) plays Georgia's younger boyfriend Paul. As an overeager pilot ready to say yes to any of Georgia's ideas, no matter how harebrained, Bravo is revealing a different side of himself than his recent romantic lead roles have shown.

Related: Julia Roberts' 10 Best Movies, According To Letterboxd

Screen Rant spoke to Bravo about what makes Paul different from his usual heartthrob roles, why Ticket to Paradise felt more like a vacation than work, and what stands out to him about the rom-com genre.

Lucas Bravo on Bali, Romance, and Ticket To Paradise

Screen Rant: Having seen Emily in Paris and Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, which I loved, this is possibly your least debonair role yet. What was it like really leaning into the buffoonery?

Lucas Bravo: The buffoonery? I love this word. For an actor, it's always good to have the opportunity to show range and to explore different aspects; just to challenge myself within my craft. I was happy to show comedy and go into something fun.

It was just so rich to be able to explore buffoonery, as you said, and discover the intricacies of comedies because I'd never done it before.

I love you stepping up to the challenge. Less challenging, I imagine, is romancing Julia Roberts. How do you prepare for that?

Lucas Bravo: Lots of Listerine and mint. You don't want to leave anything to chance.

I know you filmed on location, but it was Australia and not Bali. How do you imagine Bali when you're in Australia, and what's it like having a vacation while you're at work?

Lucas Bravo: I'm still pinching myself a bit to realize the fact that this was work; that we would go to work with a boat and [have] Christmas while in the summer within private islands. Such perfect locations, and working with icons... It didn't feel like work. And I think it's also part of what made Paul on a personal level so fun, and why people are connecting to me, because it's only fun and joy and love. I've injected all that experience into the performance.

I absolutely love that about him. As you can imagine, I am a rom-com aficionado, so thank you for helping to save the genre. Is that something you do very willingly, or is it something that you're looking to stray from soon?

Lucas Bravo: As I said, I want to show range and want to challenge myself. I want to tell stories, but I think after two couple years—a rough couple of years we've had—I feel really privileged to be part of the people in the industry that provide entertainment and escapism, because we need it.

Rom-coms have been out of the picture for too long, and we need to be able [to enjoy them]. In the first place, we invented this industry and created movies to help people escape from their obligations and have a nice moment; to disconnect and come back with a different perspective and maybe a clear head. To be part of movies like Mrs. Harris or Ticket to Paradise is just, for me, a privilege.

Finally, what is your wedding destination? We have Bali here. Where would you go for a wedding?

Lucas Bravo: I think Florence is quite amazing for weddings. It's like an open-air museum; it's so rich and classy. And then maybe the after party in a Tuscany villa with all the vineyards.

Honestly, I said that because I went to a wedding there, and it made me want to get married.

About Ticket To Paradise

Academy Award ® winners George Clooney and Julia Roberts reunite on the big screen as exes David and Georgia, who find themselves on a shared mission to stop their lovestruck daughter from making the same mistake they once made. From Working Title,

Smokehouse Pictures and Red Om Films, Ticket to Paradise is a romantic comedy about the sweet surprise of second chances.

Ticket to Paradise also stars Kaitlyn Dever as David and Georgia’s daughter Lily, Billie Lourd as Lily’s best friend Wren, Maxime Bouttier as Lily’s new fiancé, and Lucas Bravo as Georgia’s younger boyfriend.

Check out our other Ticket To Paradise interviews here:

• Ol Parker

Next: 10 Best Romantic Comedy Movies Of 2022

Ticket to Paradise arrives in theaters on October 21.