Netflix’s The Wrong Paris Cast And Characters Guide

Directed by Janeen Damian, Netflix’s latest romantic comedy, The Wrong Paris, has a fun premise, which follows a group of dating reality show participants who are tricked into believing that they will be taken to Paris, only to arrive at a small town in Texas that bears the same name. While the shenanigans of the nonsensical love-harem reality show make up the major portion of the movie, the narrative is mostly about the leading lady, Dawn, and her efforts to strike a balance between her passion and personal feelings. A number of recognizable faces, Disney Channel and Nickelodeon alumni, are part of the movie’s ensemble cast. 

Dawn, played by Miranda Cosgrove

Actor/musician Miranda Cosgrove began her acting journey at an early age by playing Megan Parker in Nickelodeon’s Drake and Josh. Viewers who aren’t familiar with that show might recognize her character from the viral ‘interesting’ reaction meme. Cosgrove gained recognition from her performance as Carly Shay in both the original iCarly series and its revamped version. Aside from that, she has acted in movies like School of Rock and Drugstore June and lent her voice for a number of characters in all the Despicable Me entries. In The Wrong Paris, Cosgrove plays the lead, Dawn, a talented artist from a small town in Texas who aspires to study arts in Paris. Dawn lost her parents at a young age, and along with her sister, she was raised by their grandma, Birdie. Aside from her own passion for art, She wishes to honor the memories of her late mother, who used to be an artist and taught in Paris as well. A kind and pragmatic girl, Dawn shares a loving bond with Birdie and is selfless enough to use the funds she had saved for her tuition fees at the Paris Academy for her grandma’s treatment. The narrative adds silly contradictions in her character by having this practical, down-to-earth girl compete in ‘Honey Pot,’ a dating love harem competition, simply to have a shot at getting participation money, which can cover up her art academy expenditure. 

Initially Dawn stands out amidst all the participants by remaining conscious about her choice and decision, not getting distracted by the appeal of fame or a better future prospect. Things change when she eventually falls for Trey and starts taking the competition seriously after learning about the show shifting to Paris, for real this time. Although Dawn keeps her wish to use this opportunity to settle in Paris a secret from Trey, she does have genuine feelings for him. Even though the narrative makes it seem that Dawn made a mistake by not trusting Trey with the truth, given their respective socioeconomic positions, her decision makes complete sense. Caught in a conflict to either prioritize her passion or feelings for Trey, Dawn once again shows her selflessness by giving up her due participation money just to reconcile with him. 

Trey McAllen Played by Pierson Fode

Actor/model Pierson Fode became involved with filmmaking from a young age, having created and starred in a number of short films. Fode’s small screen roles in iCarly, Runaways, Storytellers, The Bold and the Beautiful, etc. In this movie, he plays Trey McAllen, the socialite cowboy, the center of attention of the dating show. Despite having it all, Trey appears somewhat grounded in his demeanor and appreciates Dawn’s ingenuity and independent nature. His humility is noticeable from the way he treats Dawn and her family and acts supportive towards her passion. However, having grown up without his parents, Trey has unresolved abandonment issues, which is the reason he feels betrayed when he learns that Dawn kept her wish to settle in Paris a secret from him. A hurt Trey shows his disappointment with Dawn’s decision by cutting her off of the show, acting a bit immature, as a direct conversation would have solved the confusion. However, in the end, upon learning the truth, Trey helps Dawn to secure both the show’s prize money and the opportunity to study in Paris, using a loophole of the show. 

Lexie, played by Madison Pettis

Disney Channel alumni Madison Pettis got her big break with Game Plan and followed up with notable performances in Free Style, Life With Boys, Lab Rats, etc. In The Wrong Paris, she plays the role of Lexie, an extremely competitive and petty participant, a typical mean girl stereotype who is willing to do anything to win. To keep Dawn from winning the show, Lexie stole her letter and revealed her secret to Trey. However, the ensuing estrangement between Trey and Dawn actually helped them to strengthen the bond they shared with each other, foiling Lexie’s ploy in the process.

Miscellaneous Characters 

Aside from the leads, The Wrong Paris features a number of talented, popular small-screen actors. Yvonne Orji plays the role of Rachel, the host of the Honey Pot show, while Torrance Coombs plays the role of the irritable show producer, Carl. Frances Fisher plays the role of Dawn’s grandma, Birdie.

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