1 p.m. Benson, Sir John, and myself are taking in the scenery from a yacht on the Seine River, where the week is culminating at the L'Oréal Paris Defile Show. It's open to the public and chock-full of celebrity spokespeople, showing off some of the designer looks from throughout the week.
I learn a lot about Benson during this trip. She is beautiful; not that I needed to meet her to know that, but rather I am shocked to hear it's not 100 percent effortless. She wears foundation, and because you can't see any line of demarcation on the skin, it looks as if she has nothing on. She's dabbling in several different ventures outside of acting, like launching sunglasses brand Privé Revaux with Jamie Foxx and Hailee Steinfeld. She says she is still close with Troian Bellisario and Shay Mitchell, her costars on Pretty Little Liars. When she's papped at sporting events, she's usually eating 100 percent of the time. (She shows me an unflattering yet hysterical photo of herself chomping on popcorn, not dissimilar from Amy Schumer's monologue in which she explains her experience sitting courtside with Dianna Agron.)
During the boat ride, Benson talks to me about a gamut of things: from being a Christian to her plans for Halloween to the competitiveness of the business. She wants to see everyone succeed. There is a gentleness to Benson, and I believe her. She's vulnerable, like she isn't a woman who has legions of fans tracking her every move, hanging on every social post. She's just a girl from Orange County. "If you don't want to see your friends succeed, what are you doing?" she says. "I want people I care about to do well. Everyone should."
