Emily in Paris

Premise

Emily in Paris follows Emily Cooper, an American from Chicago with a master's degree in communications, who moves to Paris for a new job opportunity. She is tasked with bringing an American point of view and social media presence to a venerable French marketing firm. Cultures clash as she adjusts to the challenges of life in Paris while juggling her career, new friendships, and active love life.

Cast and characters

Main

Lily Collins as Emily Cooper, a 29-year-old who moves from Chicago to Paris for a temporary social media strategy job at Savoir

Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu as Sylvie Grateau, Emily's tough and bitter boss at Savoir—later Agence Grateau—in Paris

Ashley Park as Mindy Chen, Emily's first friend in Paris, an American nanny of Chinese-Korean descent and aspiring singer, and the heiress to a Shanghai business magnate from whom she is estranged

Lucas Bravo as Gabriel, Emily's attractive downstairs neighbor, the head chef at Chez Lavaux, Camille's former boyfriend and Emily's main 'will they, won't they' love interest throughout the seasons

Samuel Arnold as Julien, Emily's trendy and theatrical co-worker who forms a comic duo with Luc

Bruno Gouery as Luc, Emily's quirky co-worker, who forms a comic duo with Julien

Camille Razat as Camille (seasons 1–4), Emily's friend, and Gabriel's former girlfriend who works at an art gallery and is a champagne heiress. Her family, part of the French nobility, owns a château and vineyard

William Abadie as Antoine Lambert (season 2–present; recurring season 1), Emily's client who owns the perfume company Maison Lavaux and is having a long-standing affair with Sylvie

Lucien Laviscount as Alfie (seasons 3 and 5; recurring seasons 2 and 4), a British banker in Emily's French class and Emily's love interest

Recurring

Kate Walsh as Madeline (seasons 1–3), Emily's boss in Chicago who cannot take the job in Paris after learning that she is pregnant

Jean-Christophe Bouvet as Pierre Cadault (seasons 1–3, guest season 5), a famous flamboyant French designer and uncle of Mathieu

Charles Martins as Mathieu Cadault (seasons 1–2), a businessman who becomes Emily's love interest

Jeremy O. Harris as Grégory Elliot Duprée (season 2–3, guest season 4), Pierre Cadault's rival

Céline Menville as Jacqueline (seasons 2–3; guest season 1), Emily's French teacher

Arnaud Binard as Laurent Grateau, (season 2–present), Sylvie's husband

Kevin Dias as Benoît (seasons 2–4), a member of Mindy's band and her love interest

Jin Xuan Mao as Étienne (seasons 2–4), a member of Mindy's band

Søren Bregendal as Erik de Groot (seasons 2–3), a photographer and Sylvie's love interest

Melia Kreiling as Sofia Sideris (season 3–4), a Greek artist who works with Camille and with whom she is having an affair

Paul Forman as Nicolas de Léon (seasons 3–present), a businessman and Mindy's love interest, with whom she attended a boarding school and Marcello's friend

Pierre Deny as Louis de Léon (season 3-4), CEO of the fictional fashion company JVMA and father of Nicolas de Leon

Guest

Roe Hartrampf as Doug (seasons 1 and 3), Emily's ex-boyfriend in Chicago

Charley Fouquet as Catherine Lambert (seasons 1–3), Antoine's wife

Camille Japy as Louise (seasons 1–4), Camille's aristocratic mother

Christophe Guybet as Gerard (seasons 1–4), Camille's father

Victor Meutelet as Timothée (seasons 1–4), Camille's younger brother with whom Emily has a one-night stand

Hanaé Cloarec-Bailly and Tytouan Cloarec-Bailly as Sybil and Laurent Dupont (season 1), the two children that Mindy nannies

Arnaud Viard as Paul Brossard (season 1), the owner of Savoir

Claude Perron as Patricia (season 1), an employee at Savoir

Eion Bailey as Randy Zimmer (season 1), a well-known hotel owner

Aleksandra Yermak as Klara (season 1), the representative of Hästens, a Swedish luxury bedmaker

Julien Floreancig as Thomas (season 1), a snobbish French professor of semiotics

Carlson Young as Brooklyn Clark (season 1), a famous young American actress

Elizabeth Tan as Li (seasons 1 and 4), Mindy's best friend who brings her bridesmaids to Paris to shop for bridesmaids' dresses

David Prat as Théo (season 1), the elder of Camille's two brothers

Episodes

Production

Development

The series was created by Darren Star, who has a multi-year overall deal with ViacomCBS and develops for ViacomCBS and for outsider buyers via MTV Studios. Star was also expected to serve as an executive producer alongside Tony Hernandez. Jax Media was reported to be involved in a producing role. On September 5, 2018, it was announced that Paramount Network had given the production a series order for a first season consisting of 10 episodes.

On July 13, 2020, it was reported that the series would move from Paramount Network to Netflix. On November 11, 2020, Netflix renewed the series for a second season. On January 10, 2022, Netflix renewed the series for a third and fourth season. On September 16, 2024, Netflix renewed the series for a fifth season. On January 5, 2026, the series was renewed for a sixth season which was announced to be the final one on May 21, 2026.

Casting

On April 3, 2019, Lily Collins was cast as the titular Emily. On August 13, 2019, Ashley Park had joined the main cast. On September 19, 2019, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, Lucas Bravo, Samuel Arnold, Camille Razat, and Bruno Gouery joined the cast in starring roles, while Kate Walsh, William Abadie, and Arnaud Viard were cast in recurring roles. On May 24, 2021, Lucien Laviscount was cast in a recurring role, while Abadie was promoted to series regular for the second season. On April 10, 2022, Laviscount was promoted to series regular for the third season. On January 22, 2025, Laviscount returned as a series regular for the fifth season after appearing as recurring in the fourth season. On April 17, 2025, it was confirmed that Razat would not be returning for the fifth season. On May 14, 2025, Minnie Driver was cast in an undisclosed capacity for the fifth season. On July 2, 2025, Bryan Greenberg and Michèle Laroque joined the cast in recurring capacities while Paul Forman and Arnaud Binard would be returning for the fifth season.

Filming

Principal photography for the first season, in Paris and its suburbs, began in August 2019. Additional photography took place in Chicago in November 2019.

Many scenes are filmed at Place de l'Estrapade in the 5th Arrondissement, including the site of Emily's apartment, the restaurant ("Les Deux Compères"), and the bakery ("La Boulangerie Moderne"). Some scenes are also filmed at Cité du Cinéma, a film studio complex in Saint-Denis. Famous Parisian sites to feature in the series include Le Grand Véfour, the Pont Alexandre III, Palais Garnier, Atelier des Lumières, Rue de l'Abreuvoir, Jardin du Luxembourg, Jardin Du Palais Royal, Café de Flore and the Panthéon. An episode was also filmed at the Château de Sonnay in the department of Indre-et-Loire.

Filming for the second season began on May 3, 2021, and concluded on July 19, 2021. New filming locations for the second season include Monnaie de Paris, Musée des Arts Forains, Huatian Chinagora in Saint-Tropez, Palace of Versailles, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, and other locations in France. Filming of the second season in Paris caused problems within the 5th Arrondissement, with the residents deeming the crew as brutal, threatening and too intrusive. Lily Collins stated that the second season was set in a COVID-19-free world, as the decision was made by the producers to ensure escapism through joy and laughter. In scenes that involved crowds, masks were off when they were on-camera and back on once completed, which Collins stated was difficult to pull off. Filming for the third season began in June 2022. On June 6, 2023, it was reported that filming for the fourth season has been delayed due to the writers strike. Filming for the fourth season began on January 19, 2024. New filming locations for season 4 include the Crazy Horse venue, Sacré Coeur, Monet's house in Giverny, Stade Roland Garros, Saint-Ouen flea market, Piscine Molitor and Paris' Musée Baccarat. Filming also took place in Italy with shootings in Rome and Ostia Antica (Solitano in the show). It was reported that Emily in Paris is set to start filming season 5 in the spring of 2025. The show will be filming in Paris the first week of May and continue to follow Emily to Rome as she navigates her life between the two cities. On July 14, 2025, Luca Zaia, governor of the Veneto region of Italy, announced that the series is scheduled to film in Venice between August 5–15, 2025. On August 23, 2025, it was reported that filming had been suspended following the death of assistant director Diego Borella, who collapsed while preparing a final scene inside Hotel Danieli in Venice on the night of August 21, but had since resumed filming. Season 5 wrapped filming on August 26, 2025.

Soundtrack

In October 2020, Ashley Park's "La Vie en rose", sung a cappella by Mindy Chen in episode six, debuted at number one on Billboard's Top TV Songs chart. Kid Francescoli's "Moon", sung in episode four, debuted at number four, and Cavale's "Burst Into Flames" from episode ten debuted at number seven. Alter K, a French music publisher and distributor, made significant contributions to the soundtrack, with half of the songs in the series being from its catalog. James Newton Howard composed the series' theme music and score.

Costuming

To create the characters' wardrobes, costume designer Marylin Fitoussi worked with Patricia Field, a costume designer who previously worked for Sex and the City. In a December 2025 interview with The New York Times, Fitoussi said the choice of costuming was meant to represent the characters' personalities, rather than depict clothing worn by real people. She told the media outlet, "I want to play with clothes. I want to show people that if you are dressed in a different way, you will think in a different way." A variety of real luxury brands were used, such as Vivienne Westwood, Balmain, and Valentino.

Release

The series' first season was released by Netflix on October 2, 2020, followed by a DVD release on November 9, 2021. The second season was released on December 22, 2021. The third season had its premiere at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris on December 6, 2022, and was released on December 21. The fourth season premiered in two parts; the first premiered on August 15, 2024, followed by the second on September 12, 2024. The fifth season premiered on December 18, 2025. The sixth and final season is scheduled to premiere on December 24, 2026.

Reception

Audience viewership

For the week of October 5, 2020, Emily in Paris reached the top ten list of most watched streaming shows per Nielsen. On May 3, 2021, Netflix revealed that the series had been watched by 58 million households in the month after its debut. The series remained in UK top 10 list for 40 consecutive days after its release.

Critical response

For the first season, review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 61% based on 57 reviews, with an average rating of 5.7/10. The website's critics' consensus reads, "Though its depiction of France is très cliché, Emily in Paris is rom-com fantasy at its finest, spectacularly dressed and filled with charming performances." Metacritic gave the first season a weighted average score of 58 out of 100 based on 18 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

The second season has a 61% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 24 reviews, with an average rating of 5.2/10. The website's critics' consensus states, "Emily in Paris remains a sugary soufflé, but it's liable to give a toothache to viewers seeking anything more profound than a frivolous romp." On Metacritic, the second season received a score of 64 based on reviews from 11 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

For the third season, review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 67% based on 18 reviews, with an average rating of 5.7/10. The website's critics' consensus reads, "Emily in Paris' bubbly watch ability keeps threatening to go flat in a third season that seems content to spin its wheels, but this gallic travelogue will still be a pleasant enough journey for fans." Metacritic gave the season a weighted average score of 54 out of 100 based on 10 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

The fourth season has a 68% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 37 reviews, with an average rating of 5.9/10. The website's critics' consensus states, "Emily in Paris' frivolous charms begin to sag in a fourth season that tries on some serious conflict for a change, but it remains pleasurable enough that fans won't be forsaking their timeshares anytime soon." On Metacritic, the fourth season received a score of 47 based on reviews from 13 critics, signifying "mixed or average".

The fifth season holds a 76% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 21 reviews. Metacritic gave the season a weighted average score of 57 out of 100 based on 12 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

Daniel D'Addario of Variety described the series as "a delight that poses the question of what it really means to grow up, against a truly inviting backdrop", and that Collins is "an inherently winsome performer who has never been quite as well used as she is here". Kristen Baldwin of Entertainment Weekly gave the series a "B" and wrote, "If you need a five-hour brain vacation, Paris is a worthwhile destination." The New Zealand Herald considered the show "visually delectable" and that "Collins has a pixie-ish charm which makes her endearing", but also that the show is "as ephemeral as fairy floss". Kristen Lopez of IndieWire praised Collins for being a "jewel, make no mistake" and that "Emily in Paris is only as watchable and frivolous as its leading lady," but criticized the series as a whole, writing: "Emily in Paris is like scrolling through Instagram. It's a great way to waste time looking at pretty pictures with no depth."

Cultural influence

The show's popularity has reportedly increased tourism in Paris, with hotels and restaurants benefiting from "the Emily effect". Tours of locations that appear on the show are available. An American living in Paris complained of "dozens of raucous 'Emily in Paris' pilgrims who now swarmed [Café de Flore], taking Instagram-ready selfies". A 2024 survey by the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée found that 38% of tourists cited Emily in Paris as a reason for visiting the city. While French Green Party politicians criticized the show for not promoting enough awareness of the climate crisis, the Paris tourist office listed ten important filming locations on its website. French president Emmanuel Macron—whose wife Brigitte made a cameo on the show—said that Emily in Paris was good for France, and he would try to prevent it from moving to Rome ahead of its fifth season.

Controversies

The second season was met with controversy in Ukraine over the depiction of a Ukrainian character named Petra (a name not used in Ukraine), who was depicted as a petty thief and shoplifter, with the hashtag "Ми не Петри" (My ne Petry, We are not Petras) trending for a few hours. The Ukrainian Minister of Culture, Oleksandr Tkachenko, wrote on the social media platform Telegram, "In Emily in Paris, we have a caricature image of a Ukrainian woman that is unacceptable. It is also insulting." He also wrote a letter to Netflix complaining about the depiction of Petra. According to Tkachenko, Netflix sent a response saying that they had heard the dissatisfaction of Ukrainian viewers, and that Petra would be shown in a different context for the third season.

The show's first season received two nominations at the 78th Golden Globe Awards, but prior to the ceremony, it was reported that 30 members of the voting body had been flown to Paris, where they spent two nights at The Peninsula Paris and were treated to a private lunch at the Musée des Arts Forains, with the bill reportedly paid by the show's developer, Paramount Network. This led some critics to question the impartiality of the voting body, as Emily in Paris was considered to be a critical failure, and its nomination was a surprise. In contrast, critically acclaimed shows, notably I May Destroy You, were not nominated.