“Oh my God, I feel like Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge,” says Emily enthusiastically, when she opens the window of her new Parisian apartment and sees the spectacular view of a chic boulevard. The young marketing executive from Chicago is about to start her dream job in Paris: her company has just acquired a French luxury marketing company – and Emily is tasked with revamping their social media strategy.
The optimistic and naive Emily soon discovers that Paris is not only “la vie en rose”. Her new life in the city of light is filled with intoxicating adventures and surprising challenges as she juggles winning over her work colleagues, making friends, and navigating new romances.
Netflix’ new romantic comedy series was created, written and executive produced by Darren Star, who rose to worldwide fame with Sex And The City in 1998. Will his new TV series be as successful? Let’s discover 15 Facts About Emily in Paris, the feel-good romanic comedy-drama of this autumn.
The romantic comedy series will premier on Netflix on 2 October 2020. Netflix acquired it from MTV Studios.
The series was filmed entirely on location in Paris and throughout France. It was filmed before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Lily Collins plays the leading role. The 31-year-old British-American actress is the daughter of musician Phil Collins and US actress Jill Tavelman. She was born in England but grew up in Los Angeles.
Lily Collins is also one of the producers of the new series.
Emily in Paris was written and created by Darren Star (59), the creator of Sex and the City, one of the most iconic TV series starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon.
In an interview with Variety, Darren Star said: “Emily is not fully embraced by some of the French – she’s an American girl who comes to France and doesn’t speak any French, she has opinions about how to do things, but finds out ‘the American way is the best’ doesn’t always hold true and she makes a lot of faux pas.”
While Sex and the City remains Darren Star’s biggest claim to fame, he has created several more addicting hits, including Beverly Hills 90210, Melrose Place, and Younger.
The plot reminds me a little bit of The Devil Wears Prada: Emily, an ambitious marketing executive from Chicago, unexpectedly lands her dream job in Paris when her company acquires a French luxury marketing company – and she is tasked with revamping their social media strategy. But as a freshly-minted American in Paris, Emily has to overcome culture shocks, as she aims to win over her new French colleagues, make friends, and navigate new romances in the City of Light. Her new boss Sylvie hates her and reproaches her even when she’s successful in acquiring new clients.
Emily in Paris is a series of 10 30-minute episodes.
Emily’s stylish wardrobe is another star of the show. Patricia Field, who led costume design for Sex and the City and The Devil Wears Prada, was in charge of the costume department for Emily in Paris – and included many French style favourites like Chanel, Dior, Givenchy and Christian Louboutin.
Emily just split up with her boyfriend who lives in Chicago because he refused to visit her in Paris and to have a long-distance relationship for a year. But Emily is lucky and soon finds out that she has the most attractive neighbour a young woman could dream of in Paris. She’s not familiar with the French floor system and tries to open the wrong door on the fourth floor, even though she lives on the fifth floor. When Emily and her neighbour Gabriel (Lucas Bravo), a chef, meet for the first time, it is evident they share a mutual attraction. The sensitive and charming Gabriel can’t help but be intrigued by the new American woman living upstairs
Emily’s first friend in Paris is Mindy (Ashley Park), an Asian au pair who has been hired to speak Mandarin to the children of a Parisian couple. Mindy is a fellow expat who has fallen in love with the city, in stark contrast to Emily’s adjustment to Parisian life.
Camille is Emily’s only French friend. They meet in the neighborhood and Camille invites her spontaneously to an event at an art gallery. Camille is not only nice and helpful, she is the cool French woman Emily dreams of emulating: stylish, outgoing and down-to-earth. She alleviates Emily’s fear of Paris being a big, sprawling city, likening it to more to a small town, which she soon finds out to be true.
Emily in Paris has been renewed for a Season 2.
EMILY IN PARIS – THE CAST
Lily Collins is joined by Ashley Parker ((Mean Girls on Broadway, Tales of the City), Grey’s Anatomy’s Kate Walsh, Samuel Arnold (Antony & Cleopatra), and a few French actors, including Camille Razat (The 15:17 to Paris), Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu (Call My Agent) and Lucas Bravo (Smart Ass).
Netflix’ official trailer was released on 1 September (see below).
TRAILERS: EMILY IN PARIS
TRAILER: SEX AND THE CITY (MOVIE)
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Photos: Courtesy of Netflix © 2020 & Carole Bethuel/Netflix © 2020 & Stéphanie Branchu/Netflix © 2020
