Netflix just revealed the first look at Emily in Paris Season 5, and Lily Collins’ stylish expat is expanding her horizons beyond Paris, all the way to Rome and Venice. The new season premieres Dec. 18.
“This season is a tale of two cities. Rome and Paris,” creator Darren Star teased. “Straddling both, Emily takes love and life to the next level.”
The first-look photos capture Emily in her Italian la dolce vita era — cruising the canals of Venice, zipping through the city in a speedboat, and cozying up to her new boyfriend Marcello (Eugenio Franceschini). “From Parisian rooftops to Roman ruins, we can’t wait to share where Emily’s next chapter takes us,” Star added.
Of course, things aren’t smooth sailing when Gabriel (Lucas Bravo) reenters the picture after his Season 4 revelation that he wants to be with Emily. As Collins teased, “Unfortunately, Gabriel has to deal with the repercussions of his choice.”
The Crew — and Some Sparkly New Faces
Emily’s BFF Mindy (Ashley Park) is back to keep her grounded (and maybe belt out a few songs), while Sylvie (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu), Julien (Samuel Arnold), Luc (Bruno Gouery), Alfie (Lucien Laviscount), and Antoine (William Abadie) all return.
But Season 5 also brings new characters into the mix. Bryan Greenberg joins as Jake, an American living in Paris, while Michèle Laroque plays Yvette, one of Sylvie’s old friends. And perhaps the most glamorous addition? Academy Award nominee Minnie Driver as Princess Jane, a royal with ties to Sylvie’s world.
Love, Work, and the Usual Drama
Emily’s professional life is bigger than ever: she’s now running Agence Grateau’s Rome office. But in true Emily in Paris fashion, one big idea spirals into disaster, leaving her juggling heartbreak and a career crisis.
For Collins, Emily’s Italian storyline feels like the perfect next step. “Marcello is a whole other adventure that we want for Emily because we ultimately want Emily to be able to have a better work/life balance,” she said. “We want Emily to be able to smile without condition. We want to see her beyond her vacay mode. And he comes at that perfect time.”
Star agreed, noting, “Sending Emily to Italy was about staying ahead of the audience and taking them to unexpected places, and proving the show has the ability to have a bigger footprint.”
A Glamorous New Chapter
Don’t worry, Paris isn’t going anywhere. “Emily’s going to have a presence in Rome,” Star explained. “It doesn’t mean she’s not going to be in Paris.”
With gondolas, Roman ruins, and enough love triangles to make your head spin, Season 5 looks like Emily’s most dramatic (and most fashionable) adventure yet.
Emily in Paris Season 5 premieres Thursday, Dec. 18 on Netflix.
