Fun facts on Emily in Paris

What’s more satisfying than knowing all the behind-the-scenes facts from your favourite show? You probably love Emily and her friends, but are you enough of a fan to be up to date on the latest news involving the series? We’ll share a few with you right now! First of all, did you know that Emily in Paris’s director is the same person behind Sex and the City and Beverly Hills 90210? Yes, I’m talking about Darren Star, the American director, producer and writer. I think we can all agree that he succeeded once again in creating a great new rom-com, years after his last two hits. You might be interested to know that all scenes were really filmed in Paris, right on the streets and in front of the real monuments – except for a few episodes shot in Provence, Megève, and, of course, Rome. The TV show definitely helped boost the city’s popularity. Lily Collins, who plays Emily, admitted that she spent four months living in Paris to truly immerse herself in her persona and become a true “Parisienne”. She also shared that, during her stay, she went without hot water for two weeks, her elevator broke down, and a few other mishaps happened. At least, look on the bright side... these real-life experiences inspired several scenes in the show! After all, this type of situation often happens to a 29 year old Parisian. Yes, in case you didn’t notice, Emily is 29 years old in the series! Speaking of real life – did you know that Mindy wasn’t originally supposed to sing in the series? The producer discovered Ashley Park’s talent only after she was cast for the role. As soon as he became aware of it, he asked her to perform a few times during the show. A great opportunity for Park to shine as both an actress and Broadway star! Here’s another fun fact for all our crazy fans: you see the actor who plays Antoine from Maison Lavaux? He also appeared in Gossip Girl as the friend of Blair Waldorf’s father. His name is William Abadie, a French actor who began his career in New York. Of course, you probably already know that Emily in Paris was extremely talked-about – for better or worse. Released the 2nd of October 2020 on Netflix, it ranked in the platform’s top 10 most-watched shows in only three days. A few months later, Netflix announced that more than 58 million households had watched the show within the first month of its release. In 2021, the show was awarded Best Comedy Series at the Emmy Awards and the Golden Globes. Lily Collins was also nominated for Best Actress in a Comedy Series, along with nominations for Best Onscreen Duo with Ashley Park, and Best Kiss—first with Lucas Bravo, who plays Gabriel, and then with Lucien Laviscount, who plays Alfie. Still, reviews aren’t agreeing on this. Both French and American viewers criticised the show for its overuse of stereotypes, especially those portraying Parisians in a negative way. Many of the French characters are seen as vain, pretentious, flirtatious, or even sexist. It doesn’t help that Emily’s colleagues would often come to work late and in a bad mood. The series has been a hard pill to swallow for French audiences, who criticize how it romanticizes Paris—showing a young professional who somehow wears designer clothes, is always perfectly styled, and effortlessly walks cobblestone streets in high heels—a fantasy that doesn't match reality. That’s why reactions are quite divided between those who love it, those who hate it, and those who love to hate it! In the end, the show's true purpose seems to be creating a dreamlike version of Paris—celebrating the City of Light, the capital of love, and the world's favourite tourist destination.