Netflix’s hit romantic comedy Emily in Paris is gearing up for its fifth season, with production kicking off in Rome this May before shifting to Paris later in the summer, as confirmed by Variety and Netflix’s Tudum. The show, created by Darren Star, will see Lily Collins return as Emily Cooper, diving into a new chapter split between the Eternal City and the City of Light. The main cast, including Lucas Bravo as Gabriel, Lucien Laviscount as Alfie, and Eugenio Franceschini as Marcello, is set to reprise their roles, promising more love triangles, chic fashion, and cross-cultural chaos. However, one key cast member’s exit has fans buzzing, and the Rome setting is stirring both excitement and questions about the show’s direction. Here’s the full scoop on what’s coming, based on reports from Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and Deadline.
Filming and Setting: A Tale of Two Cities
Season 5 will begin filming in Rome in May 2025, capturing the city’s iconic charm—think Vespas zipping past the Colosseum and coins tossed into the Trevi Fountain—before returning to Paris’s familiar haunts like Emily’s cozy apartment square near the Panthéon, per Netflix’s Tudum. The dual-city setup follows Season 4’s finale, where Emily relocated to Rome to run Agence Grateau’s new Italian office, diving into a romance with Marcello, the dashing heir to a cashmere empire in the fictional village of Solitano. Star told Deadline the show won’t become Emily in Rome—Emily’s Instagram handle stays put, and Paris remains her home base. “She’s working in Rome sometimes, getting that office on its feet,” he said, hinting at a temporary but significant Italian arc.
The Rome shoot will likely showcase the city’s cinematic allure, building on Season 4’s Italian scenes, like Emily’s Vespa ride with Marcello, per Netflix’s location guide. Paris will still anchor the series, with Gabriel’s Michelin-rated restaurant, L’Esprit de Gigi, as a key backdrop, according to Variety. Filming is expected to wrap by late 2025, with a premiere slated for December 2025, following the show’s typical eight-month production-to-release timeline from Season 4, per TechRadar.
Returning Cast: Love Interests Galore
The core cast is back, ensuring Emily’s love life stays as tangled as ever. Lily Collins leads as Emily, navigating her new Roman adventure. Lucas Bravo returns as Gabriel, the French chef who showed up at Emily’s Rome doorstep in Season 4’s cliffhanger, ready to fight for her after a messy split, per Variety. Lucien Laviscount is confirmed as a series regular again, reprising Alfie, Emily’s ex who’s moved on with a new girlfriend but still calls her “the greatest girl in the world,” per Uproxx. Eugenio Franceschini, introduced in Season 4 as Marcello, will also return, with Deadline suggesting a bigger role as Emily’s charming Italian beau sparks a “real romantic connection,” per Star’s comments to Tudum.
Other returning regulars include Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu as the sharp-tongued Sylvie Grateau, Ashley Park as Mindy Chen, Samuel Arnold as Julien, Bruno Gouery as Luc, William Abadie as Antoine Lambert, and Thalia Besson as Genevieve, per The Hollywood Reporter. Notably absent is Camille Razat, who played Camille for four seasons. Deadline reports her exit follows Season 4’s arc, where Camille, after faking a pregnancy and parting ways with Gabriel, left Paris to pursue motherhood alone. Her departure has fans split—some are relieved to see the drama-heavy character go, while others worry it’ll shift the show’s dynamic.
Plot Teasers: Romance, Rivalries, and Reset
Season 5 picks up days after Season 4’s end, with Emily settling into her Rome apartment to helm Agence Grateau’s Italian office, per Variety. The plot, still under wraps, will dive into her romance with Marcello, described by Collins to Tudum as a chance for Emily to find “better work/life balance” and “smile without condition.” But Gabriel’s surprise arrival in Rome, fueled by an epiphany about wanting Emily back, sets up a fresh love triangle—or quadrangle, with Alfie’s lingering presence, per Uproxx. Star told Tudum that Emily and Marcello’s “real spark” will be a focus, but Gabriel’s pursuit and Alfie’s potential business ties with Antoine could complicate things.
Professionally, Emily faces new challenges running the Rome office, likely clashing with Sylvie’s high expectations and Genevieve’s ambitions, who made moves on Gabriel in Season 4, per TechRadar. Mindy’s arc may split time between Shanghai, where she’s judging Chinese Popstar, and Rome, as Park hopes for a girls’ trip to Italy, per The Hollywood Reporter. The season promises to blend Rome’s dolce vita with Paris’s chic chaos, with Gabriel’s restaurant and Sylvie’s agency as key settings, per Variety.
Fan and Cast Sentiment: Hype and Hesitations
Fans are thrilled about the Rome setting, with posts online praising the show’s fresh vibe and Marcello’s chemistry with Emily. The Season 4 trailer’s record-breaking 202 million views in 24 hours, per Variety, shows the hype is real. But some worry the show’s Paris charm might fade, and Camille’s exit has sparked debate—fans on Reddit call it a “smart reset” or a “loss of spice.” Lucas Bravo’s return is a relief after he voiced frustration with Gabriel’s arc, telling IndieWire in October 2024 that his character was “slowly turned into guacamole” by poor choices. Variety notes he signed on despite lacking a multi-year contract, unlike U.S. actors, and hopes Gabriel gets back to his “cheeky, playful” Season 1 self.
Laviscount, meanwhile, is all in, telling Us Weekly in October 2024 that the show “brings light and love,” and hinting at a Milan dinner with Star where they discussed flipping the script, per Bleeding Cool. Collins, speaking on Good Morning America, teased “more fun, more fashion,” and a deeper dive into Emily’s growth, per Netflix’s Tudum. The cast’s excitement, paired with Star’s knack for soapy drama, has fans eager for what’s next.
Emily in Paris Season 5 is poised to shake things up, blending Rome’s romantic allure with Paris’s familiar sparkle while juggling Emily’s crowded love life. Bravo, Laviscount, and Franceschini’s returns ensure the heartthrob quotient stays high, but Camille’s exit and the dual-city setup signal a bold pivot. Whether it’s Emily tossing coins at the Trevi Fountain or Gabriel chasing her across continents, the season’s set to deliver the escapist glamour fans crave. Keep an eye on Netflix for updates, and expect a trailer by late 2025, per TechRadar’s timeline. For now, it’s ciao, Roma, and bonjour, Paris—Emily’s adventures are just getting started.