Darren Star, the creator and executive producer of Emily in Paris, is currently back where the magic happens — in the French capital — working on the hotly anticipated fifth season of the globally popular Netflix series.
In a recent interview about the streaming success of his earlier hit Younger, Star revealed fresh details about Emily in Paris Season 5 and his new creative ventures.
Season 5 of Emily in Paris, starring Lily Collins as the eponymous American marketing executive navigating life and love abroad, is currently in production for a 2025 release.
Netflix announced in April that filming would begin in May with an exciting twist: the first four weeks took place in Rome before production moved back to Paris.
“We filmed in Rome for the first four weeks, and that was an exciting experience to be there,” Star said. “Now we’re back in Paris, Emily is definitely back in Paris.”
The Roman backdrop marks a new chapter for the show, which has traditionally been anchored in the City of Light. The change of scenery hints at a more expansive and perhaps more emotionally complex season ahead.
“I think we’ve got a really terrific season coming up,” Star added.
Familiar Faces and Notable Absences
Netflix confirmed that a majority of the fan-favorite cast will return for Season 5, including Lily Collins (Emily), Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu (Sylvie), Ashley Park (Mindy), Lucas Bravo (Gabriel), Samuel Arnold (Julien), Bruno Gouery (Luc), and William Abadie (Antoine).
Lucien Laviscount, who plays Emily’s British ex-boyfriend Alfie, will also return as a series regular after a reduced presence in Season 4. Deadline previously reported his full-time return earlier this year.
“Lucien is basically in every episode this season,” Star said. “He’s terrific, and I’m really happy to see him back this year in a more significant way.”
Another returning face is Eugenio Franceschini, who was introduced in Season 4 as Marcello, a suave Italian and Emily’s latest romantic interest. His role, too, is expected to grow in Season 5.
However, not all familiar characters are returning. Camille Razat, who has played Camille since the show’s inception — Emily’s on-again-off-again friend and romantic rival — will not appear in the upcoming season.
“I think her story kind of had a natural finish,” Star explained.
In Season 4, Camille exited the Paris scene after a failed rekindling with Gabriel, faked pregnancy in tow, and a trail of broken trust behind her. Her departure signals a significant narrative shift as Emily’s tangled love life continues to evolve.
Love Triangle Redux?
While Camille may be gone, the romantic tension surrounding Emily is far from resolved. The Season 4 finale left Emily seemingly happy with Marcello, only for old flame Gabriel to signal he wasn’t ready to let her go.
“Her love life is always complicated,” Star said, hinting that the upcoming season will continue to explore Emily’s ever-messy affairs of the heart.
“We have Marcello, Lucas Bravo is going to be back this season, so we have some interesting, surprising developments in terms of her love life.”
Bravo, who plays Gabriel, had previously expressed doubts about continuing with the show, telling the press last year that playing Gabriel was “not fun anymore” and likening his character’s development to “being slowly turned into guacamole.”
But Star clarified that Bravo’s comments were misunderstood and confirmed his enthusiastic return.
“I think the latter, just a misunderstanding,” Star said when asked whether Bravo’s return was difficult to secure. “I think he was never intending not to come back.”
Beyond Emily: Star’s Expanding TV Universe
While fans eagerly await Emily’s next chapter, Star has also been busy developing new projects under his overall deal with Universal Television. Earlier this year, he sold two high-profile series with significant script-to-series commitments: Climbing in Heels and Uncorked.
Climbing in Heels, an hourlong series adapted from an upcoming novel by Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, is being developed at Peacock.
Star is co-writing the series with Goldsmith-Thomas. The show is set in 1980s Hollywood and follows the rise of five ambitious secretaries navigating the glitzy entertainment world while facing — and challenging — the patriarchal systems of the time.
“There’re a bunch of roles that are going to be really strong,” Star said. “I really like to write it and then cast it, but I do feel like it has so many wonderful roles for a number of actresses.”
Casting details for Climbing in Heels have not yet been announced.
Meanwhile, Uncorked, a half-hour dramedy co-written with New Amsterdam creator David Schulner, has been picked up by Netflix. The show, set in Napa Valley, centers on a brilliant female winemaker who gets a second chance at life.
“It’s about a brilliant female winemaker who gets a big second chance in life,” Star shared. “So it’s kind of like the wine world, but definitely coming in from a female point of view of a very complicated character.”
The series remains largely under wraps, but its intimate focus on reinvention and resilience suggests it will align thematically with much of Star’s previous work, from Sex and the City to Younger and Emily in Paris — all of which spotlight women navigating change, ambition, and emotional upheaval.
What to Expect in 2025
With Emily in Paris Season 5 set for a 2025 premiere, fans have much to look forward to. The new settings in Rome, the deepening of existing relationships, and the return of key players suggest the show is ready to push boundaries while keeping its signature style — fashion, flair, and flirty drama — intact.
Darren Star’s creative momentum continues to flourish, and while the streets of Paris remain his current canvas, his storytelling palette is expanding into new geographies and genres.
Whether it’s a high-stakes romance in Paris, a second act in Napa, or ambition-fueled drama in 1980s Hollywood, Star’s upcoming slate promises to deliver compelling characters and stylish storytelling — the hallmarks of his enduring television legacy.
