Emily Cooper isn’t done packing her suitcase just yet. With season five of Emily in Paris now in production, the Netflix hit is preparing to swap croissants and cobblestones for gondolas and piazzas. The latest instalment will see Lily Collins’ character torn not just between two men but also between two cities – Paris and Venice – after the dramatic cliffhanger of season four.
The core cast, including Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, Lucas Bravo and Ashley Park, are all back on set. But this time, a new face is joining the glamour. French star Michèle Laroque has been cast as an old friend of Sylvie Grateau, adding a fresh layer of wit and intrigue to the story. Casting director Juliette Ménager, who has worked on the show since its beginning, described Laroque’s presence as a revelation: “She’s like a Stradivarius. She can give you twenty different versions of a simple hello.”
A comedy star joins the Parisian mix
According to the team, Laroque has already slipped seamlessly into the show’s stylish ensemble. Known in France for her sharp comic timing, she brings a different rhythm to the repartee-heavy scripts. Her arrival may be just what the show needs to keep audiences invested after four seasons of love triangles and couture dilemmas.
Adding new voices has always been part of the Emily in Paris formula, and Venice now offers the series another playground of romance and culture. But while filming glitters on the surface, behind the scenes the casting process has hit some unexpected roadblocks.
Why French actors hesitate to sign on
In an unusually candid interview, Ménager admitted that casting French talent for the series has become increasingly difficult. Despite its global popularity, many French performers hesitate to join what she described as a show they “love to hate.” In her words: “When I did the casting for the first season, it was easier. It was new, fresh, and I could emphasise that the role came from Darren Star, the creator of Sex and the City. But recently, I needed a French actor for the series, and I was turned down everywhere in Paris.”
The remark underlines a long-standing tension between the series’ international success and its reception at home. While audiences worldwide adore Emily’s whirlwind life, critics in France often bristle at its clichés. That reputation, Ménager suggests, has made some local actors wary of being associated with the show, no matter how glamorous the exposure.
Can Emily keep her sparkle?
For now, production continues at full speed, and the addition of Michèle Laroque may inject the burst of authenticity the series needs. But the casting challenges hint at a larger question: how long can Emily in Paris balance its glossy escapism with the realities of working in the French entertainment world?
As season five whisks viewers from the Seine to the canals of Venice, the answer may lie in whether the show can keep surprising audiences while winning back a bit of credibility at home. After all, Emily has never shied away from a challenge – and neither, it seems, has the team behind her.
