Netflix’s ‘Emily in Paris’ brings cast to French capital for premiere

The cast of “Emily in Paris” hit the red carpet Tuesday in the city of lights for the global premiere of season three of the popular Netflix series, taking over a theater on Avenue Montaigne.

Upcoming shows delve further into the characters, explained creator Darren Star. “Everybody has some strong stories – it’s not just about Emily anymore,” Star said.

Slated for release on Dec. 21, the new season of the television comedy stars Lily Collins as Emily Cooper, an American who relocated from Chicago to the French capital for a marketing job.

William Abadie, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, Samuel Arnold, Lily Collins, Ashley Park, Lucien Laviscount, Camille Razat and Bruno Gouery attend the world premiere of the third season of the Netflix series “Emily in Paris” at the Theatre des Champs Elysees in Paris, France, December 6, 2022. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

“Emily this season is a little more grounded in herself, she’s quietly confident, she is a little bit more French,” Collins said.

Watched by 58 million households in its first month, the series debuted at the height of pandemic lockdowns in 2020 and became the most popular comedy on Netflix that year.

There were more crowds on the streets during filming this season, noted Kate Walsh, who plays Madeline Wheeler.

Kate Walsh, Philippine Leroy Beaulieu, Marylin Fitoussi, Lily Collins, Ashley Park and Camille Razat attend the world premiere of the third season of the Netflix series “Emily in Paris” at the Theatre des Champs Elysees in Paris, France, December 6, 2022. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

It has drawn ire in France for caricatures of Parisians while inspiring droves of visitors from abroad to the capital for selfies in front of the Eiffel Tower and meals at Emily’s favorite haunts.

“Tourism in Paris is doing well; everyone’s wearing berets,” said William Abadie, who plays the role of a perfumer.

Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, who plays Emily’s French boss, said that while the series pokes fun at the French, it also takes on Americans – but hinted at newfound cooperation between her character and Emily.

“I think she’s influencing Emily a lot more than Emily thinks, and Emily’s influencing her also a lot,” said Leroy-Beaulieu.

Two new cast members, Paul Forman and Melia Kreiling join the upcoming series. One of the characters, Nicolas, seeks to “prove himself as an individual,” said Forman, who plays a wealthy son.