In an exclusive interview, ‘Emily in Paris’ mastermind Darren Star reveals the deliberate, high-stakes cliffhangers he engineered to secure a season 6, breaks down Emily’s pivotal choice to prioritize her Parisian life over a fairytale romance, and defends the show’s whimsical, non-documentary approach to storytelling.
The fifth season of Netflix’s global phenomenon Emily in Paris has landed, and creator Darren Star is playing the long game. Far from wrapping up neatly, the season concludes with a masterclass in suspense, leaving fans and the streaming giant itself desperate for more. This isn’t an accident; it’s a strategic move from the veteran showrunner behind Sex and the City and Younger.
“I always want to write cliffhangers to sort of compel Netflix to order another season,” Star stated, confirming that the unresolved fates of Emily, Gabriel, and the entire Agence Grateau team are a deliberate gambit for renewal.
The Venice Gambit and Emily’s Defining Choice
This season’s journey to Italy was a pivotal narrative device, testing Emily Cooper’s commitment to the life she built in Paris. Initially in Rome with her billionaire boyfriend, Marcello Muratori, Emily’s professional struggles force a return to her adopted home. The season’s climax, set in the cinematic canals of Venice, serves as the ultimate test.
“We knew we were going to be in Rome… and given a second location in Italy, it really felt like, to me, Venice was such a magical place,” Star explained on the location choice. “I was like, ‘Wow,’ and there’s something so cinematic about it.”
It is here that Emily makes her most empowering decision yet: walking away from a life of luxury as Marcello’s partner to reclaim her own agency and career in Paris. Star framed this not as a rejection of love, but an affirmation of self.
“The choices she made clarified what she wants in her life… she realized that was what was most important to her, at the end of the season, [being with Marcello] was someone else’s dream, not necessarily hers.”
The All-Star Guest Cast and Future Threads
Season 5 is bolstered by a roster of stellar guest stars, led by the inimitable Minnie Driver as the eccentric Princess Jane. “Minnie Driver was on the top of my list,” Star revealed. “I’ve known her for many years, and luckily, I knew she had this sense of humor and would understand this role and take her to the next level, which I really feel like she did.”
Another key addition was Bryan Greenberg as Jake, an American working at the embassy who offers Emily a relatable connection she’s been missing. Star was keen to leave the door open for his return, hinting at a expanded role. “Absolutely. I mean, he’s in Paris working at the American Embassy, and I love the idea that Emily can have an American friend in Paris, which she didn’t have before.”
Addressing the Critics and Embracing the Fantasy
No show of Emily in Paris’s stature is without its critics, who often question the realism of Emily’s lavish lifestyle. Star has a succinct and definitive retort for such scrutiny.
“Well, number one, it’s not a documentary, and it’s entertainment. Just relax and let it wash over you and be entertained,” he advised. “There’s nothing you see on any TV show that’s real. Period. The end. Nothing in television or a movie is real. This is just a different kind of non-reality.”
What’s Next? Greece, Chicago, and Unanswered Questions
The finale is packed with potential pathways for a sixth season. Gabriel’s departure on a boat to Greece, signaled by a postcard, is the most tantalizing thread. “It’s possible. Gabriel’s on a boat, but who knows how Emily’s going to react?” Star teased, leaving the destination wide open.
Furthermore, fans may finally learn more about Emily’s oft-referenced but never-seen past in Chicago. “We’ll learn more. We’ll get some… I think next season we’ll find out even more about Emily,” Star promised.
As for the central will-they-won’t-they question of Emily and Gabriel, Star remains deliberately undecided, preferring to let the story evolve organically. “I can’t answer that, because I haven’t decided how the show is ending,” he said. “I just feel like I stay in the moment of the characters and the story.”
This approach—focusing on constant, entertaining turmoil for his protagonist—is baked into the show’s DNA. “You don’t want anything to feel too complacent, even in life… I think it just happens maybe a little bit on steroids in Emily in Paris, but I think it happens in life, too.”
The magic of the show, which has captivated a global audience, remains a welcome mystery to its creator. “I think not knowing what it is is sort of a great thing… It is a mystery, and it’s why you can’t sort of formulate hit shows. They have to spontaneously happen, that sort of magic combination of cast and storyline and everything.”
With season 5 now streaming, all eyes are on Netflix to greenlight the next chapter of Emily’s Parisian adventure. Based on Star’s expertly laid traps, that announcement seems all but inevitable.
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