Tragedy on Set: Emily in Paris Assistant Director Dies During Season 5 Filming in Venice
Riley Carter here, your semi-casual observer of life’s weird, wild moments. Let’s talk about the kind of news that makes you pause mid-scroll and actually pay attention.
During what was supposed to be a final scene shoot for Emily in Paris Season 5 in Venice, tragedy struck when assistant director Diego Borella collapsed and later died at the Hotel Danieli. He was 47 years old. According to reports from La Repubblica and confirmed by the Venice health service (via The Independent), Borella suffered a heart attack Thursday evening around 6:42 p.m., and despite efforts to resuscitate him, he was pronounced dead by 7:30 p.m.
The production team had been shooting in Italy as part of the show’s relocation from Paris to Rome and Venice for its fifth season. The final day of filming was originally scheduled for August 25, but now, with this unexpected loss, Netflix has reportedly paused production on the last episode.
Borella, an Italian native, had worked across major international hubs like Rome, London, and New York throughout his career. His death is not just a personal loss but also a sobering reminder of how fragile life can be—even behind the scenes of a glossy, feel-good series like Emily in Paris.
Just days before the incident, Lily Collins shared some lighthearted behind-the-scenes photos on Instagram, captioning them with “Joy ride to and from work with the best…”—a bittersweet echo of the camaraderie that made the set feel like home for many involved.
Season 5 was already shaping up to be a dramatic one for fans. As per Netflix’s official synopsis, Emily Cooper will face professional upheaval and romantic turbulence while navigating her new role as head of Agence Grateau Rome. But now, real-life drama has intersected with fiction in a way no one could have predicted.
Meanwhile, Lucas Bravo—who plays Gabriel—recently hinted at feeling creatively drained by the show, telling Le Figaro earlier this year that five months of filming didn’t feel worth it if the material wasn’t stimulating. Still, he returned for Season 5, hoping for character growth and more depth in future arcs.
This isn’t the first time the show has faced criticism. Back in 2021, sports writer Greg Wyshynski famously compared the show’s writing to a razor-sliced garlic scene from Goodfellas—thin, fast, and barely there. Yet, despite the critiques, Emily in Paris continues to pull in viewers, proving that sometimes, escapism wins over substance.
Still, none of that matters right now. What matters is honoring the life and work of someone who contributed to bringing this world to life—and recognizing that even in a story built on romance and fashion, real life can still hit hard.
Anyway, that’s the deal. Do with it what you will.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and La Repubblica, The Independent, New York Post, Le Figaro, The Hollywood Reporter
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