'Emily in Paris' series pits Rome and Paris against each other: Even Macron got involved!

The decision to film the fifth season of the series Emily in Paris in Rome instead of Paris, as required by the script, has caused a disagreement between France and Italy.

Most recently, the fact that the 5th season of the series will be filmed in Rome instead of Paris due to the script has caused a disagreement between France and Italy.

However, despite all these criticisms, the series is also seen as a reflection of France's soft power in the cultural sphere, and because it reaches a wide geography through Netflix, it contributes to Paris attracting tourists.

This situation stems from what is known as the "set-jetting" effect, where people visit the cities where their favorite movies and series are set.

According to a report published by the National Centre for Cinema and the Moving Image in France on January 18 regarding the set-jetting trend, 80 percent of foreign tourists visiting France stated that they wanted to visit the country after watching a French series or movie.

While 1 in every 10 tourists says they visited France after watching a series or movie, 38 percent of these tourists stated that they came to France after watching "Emily in Paris."

On the other hand, according to data from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), France was the most visited country in the world in 2023 with 100 million visitors, while Italy ranked 4th with 57 million visitors.

The Paris government does not want to lose the "set-jetting" effect created by the "Emily in Paris" series to Rome, one of its major competitors in the tourism sector.

This situation has led to a disagreement between French President Emmanuel Macron and Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri regarding the filming location of the series.

FIRST LADY MAKES A GUEST APPEARANCE

Macron's wife, Brigitte Macron, appeared as a guest star in the 4th season of the series "Emily in Paris".

In the episode where she guest stars, Brigitte Macron meets the show's lead character, Emily Cooper, at a beautiful Parisian restaurant and tells Cooper that she follows her on Instagram.

In a statement to the French edition of Elle magazine, Lily Collins noted that the idea of having her as a guest on the show emerged when she and the show's creator, Star, met Brigitte Macron at the Élysée Palace in December 2022.

Collins stated that Brigitte Macron is a fan of the show and reacted positively to being referenced in the first season.

Speaking to the US-based Variety magazine, Macron said he welcomed his wife's guest appearance on "Emily in Paris," adding, "I am very proud of it."

Macron stated that his wife was happy to participate in the series and had a pleasant time during her few minutes on screen.

When asked if he would consider appearing in the series himself, Macron replied that "his wife is more attractive than he is."

Expressing his dissatisfaction with Emily Cooper leaving Paris for Rome, the capital of neighboring Italy, at the end of the fourth season, Macron said, "We will fight hard. We will ask them to stay in Paris. 'Emily in Paris' in Rome makes no sense."

President Macron also noted that the series makes a positive contribution to France's appeal.

Macron's statement drew a reaction from Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri.

Gualtieri first posted on his X account, tagging Macron, saying, "Relax, Emmanuel Macron. Emily is doing well in Rome, and hearts cannot be controlled."

Speaking later to The Hollywood Reporter Roma, Gualtieri stated that Macron could not interfere with Netflix's production plans for the next season of the series, and continued as follows:

"Aren't there more urgent problems for President Macron to solve? I want to believe that Macron is joking, or at least I hope so, because he should be aware that a production company like Netflix does not take orders from heads of state and does not make decisions based on political pressure."

Gualtieri argued that instead of this series, Macron has more urgent issues to resolve, such as the Russia-Ukraine War.