Netflix's Emily in Paris begins shooting season two in France

Netflix has started production on season two of its popular show Emily in Paris, with shooting set to take place around the capital, St. Tropez and other locations in the south of France.

Filming started on 3 May in the southern French region of Villefranche-sur-Mer.

Emily in Paris follows Emily, an ambitious twenty-something marketing executive from Chicago, who unexpectedly lands her dream job in Paris when her company acquires a French luxury marketing company, tasking her with revamping their social media strategy.

The anticipated second season follows the success of the series’ debut, with 58 million households around the world watching Emily in Paris in its first 28 days, making it Netflix’s most popular comedy series of 2020.

The first season spent four months shooting in Paris over the summer of 2019, filming against the backdrop of famous sites such as the Palais Garnier opera house and the Trocadéro, and lesser known locations the Musée des Arts Forains and L’Atelier des Lumieres. It also headed out of the city to shoot in Chateau de Sonnay in the Loire Valley. 

Unusually, the series also shot its interior scenes in the French capital, at Studios de Paris, after local producer and production manager Raphaël Benoliel convinced the production team it was the most cost-effective way to organise the shoot. 

“When they first approached me, the plan was to the shoot the exteriors in France and the interiors in New York, which made sense because of the New York tax rebate and the fact post-production was going to happen there too. I showed them that shooting the entire thing in France was less expensive,” he explained. 

The romantic comedy, starring Lily Collins, hails from writer and executive producer Darren Star, who has created hit series such as Sex and the City and Younger, which is currently streaming its last season.

Emily in Paris is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, Darren Star Productions, and Jax Media. In addition to Star, Tony Hernandez and Lilly Burns of Jax Media, and Andrew Fleming serve as executive producers with Collins also working as producer on the series.

Darren Star, executive producer, said: “From the beginning we always wanted to create this beautiful cinematic view of Paris. The timing of the series release was fortuitous for us as everyone around the world was able to become armchair travellers and live vicariously through our cast. We could not be more proud and are excited to bring more joy to our fans as we start production on Season 2.”