Warning: this article has spoilers about the show Emily in Paris!
My favorite Netflix show recently has been Emily in Paris. Lily Collins stars in this comedy about a marketing agent from Chicago who goes to Paris to work for her marketing agency’s sister firm and experiences French culture, cuisine, and dating while she’s there. Emily in Paris is known for its ‘haute couture’ but I also really enjoyed its cast. Here are some profiles of its most important characters!
Emily
First, there’s obviously Emily. Emily Cooper is from Chicago and comes to Paris for a year to work at Savior, a French marketing company. However, Emily does not speak any French and is shamelessly American, enjoying baseball, Trader Joes, and pizza. This gets her plenty of backlash from other Parisians and her coworkers at Savior. Thus, Emily has to acclimate herself to French culture without speaking a word of the language or knowing a single person in Paris.
Mindy
Mindy is a babysitter-turned-singer from China who Emily befriends in Paris. Mindy is loyal, kind, and shamelessly herself. She overcomes her fears of making a fool of herself while singing on stage and decides to quit her babysitting job to join a band. She moves in with Emily at the end of Season 1 and becomes Emily’s #1 person for advice and best friend.
Gabriel
Gabriel is Emily’s neighbor in her apartment building who also happens to be the head chef at the restaurant in their neighborhood. Gabriel is handsome, charming, and shows obvious interest in Emily. Their romance peaks at the end of Season #1 when Gabriel and his long-time girlfriend break up and Emily and Gabriel sleep together immediately after, but this sets them up for a season of tension when Emily has to walk on eggshells around Gabriel’s ex-girlfriend to keep her from finding out.
Camille
Camille is Gabriel’s notorious ex-girlfriend. Camille comes from a wealthy family who own both a vineyard and champagne company. Camille and Gabriel break up because Gabriel had planned on leaving Paris to start his own restaurant in Normandy, but his plans change when he gets funding for a restaurant in Paris. This stirs the pot because this creates a Parisian love triangle between Gariel, Camille, and Emily – who is the marketing agent for Camille’s family champagne company. When Camilly finds out Emily slept with Gabriel, she kicks her off her family’s account and gives her the silent treatment.
Sylvie
Sylvie is Emily’s mean, temperamental, and merciless boss. Sylvie constantly harps on Emily for her American mannerisms, her lack of French-speaking skills, and any mistakes she makes on the job or in her personal life. And she has no reason to talk – Sylvie is not someone with a strong moral compass. She is involved with several affairs and she gives her clients a discount if they have sex with her. But she does stand up for what’s right. When an American manager comes to the Savior office to take over, Sylvie liquidates her assets in Savior and quickly quits with many of her loyal coworkers to start her own marketing firm. If you need someone who isn’t afraid to do what needs to be done, Sylvie is your girl.
Overall, Emily in Paris is a great show to throw on if you need an upbeat, funny show to unwind to after a long day. It’ll make you laugh at the humor, gawk at the fashion, and gasp at the drama. I 10/10 recommend!