Assistant Director Diego Borella Dies on Emily in Paris Set During Season 5 Production

Production of the globally popular Netflix series Emily in Paris was shaken by tragedy on August 21, 2025, when assistant director Diego Borella collapsed and died while working on the show’s fifth season in Venice, Italy. The incident occurred around 7:00 p.m. local time, as the crew prepared to film a final scene of the day at the historic Hotel Danieli, a location featured prominently in the upcoming season.

Medical teams on set responded immediately, attempting to revive the 47-year-old with CPR. An ambulance arrived by 6:42 p.m., but Borella was pronounced dead at the scene around 7:30 p.m. The suspected cause of death is a sudden heart attack, though official confirmation is pending.

Who Was Diego Borella?

Diego Borella was a respected creative professional in the film and television industry. A native of Venice, Borella had an extensive artistic background, having trained in Rome, London, and New York. He was known for his quiet leadership, dedication to the craft, and an artistic sensibility that extended beyond directing. Outside of film, he wrote fairy tales and children’s stories, and was described by colleagues as “gentle, talented, and deeply human.”

Borella was hired locally as a third assistant director during the Venice shoot for Emily in Paris, and had quickly become a trusted member of the production team.

Production Paused then Resumed in Tribute

Following Borella’s death, filming was immediately suspended as cast and crew came to terms with the loss. The production resumed two days later, on August 23, with several emotional scenes being shot on location in Venice.

Paramount Television Studios, which produces the series alongside Netflix, issued a statement expressing “deep sadness” and condolences to Borella’s family and loved ones. Crew members reportedly observed a moment of silence before filming resumed.

Season 5 Release Date and Full Cast

Despite the setback, Emily in Paris Season 5 is still on schedule and will premiere globally on December 18, 2025, according to Netflix. This season features both returning favorites and new faces, and much of the story shifts from Paris to Rome.

Read Also: The new season of Netflix’s ‘Emily in Paris’ embraces French life

Full Season 5 cast:

• Lily Collins
  
• Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu
  
• Ashley Park
  
• Lucas Bravo
  
• Samuel Arnold
  
• Bruno Gouery
  
• William Abadie
  
• Lucien Laviscount
  
• Eugenio Franceschini
  
• Thalia Besson
  
• Paul Forman
  
• Arnaud Binard
  
• Minnie Driver
  
• Bryan Greenberg
  
• Michèle Laroque
  

What to Expect in Emily in Paris Season 5

Season 5 finds Emily Cooper (played by Lily Collins) navigating a new phase of her life as she becomes the head of Agence Grateau Rome. The season promises a blend of professional challenges, romantic complications, and cultural shifts as Emily tries to balance ambition with vulnerability.

Netflix’s official synopsis hints at a dramatic arc: “Just as everything falls into place, a work idea backfires, and the fallout cascades into heartbreak and career setbacks. Seeking stability, Emily leans into her French lifestyle, until a big secret threatens one of her closest relationships.”

Fans of the show will be witnessing the new season unfolding at a new setting in Rome with rich Italian fashion, food, and architecture. There will be the classic and complicated love triangles returning, possibly intensified with newer pair ups with career dilemmas that force Emily to choose between ambition and personal loyalty. All this along with Emotional growth, new alliances, and surprising betrayals.

While the upcoming season is highly anticipated, the tragic loss of Diego Borella casts a shadow over the production. His memory now becomes part of the story that fans will carry with them as they return to Emily’s world this December.