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Sad news has come from the set of Emily in Paris. Assistant director Diego Borella has passed away at the age of 47. Reports say he collapsed while filming the newest season of the Netflix show and was later pronounced dead.
According to Italian outlets including La Repubblica, Il Messaggero, and Corriere della Sera, the tragedy happened in Venice on August 21, 2025, around 7 PM local time. Borella was working on preparations for the final scene inside Hotel Danieli when he suddenly suffered a heart attack.
Doctors and medical staff rushed to help him on set, but despite their best efforts, they were unable to save him. Following the heartbreaking incident, filming for Emily in Paris season 5 has been put on hold.
Borella was a well-respected figure in the industry. He had trained in Rome, London, and New York, and had built a career in visual arts, film, and literature. In recent weeks, he had been in Italy working with the cast and crew on season 5.
The news comes shortly after Lily Collins, the star of the show, posted cheerful pictures from the set with the caption, “Joy ride to and from work with the best…”
Created by Darren Star, Emily in Paris follows Emily Cooper, an ambitious marketing executive from Chicago who moves to Paris to bring an American perspective to a French firm. The series mixes romance, comedy, and drama as Emily balances work, love, and friendships.
The show first premiered in October 2020 and has since grown into one of Netflix’s most popular titles. Season 5 was renewed in September 2024 and was scheduled to premiere on December 18, 2025.