Emily in Paris star Camille Razat has explained why she won’t be returning for the show’s fifth season.
In the first season of the Netflix series, Razat’s character, also named Camille, becomes a guide for Emily (portrayed by Lily Collins), an American marketing executive who’s just moved to Paris. Their friendship goes on to have a few challenges, with Emily developing feelings for Camille’s boyfriend, Gabriel (Lucas Bravo).
This all leads to one messy love triangle, which gets more complicated as the seasons continue. Often, Camille was viewed as the “villain” for how she sabotaged Emily’s relationship with Gabriel.
Last week, Razat’s name was notably absent from Netflix’s list of returning cast members.
In a statement sent to The Independent on Tuesday, Razat clarified her decision to exit the show.
“After an incredible journey, I’ve made the decision to step away from Emily in Paris. It has been a truly wonderful experience — one filled with growth, creativity, and unforgettable memories,” Razat said.
“I’m deeply grateful to Darren Star and the entire team at Netflix and Paramount for their trust and for giving me the opportunity to bring Camille to life and leaving the door open for her return, as she will always be a part of Emily In Paris world. This character has meant a lot to me, and I feel that her storyline has naturally come to an end. It felt like the right moment to explore new horizons.”
She added: “I leave the show with nothing but love and admiration for the cast, crew, and fans who have supported us along the way. Thank you for the beautiful ride.”
Razat also shared the next steps she’s taken in her career, including completing two shows and starting her own production company.
“I’ve recently wrapped two series, Nero for Netflix and Les Disparues de la Gare for Disney+,” she said. “I’ll also be shooting new projects in the coming months, which I’m really looking forward to. And I’ve launched my own production company : TAZAR. We mainly produce music videos and short films for now, but we’re currently developing our first feature film, something I’m truly passionate about and excited to grow.”
Her departure from Emily in Paris follows four seasons as a series regular on the show.
During the fourth season, Camille deals with the aftermath of calling off her wedding to Gabriel after realizing he still has feelings for Emily. Camille is also pregnant with his child, causing friction in his relationship with Emily.
However, in the final episode of the season, she learns she had a false pregnancy and tries to convince Gabriel to adopt a child. Gabriel ultimately turns down the idea, and Camille moves out of his apartment.
Season five will feature Emily and some of her ex-boyfriends, including Gabriel and Alfie (portrayed by Lucien Laviscount). Also on the show’s cast list is Emily’s new Italian love interest Marcello, portrayed by Eugenio Franceschini. The season will begin in Rome, following Emily and Marcello’s romance.
Meanwhile, Ashley Park, who plays Emily’s best friend Mindy, is returning for season five, along with Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, who plays Emily’s boss, Sylvie. Antoine Lambert, Bruno Gouery, and Samuel Arnold, who all play characters that work with Emily, are also returning.
Although the details about season five remain under wraps, Variety reports that it will pick up days after Emily moves to Rome for her luxury marketing company’s Italian office. The second half of the season will be shot in Paris.
During an interview with Netflix’s Tudum in September, Collins talked about Emily’s new romantic interest.
“Marcello is a whole other adventure that we want for Emily because we ultimately want Emily to be able to have a better work/life balance,” she said. “We want to have Emily be able to smile without condition. We want to see her beyond her vacay mode. And he comes at that perfect time.”
Darren Star, the creator of the series, said that Emily’s move to Rome to run the new office was born from a desire to “stay ahead of the audience and take them to unexpected places” and prove that “the show has the ability to have a bigger footprint.”
He also said that fan favorite Gabriel is still in the picture, since season four ended with him realizing he made a mistake by breaking up with Emily. However, Marcello will definitely be a strong contender for Emily’s heart.
“I feel like they have a real spark and a real connection and a real romantic connection. A lot of that’s going to continue to play out next season,” Star added.
