French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview published Wednesday he hoped that Netflix's hit series "Emily in Paris" would remain centred on the French capital rather than move to Rome.
The fourth season of "Emily in Paris", currently streaming, takes events to the Italian capital where the show's star, played by Lily Collins, seeks to break new ground both personally and professionally.
When the show was renewed for a fifth season last month, the series' creators said it would play out between Paris and Rome, with Emily having "a presence" in Italy.
Darren Star, the creator and showrunner of "Emily in Paris", was quoted as saying that the show's heroine "was becoming very comfortable in Paris. I wanted to throw her into some unfamiliar waters".
Asked by US magazine Variety what he thought of the move, Macron said he would not take it lying down.
"We will fight hard," he said. "And we will ask them to remain in Paris."
Macron's wife Brigitte has a cameo appearance in the show's fourth season, in which, during a chance meeting in a restaurant, she says she follows Emily on Instagram.
"I was super proud, and she was very happy to do it," the president said about his wife's effort. "'Emily in Paris' is super positive in terms of attractiveness for the country. For my own business, it's a very good initiative."
Was he asked to appear on the show? "I'm less attractive than Brigitte," Macron replied.
"Emily in Paris" has been mostly lambasted by French critics for showing the French capital in what they say is an unrealistically glamorous light. Some of them have admitted, however, that it has its moments.
"It's a saccharine series filled with stereotypes," judged culture magazine Telerama when the show first aired. "And yet we can't get ourselves to totally hate it."
Britain's The Guardian came to the show's defence. "Yes, Emily in Paris is unrealistic", the paper said. "But when it comes to escapist TV, reality is overrated." —AFP
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