8 Actors Who Left Emily In Paris, Here's Why

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"Emily in Paris" might not be one of Netflix's most critically acclaimed series, but it's undoubtedly one of the most popular. The story of a Chicagoan marketing exec who builds an entirely new life after moving to a firm in the French capital, and brainchild of "Sex and the City" showrunner Darren Star, is now on its fifth season, making it one of the longest-running comedy dramas on the streaming platform.

The show has made a star of Lily Collins (previously best known for her rocky relationship with her famous dad Phil Collins), who's picked up both Emmy Award and Golden Globe nominations for her portrayal of leading lady Emily Cooper. A cast of breakout co-stars, including Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu as demanding boss Sylvie, Ashley Park as Emily's BFF Mindy, and Samuel Arnold as sarcastic colleague Julien, has also helped to reel in audiences looking for easygoing comfort viewing.

But not every actor who graces its idealistic, and some would say ridiculously stereotypical, world does so for so long. Whether through their own volition or the whims of the writing team, here's a look at eight actors who've said au revoir to the cross-cultural hit (as well as one who nearly did). 

Onscreen champagne heiress and art gallery worker Camille spent four seasons getting in the way of Emily's will they/won't they relationship with hunky head chef and next-door neighbor, Gabriel. But the leading lady now has one less rival to worry about, thanks to the 2025 departure of the actor who played Camille.

Razat, whose character was last seen moving out of Gabriel's apartment following their break-up in the season 4 finale, revealed in a press statement (via The Independent) that she believes her time on the show has come to a natural end. "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."

The French star, whose credits also include TV thriller "The Disappearance," courtroom drama "The Accusation," and biopic "Waltzing with Brando," went on to thank the show's creator Darren Star, its production studio Paramount, and its home platform Netflix for allowing her to showcase her talents and for giving her namesake the chance to make a return should she ever change her mind. "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."

Rupert Everett sure put the cat among the pigeons when he claimed to have been sacked from his "Emily in Paris" role as Giorgio Barbieri. The thespian had popped up as the fashion designer in season 4 episode "All Roads Lead to Rome." And while speaking at an event in Italy, he admitted he'd been left devastated by the fact he was never asked back.

"I waited for them to call me," Everett allegedly said (via Vanity Fair), "But ultimately, it never came, and they just fired me. Show business is always very difficult, from the beginning to the end. When they write the screenplay, they think they want you — but then things change, and they lose your character. I don't know why."

Everett also confessed he'd been so disheartened by this development that he spent a fortnight in bed. However, the plot thickened when an insider told the same publication that Everett's casting had only ever been for a one-off. And then, in another twist, Everett stated (via People) that, contrary to his earlier comments, he'd never been given any kind of marching orders: "I was talking to a group of acting students — in my shaky Italian — at a festival in the south of Italy, and it all got a little lost in translation."

Kate Walsh sure seemed to enjoy portraying Emily's boss, Madeline Wheeler, judging by her 2022 interview with Us Weekly. "It's kind of fun to play. It's all clichés. I don't speak French, but it's really delightful for me to be able to play a character [who] thinks she speaks really good French and is actually speaking terrible French."

Unfortunately for Walsh, the show's writers soon cut short her enjoyable stint. Indeed, later that same year, Madeline made her last appearance in the season 3 episode "Coo D'état." It was here that the fictional marketing director finally realized that with a baby to look after and the constant disruptions from sneaky building manager Henri, she could no longer spend time working remotely in her Chicago firm's Parisian offices. Madeline even tries to bring the show's leading lady back to the Windy City with her. But thankfully for fans of the cross-cultural dramedy, Emily — having built a whole new life for herself in Paris — decides to stay put.

Luckily, Walsh had a much less stressful time across the Atlantic than her character. "The French are always really kind to me. I think sometimes people can experience it as being tough in Paris if you're American, but for me, everyone's been so kind and welcoming. It's just a dream to go work there." Here's what else Walsh has been up to since leaving "Grey's Anatomy."

Charles Martins looked all set to be an "Emily in Paris" mainstay when his character, Pierre Cadault fashion label heir, Mathieu Cadault, struck up both a personal and business connection with the show's leading lady in season 1. Sadly, the Frenchman was soon left feeling betrayed on two fronts.

Emily and Mathieu are first introduced to each other in the "French Ending" episode when Emily is looking for an outfit for a Stateside client. Although their relationship is strictly professional at first, they later act on their obvious chemistry with a kiss, a speedboat trip across the Seine, and a jaunt to Saint-Tropez. But it's during this trip that things start to go awry.

During this romantic vacation, Mathieu discovers that his new squeeze had previously dated Gabriel and subsequently abandons her on a train. And things go from bad to worse when Emily accidentally uploads a snap of Pierre Cadault's fiercest rival alongside the company's line of luggage, resulting in her dismissal from their account. Since this double whammy pushed his character completely out of the picture, Martins has appeared in Scandinavian neo-noir "Codename: Annika."

Famed for his role in Luc Besson's action franchise "Taxi," as General Edmond Bertineau, Jean-Christophe Bouvet had never appeared in an American TV show until he was cast as fashion designer Pierre Cadault in the first season of "Emily in Paris." And the Frenchman instantly felt an affinity with the larger-than-life character.

"I have to admit that there is something of myself in Pierre Cadault; his sensitivity, his extroverted character," Bouvet told France-Amérique in 2023. "For the rest, all I had to do was draw inspiration from certain aristocrats I knew in my youth, such as the Comte de Bervard or the Comte de Taille. They knew the rules of etiquette by heart and were merciless toward those who lacked good manners."

Bouvet got to play Cadault in 10 episodes across three seasons before the character was nearly ousted from his own company by luxury multinational JVMA. In response, he and his allies use his hospitalization for a shoulder injury as an opportunity to spread a rumor that Cadault has passed away. At the unveiling of a new Pierre Cadault store, the founder then bursts through a hologram to announce that he's very much still alive and he now intends to continue his brand without the unscrupulous conglomerate. However, we never actually see how this plan works out, or indeed, see the designer ever again. 

No stranger to high camp, having represented Denmark in the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest as a member of Lighthouse X, Søren Bregendal slotted right in when he was cast as amateur photographer Erik de Groot in the second season of "Emily in Paris." The character certainly made an instant impression on Sylvie, with the pair getting together soon after Erik shot an event for Savoir. Sylvie's unwillingness to make their relationship public initially makes things difficult, but they soon overcome this obstacle and become both professional and personal partners. However, once Erik discovers that his new lover still hasn't officially divorced her restaurateur ex, Laurent Grateau, their connection weakens, and he eventually storms off at a McLaren party, never to be seen again.

"Emily in Paris" didn't just lose some Danish eye candy when Erik waved goodbye for good. They also lost the cast's resident astrologer. Indeed, man of many talents Bregendal is a keen zodiac interpreter and once gave his on-screen girlfriend, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, a brief reading. "Behind the whole business part of the industry, there is an army of creative, soulful people," he told Elephant Journal. "Very often, there is also an alternative, holistic, spiritual undercurrent in them. In that sense, it is a very warm environment to be in."

Melia Kreiling was certainly excited about landing the role of Sofia Sideris in the third season of Netflix's hottest cross-cultural dramedy. She captioned an Instagram selfie in front of the Eiffel Tower to announce the news: "Joining the incredible cast of "Emily in Paris" for some international sizzling AMOUR. Playing dress-up has never been this much fun before."

Sofia's character is a Greek artist who, after staging an exhibition at Camille's prestigious gallery, ends up falling head over heels for its owner. In an interview with Glamour, Kreiling acknowledged the significance of the show's first prominent same-sex relationship: "I very purposely tried not to think about that while we were filming because then that creates a pressure that doesn't necessarily serve the storyline. But especially after the premiere, seeing in person the incredible devotion the fans have for this show, that's when it really started to click for me that, wow, there's probably going to be a reaction to this, and I cannot for the life of me figure out what it will be."

The reaction, on the whole, was a positive one, with most fans becoming invested in the love triangle between Sofia, Camille, and the latter's on/off boyfriend, Gabriel. But once actor Camille Razat announced her departure from the show in 2025, Kreiling's character was left surplus to requirements, and she, too, didn't return for season 5.

Long before the likes of Mathieu, Thomas, Timothée, Alfie, Marcello, and, of course, Gabriel all fell head over heels for the heroine of "Emily in Paris," poor forgotten boyfriend Doug was her first love interest. Little is known about the character, apart from the fact that he has a high-powered job, is a Chicago Cubs fan, and that he was unwilling to maintain a long-distance relationship once Emily relocated from the Windy City to the French capital.

It was Doug's reluctance to follow his girlfriend across the pond that ultimately resulted in him exiting the show after just the second episode, leaving the actor Roe Hartrampf free to play Prince Charles in the so-bad-it's-good Broadway musical "Diana." He did, however, make a brief cameo in the "Emily in Paris" season 3 episode "I Have Two Lovers."

In an interview with Broadway in Boston, Hartrampf explained how happy he was to have had the chance to return to the stage: "It was always theater. Something about being in front of the live audience was so special to me. Now that I'm on Broadway for the first time, I know that there's nothing that compares to a Broadway house."

"Emily in Paris" looked like it was about to lose another key cast member toward the end of 2024 when Lucas Bravo, who plays the central love interest, Gabriel, repeatedly expressed his dissatisfaction with his character. He first voiced his frustrations in a chat with SheKnows (via Glamour), explaining that he'd found it hard to relate to Gabriel's narrative arc: "You know, at the end of the day, I'm just an actor, and I'm here to say my lines, but, yeah, it's kind of weird." 

Speaking to Le Figaro shortly after, the Frenchman appeared to strongly hint that he wouldn't be returning for season 5, remarking (via New York Post): "It takes five months to shoot this series. Do I want to sacrifice them by telling something that does not stimulate me?" And in another interview with IndieWire, he moaned his character has essentially been turned into guacamole, adding: "It's a comedy, everybody is having fun around me, everybody is jumping around, and I'm just slowly sinking into god knows what."

However, Darren Star seemed unconcerned about the show's premier hunk potentially leaving for pastures new. When questioned about Bravo's comments by Deadline, the showrunner claimed it was all just a misunderstanding: "I think he was never intending not to come back." Unsurprisingly, the star eventually decided that he could put himself through the torture of filming "Emily in Paris" for at least one more season.