Production for the fifth season of Netflix’s hit series Emily in Paris has been suspended following the tragic on-set death of assistant director Diego Borella. The 47-year-old filmmaker collapsed from a suspected heart attack while working on the final scene of the season at the historic Hotel Danieli in Venice on Thursday evening.
According to Italian media reports and a statement from the Venice health service, on-set medical staff and paramedics attempted to revive Borella, but he was pronounced dead at the scene around 7:30 pm. The exact cause of death is still pending, but a local doctor cited a “sudden heart attack” as the most likely reason.
Borella was a well-respected Venetian filmmaker who had trained in Rome, London, and New York. In recent years, he had also focused on writing poetry and children’s stories. His sudden passing has cast a somber mood over the production, which was set to wrap up on Monday, August 25.
Neither Netflix nor the Emily in Paris production team have released an official statement regarding the tragedy. The show’s star, Lily Collins, had recently shared behind-the-scenes glimpses from the Italy shoot and announced a December 18 release date for the new season.