On September 12, Netflix released the continuation of Emily in Paris's fourth season. Although the show has received mixed reviews, it remains one of the platform's biggest hits. However, it is not particularly popular with the French, who have repeatedly criticized the creators for portraying life in France in a stereotypical and inaccurate way. Despite this, Brigitte Macron decided to take part in Emily in Paris, appearing as herself in the newest season.
Brigitte Macron is a Fan of Emily in Paris
The role in which the French First Lady would appear in the Netflix hit was kept secret for a long time. The French edition of Elle was the first to reveal this information two days before the continuation of the fourth season premiered. Brigitte Macron appears briefly in one of the episodes, in a scene where the title character, played by Lily Collins, meets her in a restaurant. In broken French, Emily tells the First Lady: "I love your country". Macron responds: "And my country loves you".
As Collins revealed, the idea for the President's wife to appear in the series came in December 2022, when she and the show's creator, Darren Star, met the First Lady. There is also a reference to Brigitte Macron in the first season of Emily in Paris, when the politician's wife praises a social media campaign initiated by the main character.
She is a huge fan of the show and took the mention of her character in the first season with a great sense of humor
- Lily Collins told Elle France.
The scene from the fourth season is a wink to the audience, and filming it was both an honor and a real joy
- she added.
The French Are Not Happy with Brigitte Macron's Decision
According to the French magazine, the scenes featuring Brigitte Macron were filmed in April of this year - just a few months before the snap parliamentary elections and the political crisis the country is currently facing. On September 7, just days before the episode featuring the First Lady was released, protests were held in France, calling for Macron's resignation. The clip of Brigitte Macron’s appearance in Emily in Paris quickly flooded social media, and the French were not pleased with it at all.
"This is the fastest way to lose the election", "These people have no shame, poor France", "Even in a show that was supposed to lift our spirits, they won’t leave us alone" - wrote outraged viewers in the comments.
