(CNN)- When the hit Netflix series “Emily in Paris” revealed at the end of the fourth season that its protagonist was moving to Rome, it surprised many viewers. Now, French President Emmanuel Macron has pushed for talks and said the country will “fight hard” to prevent the series from moving to the Italian capital.
“We would ask you to stay in Paris, ‘Emily in Paris’ makes no sense in Rome,” he said. Diversity In an interview published this Wednesday.
The series centers on Emily Cooper, a twenty-year-old American marketing executive, played by Lily Collins, who moves from Chicago to Paris for work and enjoyment. beautiful life In the capital of France. It’s often one of Netflix’s most-watched shows, and when the streaming giant renewed it for a fifth season, creator Darren Star said that Emily will now “make an appearance in Rome.”
Following the French president’s comments, Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri posted a sarcastic response on Twitter: “Dear Emmanuel Macron, don’t worry: Emily is doing very well in Rome. And you can’t control your heart: let’s let it choose.”
Gualtieri added to one Announcement The Hollywood Reporter from Rome: “Doesn’t President Macron have more pressing matters to worry about?”
Gualtieri said: “I would like to believe, at least I would like to hope, that Macron was joking, because he must know that a production company like Netflix does not take orders from heads of state or make decisions based on political pressure. Doesn’t take.”
Macron has been associated with this series for a long time. His wife, Brigitte, appeared in season four when Emily saw her in a café and asked for a selfie. And in the show’s fictional universe, Brigitte shared a social media post of Emily from the first season in which she expressed surprise at the fact that the French word for vagina, VaginaBe manly.
“I felt very proud and she was very happy to do it,” Macron said of his wife’s cameo. “It was only a few minutes, but I think it was a great moment for him. I think it is good for the image of France. ‘Emily in Paris’ is very positive in terms of attracting the country. For my own business, this is a very good initiative.
The show received criticism from some French viewers for resorting to Parisian clichés and avoiding problems such as homelessness in the city, but it helped boost tourism in the country’s capital, according to a study by France’s National Film Center in January. got promoted.
The study found that almost one in ten tourists decided to visit France after watching a particular film or series and that in 38% of those cases, it was “Emily in Paris” that provided the inspiration for a holiday in France.
But despite his wife’s association with the series and its impact on tourism, Macron has no plans to make his own guest appearance.
“I’m less attractive than Brigitte,” he told Variety.
–– CNN’s Barbie Latza Nadeau contributed to this report.
