Emily in Paris assistant director Diego Borella dies on set in Venice at 47

The production of Emily in Paris season five came to an abrupt halt in Italy after assistant director Diego Borella died on set. He was 47.

According to Italian media reports, Borella collapsed on Friday evening while preparations were underway for the day’s final sequence at Hotel Danieli in Venice. Medical personnel present on location attempted resuscitation, but he was declared dead around 7:30 pm. Initial assessments suggest the filmmaker suffered a sudden heart attack, though an official cause of death has not yet been confirmed.

Venice’s health service later issued a statement confirming the emergency response. “Our ambulance arrived at 18.42. Medics made attempts to resuscitate him. But in the end, all efforts proved fruitless. At around 19.30, he was pronounced deceased,” officials told The Independent.

The shoot was originally scheduled to wrap on August 25, with Borella supervising the concluding scene. Following his passing, production has been suspended. Netflix and the series makers are yet to issue a public statement.

Borella was a respected figure in Venetian cinema, known for moving fluidly between film, literature and the visual arts. He trained in Rome, London and New York before returning to Italy to pursue his creative work. His sudden death has left colleagues and collaborators shocked, especially as he had been closely involved in the series’ ongoing production in recent weeks.

Only days before the tragedy, Emily in Paris lead actor Lily Collins had shared behind-the-scenes glimpses from Italy, celebrating the cast and crew’s energy and revealing that the upcoming season would stream from December 18. Those images now carry a different weight for the team coping with the loss.

For the global entertainment community, Borella’s passing underscores the unpredictable pressures of working on location productions. While fans await official updates from Netflix, those who worked alongside him remember a filmmaker deeply committed to his craft and to the projects he undertook.

For now, Emily in Paris season five stands paused in Venice, with the spotlight shifting from its anticipated release to mourning the man who helped bring it together.