Who is Diego Borella? Man Dies on the Set of Netflix’s Series ‘Emily in Paris’

Venice, Italy: Tragedy struck the set of Netflix’s popular series Emily in Paris during filming of its fifth season when assistant director Diego Borella died on Thursday evening.

The 47-year-old filmmaker reportedly collapsed while preparing to shoot final scenes at Venice’s historic Hotel Danieli. Despite the rapid response of medics, Borella could not be revived. Italian media reports suggest he suffered a fatal heart attack.

Following the incident, production on the series has been temporarily halted.

Born in Venice in 1978, Borella had an accomplished career as a director and writer, working in Rome, London, and New York. He also published a variety of works, including fairy tales, haikus, and plays.

Longtime friend Mattia Berto paid tribute to Borella, describing him as “handsome, elegant, brilliant, and very talented,” and lamented that his death was a “young life cut short” that has left friends devastated.

The news comes shortly after Netflix announced that season five of Emily in Paris is set to be released on December 18, 2025. Filming for the new season began in Venice on August 15 and was scheduled to wrap next week.

This season will follow Emily Cooper, played by Lily Collins, from Paris to Rome as she navigates new professional and romantic challenges. Series creator Darren Star described it as “a Tale of Two Cities — Rome and Paris,” hinting at dramatic developments for the character.

Netflix has not yet released an official statement regarding Borella’s death, which has cast a shadow over one of the streaming platform’s most anticipated releases of the year.

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