Emily In Paris Season 5 Is Dedicated To Diego Borella

If you’ve already breezed through Emily in Paris Season 5 (and spoilers ahead if you haven’t), you know that the latest installment ends with Emily single once again. She’s freshly returned to Paris after realizing she didn’t want to move to Marcello’s hometown of Solitano, Italy, to be with him. “I’d feel like a princess trapped in a castle,” she tells Mindy, agreeing with her friend that while it sounded like a “nice fairytale,” it was nothing more than that.

Gabriel, meanwhile, writes Emily a love letter from Greece and invites her to visit. The season ends there, but not without a meaningful dedication: “In memory of Diego Borella.”

Diego Borella Was On The Emily In Paris Team

Diego Borella was a locally hired assistant director who died during the production of Emily in Paris Season 5 in Venice.

On Aug. 21, Borella suddenly collapsed at the Hotel Danieli. According to Italian newspaper la Repubblica, attempts to revive him on the scene were unsuccessful. He was 47 years old.

The newspaper noted that Borella had trained in Rome, London, and New York, and was also a writer of poetry and stories for children. Per the author bio on his publisher’s website (translated from Italian), the Venice-born creative had worked in film and theater for years but never stopped writing.

Paying Respects

In addition to the on-screen tribute, Paramount Television Studios previously acknowledged Borella’s passing in a statement, telling ABC News in August: “We are deeply saddened to confirm the sudden passing of a member of the Emily in Paris production family. Our hearts go out to the individual’s family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.”

Emily in Paris creator Darren Star later reflected on Borella’s death at a press conference, per Radio Times. “We were all there when it happened. We were filming that day — it came at the very, very end of our filming. And I think it hit us very hard because it was tragic and shocking and sad,” he said.

Star went on to say that Borella’s memory would “live on with the show and in all of our hearts because he was part of the Emily in Paris family.”

Mattia Berto, a longtime friend, told Spanish newspaper El Mundo that Borella was “brilliant,” with lots of talent and a great sense of humor. “His is a young life cut short, so there aren’t many words. Just a great sadness,” Berto said.

Simone Venturini, Venice tourism councilor, noted Borella’s professionalism, going on to say he was “appreciated and respected by everyone in his field.”