‘Emily in Paris’ ending explained: Are Emily and Gabriel back together?
Life has been nothing less than a rollercoaster for American marketing executive Emily Cooper in Emily in Paris season five, currently streaming on Netflix.
Although she begins the fresh chapter with a picturesque view of Rome in the arms of her Italian stallion, Marcello, by the time the fifth season concludes, it feels like Emily could be very well up for another adventure abroad, this time, to reunite with her ex-boyfriend, Gabriel. But wait a minute, wasn’t she swept up in love with Marcello?
Well, yes. Emily went above and beyond to strike a balance between her love and work life. In fact, all her big decisions this season were made in the hopes of what actor Lily Collins calls a “fulfilled life.” “They’re both priorities for her, and sometimes one gets in the way of the other, and vice versa,” creator Darren Star tells Tudum. To be fair, we have already witnessed such mishaps a few times in Emily in Paris; season five is no different.
While Emily has her moments of epiphany in this instalment, life has undoubtedly been hard for the plucky fashionista, both love and work-wise. So much so that her relationship with Marcello also didn’t work out. But does that open the door for Emily’s reunion with Gabriel? Let’s find out.
Are Emily and Gabriel back together?
“I think the door’s always open between those two,” Star says, when asked about what awaits Emily and Gabriel in the future of Emily in Paris. But before we get to the possibilities, it’s important to take a trip down memory lane to see what actually went down between the two in season five. In the first episode, Gabriel finds himself in Rome, ready to get back together with Emily. However, when he realises just how smitten Emily looks with Marcello, he decides to step back, returning to Paris without causing an ounce of interference.
“I loved that Gabriel understood her happiness with Marcell and allowed them to have their time together. This speaks volumes about the growth of their friendship since season one – they are more communicative, honest, and upfront with each other,” Collins weighed in.
After Emily’s initial breakup with Marcello in the fourth episode, Emily returns to Paris with only work on her mind. However, a professional crisis arises with Gabriel, when attempting to cut through the friction brewing between him and Antoine over a new plant-based menu proposal, she gets him a gig “serving up the fare at the opening of a hotel owned by billionaire Thomas Heatherton.”
Impressed with Gabriel’s culinary skills, Thomas doesn’t think twice to offer him a full-time job as a private chef on his yacht, which ultimately leads the two to part ways once again. The season finale shows Gabriel on board Thomas’s yacht, and he has been given a few weeks off in Greece to enjoy some quality time. But then the phone rings, and he receives a text from Sylvie, which tells him Emily is now officially single.
Gabriel writes a postcard, inviting Emily to join him at the sea. However, her response remains shrouded in mystery. “I don’t know what the future holds for Gabriel and Emily. I appreciated that they were able to say goodbye gracefully, without knowing what comes next,” Collins admitted. “That kind of graceful goodbye felt deserved for the characters, and I’m not sure where it will go from here.”