‘Emily in Paris’ Season 5 Role Auctioned Off Despite No Renewal Yet

One lucky auction winner paid several thousands of dollars for a walk-on role during season 5 of Emily in Paris — but Netflix reportedly has yet to renew the series.

During the amfAR Gala’s auction at the Cannes Film Festival on Thursday, May 23, which raises money for research to end HIV and AIDS, a prize was offered that included a small appearance on the unannounced fifth season of Emily in Paris and a chance to attend the season 4 premiere in Los Angeles.

The winner paid €250,000 (271,226 USD) for the opportunity, per Variety, with onstage presenters Winnie Harlow and Paris Jackson saying the series is scheduled to begin shooting in mid-2025. (Emily in Paris season 4 is set to arrive on Netflix on August 15 with Part 2 dropping on September 12.)

While the prize sounds like a dream, Netflix hasn’t greenlit season 5 yet, according to the outlet, and despite Harlow and Jackson’s optimistic filming update, the auction description has been updated to reflect the realities of the show’s unknown future.

The official amfAR auction website reads, “As part of the walk-on role, the winning bidder will have the opportunity to spend a day on set in Paris during filming, contingent upon season 5 pickup.” Variety reported the original language in the auction booklet did not include “contingent” and indicated season 5 was already in the works.

The fate of season 5 is still up in the air, but fans are anxiously awaiting the season 4 premiere after nearly two years.

During the dramatic season 3 finale, which aired in December 2022, Gabriel (Lucas Bravo) and Camille (Camille Razat) break up at the altar due to his feelings for Emily (Lily Collins). After Alfie (Lucien Laviscount) finds out about the situation, he ends his relationship with Emily, and she finds her way back to Gabriel.

“There’s a lot more story to tell here and we’re not wrapping things up anytime soon,” creator Darren Star told E! News that same month. “I feel like we’re all creatively feeling like we’re in the middle of something not heading towards the end.”

The show was greenlit for season 4 at the same time as season 3 back in January 2020. In June 2023, Variety confirmed that production on season 4 was delayed amid the WGA writers’ strike.

As far as whether Emily and Gabriel will get their happily ever after, Star, 62, admitted it won’t be that simple for the duo.

“They are star-crossed lovers, they really are,” Starr told Deadline in December 2022. “And I think that a big question to think about the next season is, Emily didn’t come to Paris for romance, she came for a job, and I think they’re both in a different, more mature place in their lives, Emily and Gabriel, and definitely a more complicated place.”

Collins, 35, teased that there will be an “unexpected twist” during season 4, saying during a Netflix Tudum event in June 2023, “Emily is going to have to decide if everything she’s ever wanted is really what she needs.”