VENICE — A crew member working on the Netflix hit series Emily in Paris died on Thursday while filming scenes for its fifth season in Venice, Italian media reported.

La Repubblica identified the man as 47-year-old Diego Borella, an assistant director on the show.

He reportedly collapsed in front of colleagues at Hotel Danieli around 7 p.m. local time as preparations were underway for a scene. Despite immediate efforts by the show’s medical staff and paramedics, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

“We are deeply saddened to confirm the sudden passing of a member of the Emily in Paris production family,” Paramount Television Studios, which produces the show for Netflix, said in a statement to the BBC.

“Our hearts go out to the individual’s family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.”

Filming of the romantic comedy was temporarily suspended following Borella’s death.

The series, starring Lily Collins as American marketing executive Emily Cooper, debuted in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic and has since become one of Netflix’s most popular shows. In its fourth season, released in 2024, the storyline shifted to Rome.

The fifth season, which Borella had been working on, is due to air later this year.

The ensemble cast also includes Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, Ashley Park, Lucas Bravo, and Lucien Laviscount. — BBC