Philippine Leroy-Baulieu, who played fearsome marketing boss Sylvie Grato in the Netflix drama Emily in Paris, received rave reviews from critics.
And the actress’s star continues to rise as she reveals today that her next TV challenge will be in the new series The Crown.
While the 58-year-old actress remains reticent about who she will play in the upcoming fifth series, which spans the 1990s, including the Windsor Castle fire and the collapse of several royal marriages, she admits: “I was so so happy to be in it.
But The Mail on Sunday understands that the Philippines will be played by Monique Ritz, the widow of Charles Ritz, who sold the famous Paris hotel to Mohamed Al Fayed in 1979. Her scenes are part of a backstory that culminates in the death of Princess Diana and Mr. Al Fayed’s son Dodi had an accident in 1997 after they left the hotel.
Filipina star Leroy-Baulieu continues to rise as she announces today that her next TV challenge will be in the new series The Crown.
In an exclusive interview with You magazine, the Filipina revealed she turned down many roles like Madame Grateau, the serious Parisian businesswoman in Emily in Paris who clashes with young American marketing manager Emily Cooper, played by Lily Collins.
“I got a lot of offers, but I was lucky enough to turn them down because they lacked imagination,” says Philippine, who also starred in the Netflix series Call My Agent. She adds: “I don’t want to be typical. I was already a French bitch and she’s perfect. I don’t need another one. So I will wait and trust that everything will be right.”
One such “right thing” was Peter Morgan’s controversial drama based on the life of the queen. Philippine says, “It was a very small thing, but it was a lot of fun and I was so, so happy to be in it. Each episode is like a small movie. It’s insanely well written.”
Like The Crown, which has been accused of historical inaccuracy, Emily in Paris has been criticized by some French people for stereotypes ranging from berets to baguettes.
The Filipino says, “Some people liked it, others didn’t. But it should be fun and not taken seriously.”
The coldness between Emily and her French counterparts is a central theme, and according to Philippines, it also had off-screen echoes. “The Americans from the show really came to Paris thinking the French didn’t know how to make TV and movies,” she says. “One of the directors even told me that he didn’t know if the French team would work as well as the Americans.” She adds with a laugh: “Cinema, by the way, we invented …
“It’s the same as with Lily’s character, Emily. She comes to the office and says: “You don’t know how to work, I’ll show you all how to do it.” She is Miss Perfect, a know-it-all and this annoys Sylvie. And that provoked us French when the Americans were like that too.”
But The Mail on Sunday understands that the Philippines will be played by Monique Ritz, the widow of Charles Ritz, who sold the famous Paris hotel to Mohamed Al Fayed in 1979. Her scenes are part of a backstory that culminates in the death of Princess Diana and Mr. Al Fayed’s son Dodi had an accident in 1997 after they left the hotel.
French costume designer Emily in Paris talks about how life reflected art in creative encounters with a US colleague
The cultural clash between the French and American style worlds provides one of Emily’s richest entertainment experiences in Paris.
And now, the French designer behind her stunning outfits has revealed how real life repeated the storylines as tensions escalated between her and the show’s veteran American costume consultant.
In a candid assessment of her relationship with Patricia Field, who would no doubt have impressed the tough CMO Sylvie, Marilyn Fitoussi says, “I’m a costume designer. She consults, that is, approves or disapproves of the appearance. And when she does not approve of my image, we quarrel. It’s hard, let’s just say. She judges looks and sometimes I forget to ask her opinion!”
And now, the French designer behind her stunning outfits has revealed how real life repeated the storylines as tensions escalated between her and the show’s veteran American costume consultant. Pictured: Patricia Field
Ms. Fitoussi reveals how she even wrote to the Costume Designers Guild Awards to ask why 80-year-old Ms. Field, best known for her work on Sex and the City, was nominated with her in the category ” Excellence in modern television”. won jointly last month.
She ironically adds, “This is the secret of fame and the United States.”
In an exclusive interview with You magazine, she reveals how she became more assertive with Ms. Field and executive producer Darren Star in the second series, especially with Sylvie’s looks. She says, “They have an American take on French elegance—a bodycon dress and high heels.
“In the beginning, I didn’t have the skills to say, ‘No, that’s not French. So for Season 2, we decided to do some more extreme looks for Sylvie, like her red pantsuit.”