Strong Filipino presence at the ‘Emily in Paris’ premiere in Rome

Representation matters — even in events, yes, from fashion to global Hollywood ones.

Filipinos are getting stronger by the number when it comes to getting noticed when it matters. But why does it matter, really?

Having Filipino personalities in major events reflects the growing market of one’s country. It gives more voice for our country and exposure to other regions and major places like Hollywood to take notice and learn more about us.

This time, “Emily in Paris” Season 4 Part 2 threw a major red carpet event as the story of the much loved Netflix show introduces a new travel goal setting, which is Rome, Italy.

Netflix flew in celebrities and content creators from all over the world, such as the US, Indonesia, Canada, Europe, Australia, the Philippines, and many more, to celebrate “Emily in Paris’” Season 4 final installment.

For the Philippines, Internet superstar Mimiyuuuh, GMA Network’s New Gen Primetime Princess Sofia Pablo, and Filipino model and creator LA Aguinaldo were there with yours truly. We find ourselves in the middle of doing new media, which is content creation, and our original roots, which are broadcasting and storytelling, the traditional way.

‘Emily in Paris’ lead star Lily Collins.

What we noticed is that the landscape of storytelling for major projects and events has changed drastically. Television, print, and broadcasting are totally different animals versus social media storytelling. We need both.

Via social media, creators have a niche way of reaching out to their audience. If you look at LA’s socials, particularly Instagram, it looks like a magazine catalog or an editorial from his Paris and Milan fashion week stints, but with it is a sense of personal storytelling, which effectively reaches audiences who are also into fashion and the entertainment LA likes to talk about.

Though his feed can look intimidating at first, soon enough you will realize that what he tells via his posts is naturally intertwined with who he is as a person, and that’s where he becomes relatable and aspirational.

Cast members Ashley Park and Philippine Leroy- Beaulie.

Speaking of aspirational, Mimiyuuuh has gone a long way since 2019, when she catapulted to social media stardom via her vlogs. But what is so adorable about her is how natural she is on and off social media. She embraced her flaws and is now loved by so many.

We even saw fans here in Italy recognizing her and asking her for photos. During her red carpet moment in Italy, we chatted with her, and she was still in disbelief.

“Sobrang thankful ako and honored kasi ang dami naman pwede ipadala rito. So, I’m always thankful and grateful. Salamat po talaga,” she said, who had a message to her supporters. “Just keep on dreaming, guys, because nothing is impossible if you work hard for it and if you’re also kind to everyone.”

This writer with internet superstar Mimiyuuuh, GMA Network’s New Gen Primetime Princess Sofia Pablo, and Filipino model and creator LA Aguinaldo.

Raff Garcia

Sofia is one of this generation’s top actresses but she is still as sweet and down to earth as ever sharing innocent fashion snaps on social media that have earned her millions of followers on TikTok and Instagram.

She has an upcoming show called “Prinsesa Ng City Jail” on GMA. The latter, her home network, gladly let her experience the once-in-a lifetime red carpet event and immersion. Well yes, besides the red carpet, we all had two full days of activities which we could call once-in-a-lifetime. Netflix now goes beyond its program title and promos.

What we took notice of was how they made the audience experience the show beyond the storyline. In our case, of course, we had our one-on-one interviews with the cast, led by Lily Collins, but we also even had a site tour via a Fiat 500 to all the locations featured in Season 4, where Emily had her adventures.

A highlight, of course, was the Colosseo and the Gelato overlooking Rome. After which, we headed to the jaw dropping and exclusive Palazzo Borghese to have cooking lessons and lunch. We made the Italian classic dessert, maritozzi. It was fantastic and unique and it made us better understand what the show stands for.

During our chat with the show’s creator, Darren Star said he hopes that, besides the eye candy aspect of “Emily in Paris,” the fans would realize that it is more than just that.

“We just want people to be inspired to travel, to take on that adventure,” he shared. Just as Emily did.

“Emily in Paris” is escapism at its finest, and the complete season is now streaming on Netflix.