‘Emily in Paris’ Creators Flew Golden Globes Voters to France Ahead of Nominations

It seems the Emily in Paris creators offered the Hollywood Foreign Press Association some incentive for the show’s two Golden Globe nominations. According to a report published by the Los Angeles Times, creators of the show sent over 30 members of the HFPA on an all-expense-paid trip to Paris for a set visit while shooting the series in 2019 where they were “treated like kings and queens.” Paramount Network allegedly paid for the group’s two-night stay at the five-star Peninsula Paris hotel, “where rooms currently start at about $1,400 a night.” They also attended a meeting and lunch at the historic and private Musée des Arts Forains. Non-HFPA members were also invited to attend the event as well.

HFPA rules don’t allow members to accept gifts valued at over $125 from studios or producers. Sources within the studio told Us Weekly that Paramount Networks didn’t fly the HFPA to Paris for the weekend. The group’s stay at the Peninsula Paris was paid for at the group rate and the visit followed all of the regular protocols, meaning the guests were fed breakfast and lunch buffet-style.

Many were shocked to learn of the Netflix series’ two Golden Globe nominations in February. The show was nominated for Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy. Lily Collins, who plays the titular character, garnered a nod for her performance in the Best Actress in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy category. “There was a real backlash and rightly so — that show doesn’t belong on any best of 2020 list,” another HFPA member told The LA Times of Emily in Paris‘ recognition. “It’s an example of why many of us say we need change. If we continue to do this, we invite criticism and derision.”

The Emily in Paris nominations also served to further highlight the other shows that were snubbed by the HFPA voting committee. One such series being Michaela Coel’s I May Destroy You –– a show that garnered much critical acclaim during its run on HBO. Many on social media were shocked by the apparent slight. An Emily in Paris writer Deborah Copaken wrote an op-ed for the Guardian where she slammed the HFPA for the oversight.

“That I May Destroy You did not get one Golden Globe nod is not only wrong, it’s what is wrong with everything,” Copaken wrote earlier this month. “Yes, we need art that reflects all of our colors, not just some. But we also need to give awards to shows (and music and films and plays and musicals) that deserve them, no matter the color of the skin of their creators. … How anyone can watch I May Destroy You and not call it a brilliant work of art or Michaela Coel a genius is beyond my capacity to understand how these decisions are made.”