Lucas Bravo’s Career Evolution Beyond “Emily in Paris”
French actor Lucas Bravo finds himself at a pivotal moment in his career as he looks beyond his role as chef Gabriel on Netflix’s hit series “Emily in Paris.” Despite the show catapulting him to international fame when it premiered in 2020, Bravo recently expressed growing creative frustration with his character’s development. “I have some great, great projects lined up — I’m booked until next December,” the 37-year-old actor shared enthusiastically with People magazine. This packed schedule represents a significant milestone for Bravo, who has been strategically working to diversify his acting portfolio with “diverse, crazy challenging roles” that he’s “been waiting for… for a long time.”
The journey hasn’t been without its challenges, particularly regarding his signature role as Gabriel. When “Emily in Paris” first debuted, Bravo felt a strong personal connection to his character, infusing much of himself into the charismatic French chef. However, as the series progressed through subsequent seasons, he experienced a growing disconnect with Gabriel’s evolution. “As they made him kind of unaware of his surroundings, of the dynamic, always victimizing and always being completely lost in translation and oblivious to anything that is happening around him and being manipulated by everyone, it kind of became not fun for me to shoot,” Bravo confessed in an October 2024 interview with IndieWire. This artistic frustration led to what he described as “growing apart” from a character that once brought him so much joy and opportunity.
The disconnection became so pronounced that Bravo openly questioned his future with the series before season five. With his contract concluding after season four, he expressed hesitation about returning without meaningful changes to Gabriel’s characterization. “Three seasons playing melancholic, sad, depressed and lost is not fun anymore,” he explained, highlighting the contrast between his character’s perpetual melancholy and the show’s overall comedic tone. “It’s a comedy, everybody is having fun around me, everybody is jumping around, and I’m just slowly sinking into God knows what.” This candid assessment reflected a professional crossroads for the actor, who clearly valued artistic fulfillment alongside commercial success.
Despite these reservations, Bravo ultimately returned for the fifth season after Netflix renewed the popular series. However, his public comments about character dissatisfaction reportedly created tension behind the scenes. An insider revealed to Us Weekly that “everyone is so upset about the remarks he made,” emphasizing that “the show is Emily in Paris — not Gabriel in Paris.” This backstage friction may have influenced Gabriel’s reduced role in the new season, though creator Darren Star maintained that the storylines evolved organically. “He really wasn’t consulted [on Gabriel’s season 5 arc], and he just chose to come back to the show,” Star explained to Decider. “The story line worked out.” The creator further defended Gabriel’s limited screen time, noting that season five’s narrative focus wasn’t centered on Emily and Gabriel’s relationship.
The situation highlights a common challenge for actors in long-running series: balancing commitment to breakthrough roles while seeking creative growth. Since his “Emily in Paris” debut, Bravo has strategically expanded his repertoire with film roles in projects like “Ticket to Paradise” and “The Honeymoon,” demonstrating his determination to avoid typecasting. His current slate of upcoming projects through December 2025 suggests these efforts are bearing fruit. While the specifics of these new roles remain under wraps, Bravo’s excitement indicates they’ll provide the artistic challenges and variety he’s been seeking — opportunities to showcase dimensions of his talent that Gabriel’s character arc hasn’t fully allowed.
As “Emily in Paris” continues streaming on Netflix with its fifth season, Bravo stands at an interesting career juncture that many actors face after breakthrough success. His journey reflects the delicate balance between honoring the role that brought fame and actively pursuing creative fulfillment. While Gabriel may have become somewhat “guacamole” in Bravo’s estimation, the character has served as a launching pad for what appears to be an expanding and diverse acting career. His willingness to voice creative concerns while professionally fulfilling his commitments shows an actor thoughtfully navigating the complexities of sustained success in the entertainment industry. For fans of both the show and the actor, this evolution promises interesting developments both within and beyond the picturesque Parisian setting that first introduced the world to Lucas Bravo.
