‘Real Girlfriends in Paris’ Is the ‘More Authentic’ Version of ‘Emily in Paris,’ Victoria Zito Says
Move over, Emily Cooper; Paris has new American expats. Bravo‘s newest show, Real Girlfriends in Paris, will document the lives of a group of women as they explore romance and careers in Paris. Many people have already drawn comparisons between the reality series and Netflix’s Emily in Paris, a scripted show with a very similar concept. In a recent interview, Real Girlfriends in Paris star Victoria Zito shared what her show has in common with Emily in Paris and what it does differently.
Bravo’s ‘Real Girlfriends in Paris’ follows 6 American women in the City of Love
The cast of Real Girlfriends in Paris includes Victoria Zito, Anya Firestone, Emily Gorelik, Kacey Margo, Margaux Lignel, and Adja Toure. Each of these women had their own journey to the City of Love. Now, they’re embarking together on “their wildest adventure yet in the most beautiful city in the world,” according to Bravo’s synopsis.
“As the women live their best lives and chase their ultimate dreams, they find themselves navigating careers, romantic rendezvous, unavoidable conflicts and discovering who they are meant to be and exactly what they want,” the description continues.
RGiP promises plenty of drama, fashion, and friendship. Fans can get a taste of what to expect in the trailer, which shows the women having a blast as they learn more about themselves and their beloved city.
“Being Americans in Paris, it’s bringing us together,” Lignel says. “There’s no other friend group that I have that type of bond with.”
‘Real Girlfriends in Paris’ star Victoria Zito addresses the comparisons to ‘Emily in Paris’
Much like Real Girlfriends in Paris, Emily in Paris follows a young American woman on her journey in the city. Emily Cooper (Lily Collins) moves to Paris for a job at a marketing firm. In addition to developing her career, Emily finds a complicated romance with her neighbor and a close friendship with another American expat. The romantic comedy series has become extremely popular, but it’s also faced backlash for stereotyping life in Paris and ignoring the culture.
Speaking to E! News, Victoria Zito admitted she could see the similarities between Bravo’s show and Emily in Paris. However, she noted that Emily in Paris has a much more “romanticized and glamorized” take.
“I think it’s really hard not to make comparisons between the two, especially with how famous and how successful Emily in Paris was. But I do think that our show gives such a more raw and authentic perspective of what life is actually like there,” she said.
Of course, Zito said fans of both shows will notice some “synchronicities,” particularly in Zito’s romance department — she has a story with her neighbor, just like Emily. Fans will have to tune in to see that!
Victoria Zito gushes about the ‘magic’ of Paris
Zito moved to Paris from Texas in 2017 to attend Parsons and pursue her fashion dreams. She’s now the head designer at Chloe Colette. In her interview, Zito shared what made her realize Paris was the city for her.
“There’s something magical in the air. … I think everyone finds something different in Paris. I think that’s also really beautiful, too, because we all come from such different walk of life,” Zito said. “You never know what’s going to come out of the night or even what the day is going to turn into either.”
Real Girlfriends in Paris premieres on Monday, Sept. 5, at 9:15 p.m. ET. New episodes after that will air on Mondays at 9 p.m.
