Netflix’s Emily In Paris upsets Ukraine’s culture minister with ‘insulting’ character
Oleksandr Tkachenko’s beef is with the character of Petra, who’s depicted as someone who shoplifts and has bad fashion sense.
Netflix series Emily In Paris is no stranger to criticism; numerous viewers have already called it out for its stereotypical representations of the titular city and its inhabitants the moment the first season dropped in October 2020.
With the current second season, just released on Dec 22, it’s also managed to push the buttons of Ukraine’s culture minister.
Oleksandr Tkachenko has taken offence at the way a Ukrainian character, Petra (played by Daria Panchenko), is being portrayed in the show.
“We have a caricature image of a Ukrainian woman that is unacceptable. It is also insulting. Is that how Ukrainians are seen abroad?” wrote Tkachenko on his official Telegram channel.
In the show, Petra is terrified of being deported, has bad fashion sense and shoplifts, even tricking Emily Cooper, the series’ main character, to steal clothes and accessories from a shop.
Tkachenko said: “In the 1990s and 2000s, Ukrainian guys were portrayed mainly as gangsters. Over time this has changed. However, not in this case.”
“Is this how Ukrainians will be seen abroad? Who steal, want to get everything for free, be afraid of deportation? This should not be so.”
Tkachenko said that Netflix had given him a “diplomatic” response to his complaint.
Actress Lily Collins plays the titular role in the series, a 20-something marketing executive from Chicago who lands her dream job in Paris. The role earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a TV series. The actress is the daughter of musician Phil Collins.
