The one thing I can say with absolute certainty is that Sylvie is messsssssy.
And we love it. We love to see it because it made Emily in Paris Season 5 all the most interesting to watch, second only to Alfie’s (Lucien Laviscount) and Mindy’s (Ashley Park) budding romance.
Sylvie (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu) is supposed to be a character who has it all together, but instead, life keeps throwing her curveballs, and it’s made her more authentic and real in the process.
She finally breaks down the wall that allows everyone to see who she really is, without losing the thing we love most about her—that she’s a badass who doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her.
And we get to see real vulnerability from her, particularly when it comes to her relationship with Emily (Lily Collins).
Here are the 4 wildest moments from Sylvie on Emily in Paris Season 5—SPOILERS AHEAD FROM SEASON 5!
Sleeping With Her Best Friend’s Son—And Husband
Topping the list is Sylvie’s most recent choice for a lover. There’s no way Sylvie could’ve known that Beau was her best friend’s son, but it was still a wild moment, especially because she was showing her BFF, who had just come back into her life after years, intimate pictures he was sending her. Yes, pictures of her son’s, you know what.
The plot twist was insane, only made crazier by the fact that her best friend hit “quit” on the friendship the first time around because Sylvie slept with her husband mere weeks before their wedding. Sleeping with your best friend’s husband and son is not a good look—no wonder she was unfollowed on Instagram.
Emily in Paris. Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu as Sylvie Grateau in Emily in Paris. Cr. Marie Etchegoyen/Netflix © 2025
Not Knowing How IG Works, But Directed a Whole Movie?
Speaking of Instagram, the fact that Sylvie runs a huge PR firm but doesn’t even know how Instagram works was a bit far-fetched. Yes, she’s older and relies on Emily for these sorts of things, but Instagram is part of marketing. I could even get past this and accept that Sylvie isn’t tech-savvy, but multiple times throughout the season, there was a focus on Sylvie’s directorial skills, her ability to edit a commercial, and a previous mention of how she was responsible for a whole photoshoot and concept for her husband’s bar, so I think Instagram would’ve been something she’d use with ease.
Missing the Mark on a Pitch + Finally Admitting Emily Is Her Secret Weapon
Sylvie was forced to accept that despite her years of experience in marketing, there’s no “I” in team. When she pitched her L’Oréal campaign, with Emily’s Parisian romances as the focus, she missed the mark because it wasn’t an empowering message. And she didn’t listen to Emily’s feelings about how it portrayed her.
What she really needed was Emily and her input. Sylvie is not one to admit that Emily has all the answers, but using her as inspiration for the campaign was the right first step. Sylvie had the right general idea, though it wasn’t Emily’s love life that should’ve served as an inspiration, at least not in the traditional sense.
At the core of everything is friendship, with Emily in Paris Season 5 proving that the greatest love is the one you have with your best friend. Once Emily made that connection for Sylvie, she landed on the perfect pitch for L’Oréal, one that resonated with women all over the world.
And eventually, Sylvie was able to admit that Emily has been an integral part of Agence Grateu, her secret weapon for years, who may not have the right answers but tries her best every single day.
It’s not something Sylvie says loud or often, but it means a whole lot when she does.
Slapping Her Husband at Her Own Event
Emily in Paris Season 5 humanized Sylvie.
One of the moments that truly took me by surprise was Sylvie slapping Laurent during an event her PR company put on. She didn’t seem to care how unprofessional it looked, as her feelings got the best of her. It was out of character for Sylvie, but it was also the direction her character was taking this season—things had become a mess, and Sylvie was unraveling. She usually has it together and has her finger on the pulse, but this season proved that even giants fall and lean on their team.
The slap wasn’t unwarranted, as Laurent’s money fiasco meant that Sylvie was on the hook for all of his debts, as were her assets, including Agence Grateu. Sylvie is never one to show weakness, but there’s also power in admitting when you don’t have it together, which is exactly what makes her such an incredible character. She admitted that Agence Grateu was sinking to her team and then came up with an idea to save it by bringing on her friend Princess Jane (Minnie Driver) as her last available lifeline. Sylvie will not go down without a fight.
Oh, and she finally asked Laurent for a divorce after years of disrespect, which finally earned my respect. Sylvie was way too good for him, and put up with so much, but he was dragging her down in more ways than one.
We know that no matter what happens or how messy life gets, Sylvie will go down swinging—she won’t let anything bring her down.
She’s an independent woman who feels and loves deeply, and her character’s journey is such a fun ride for fans!