Lily Collins (Rules Don’t Apply, Mirror Mirror) has been tapped for the title role in Emily in Paris, Paramount Network’s half-hour dramedy from Younger and Sex and the City creator Darren Star. Collins will also serve as a producer on the series, which is set to begin shooting in Paris for premiere on Paramount Network in 2020 and will also air on Paramount Network’s international channels.

Emily in Paris was originally announced as being part of a new Thursday dramedy night on Paramount Network alongside Star’s hit TV Land series Younger and new comedy series First Wives Club. The dramedy night plan was recently put under review as First Wives Club moved to Viacom sibling BET. I hear that Younger also is on the move and will remain at its original TV Land home for its upcoming sixth season instead of moving to sibling Paramount Network as previously announced.

Created, written and executive produced by Star, Emily In Paris centers on Emily (Collins), a driven twenty-something American woman from the Midwest, who moves to Paris for an unexpected job opportunity, tasked with bringing an American point of view to a venerable French marketing firm. Cultures clash as she adjusts to the challenges of life in a foreign city, while juggling her career, new friendships and love life.

“I’ve always been fascinated by the expat experience,” said Star. “I can’t think of anyone better to bring this beautiful world to life than Lily Collins.”

Added Keith Cox, President of Development and Production for Paramount Network and TV Land, “Lily possesses unparalleled depth to bring the necessary humor, heart and drama to this exciting role. We can’t wait to get started with her.”

Collins called the opportunity to star in a TV series created by Star and produce it with him and the Paramount Network “a real ‘pinch me’ moment.” “All of Darren’s shows have deeply defined, greatly impacted, and undeniably helped me navigate my journey into womanhood,” she said. “I couldn’t imagine a more inspiring city to be our Emily in Paris home than Paris. What an absolute dream project!”

British actress Collins is currently shooting Inheritance, a thriller feature starring Simon Pegg and directed by Vaughn Stein. She also can be seen in BBC’s Les Misérables, the upcoming Ted Bundy thriller Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile, which bowed at Sundance, and Tolkien, set for release in May. Collins is repped by CAA, LBI Entertainment and Definition Entertainment.

2019 Paramount Network Pilots & Series Orders

At Paramount Network, Emily In Paris joins original drama Yellowstone, which was 2018’s most-watched new cable series and ranked second across all of cable TV series for the year, averaging 5.1 million total viewers per episode. Season 2 debuts June 19.

TV Land

Younger established TV Land as destination for single-camera comedy series and has consistently grown its ratings season after season, including closing out its most recent fifth season on the network as the show’s highest-rated ever among adults 18-49. Because of Younger’s success on TV Land, where it would be the only original scripted series at the moment, word is that the leadership team of Paramount Network, headed by Kent Alterman, who also oversees Comedy Central and TV Land, opted to not mess with success and keep it where it is.