Emily in Paris has come under fire over its “offensive” portrayal of a Ukrainian woman.
According to The Guardian, Ukraine’s culture minister Oleksandr Tkachenko has issued a complaint to Netflix over its stereotypical image of a Ukrainian character.
In the show’s second season, Emily is introduced to Kyiv-native Petra, who is portrayed as a thief with poor taste in fashion.
In a Telegram post, Mr. Tkachenko wrote: “In the 1990s and 2000s, Ukrainian guys were portrayed mainly as gangsters. Over time this has changed. However, not in this case.”
“In Emily in Paris we have a caricature of a Ukrainian woman which is unacceptable. It is also offensive.”
“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.”
Mr. Tkachenko said Netflix thanked him for the feedback, and revealed their response to his complaint was “quite diplomatic”.
“They thanked me for the feedback. But they heard about the concern of Ukrainian viewers with the image of a Ukrainian woman,” he explained.
“We agreed that in 2022, we will be in close contact to prevent such cases. Such an active public position will help ensure the attitude of Ukrainians is taken into account in future filming.”
This isn’t the first time Emily in Paris has been criticised for stereotyping different nationalities.
When the first season was released, French people – particularly Parisians – slammed the series for portraying them in a negative light.
