Cover Eugenio Franceschini, who plays Marcello in ‘Emily in Paris’, is in Hong Kong for Fashion to Reconnect this week (Photo: Instagram/@franceschinieugenio)
Eugenio Franceschini, who plays Marcello in ‘Emily in Paris’, is in Hong Kong for Fashion to Reconnect this week (Photo: Instagram/@franceschinieugenio)
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Eugenio Franceschini, the new male lead in ‘Emily in Paris’, is in Hong Kong for the first time this week for Fashion to Reconnect, where he opened up about sustainable fashion practices and sharing his Italian heritage with the world
Step aside, Gabriel and Alfie—it’s Marcello’s turn in the spotlight. Eugenio Franceschini, who plays Emily’s new love interest in season four of the hit Netflix rom-com Emily in Paris, touched down in Hong Kong for the first time this week to attend Fashion to Reconnect: A Tale of Two Style Capitals, a cross-cultural showcase highlighting sustainable design and the creative links between Hong Kong and Italy.
The Italian actor couldn’t be a more fitting ambassador for the occasion: from his understated approach to sustainable fashion to his on-screen charisma as the heir to a timeless Italian cashmere house, he embodies effortless style and quiet sophistication.
He may not be the flamboyant red-carpet type, but Franceschini is animated by a deep passion for the arts, an interest that makes him compelling both on and off screen. And while global fame has come swiftly since Emily in Paris, he, much like Marcello, exudes a poised confidence and an appreciation for classical beauty—one that feels timelessly elegant.
Tatler caught up with Franceschini to discuss modern romance, his first impressions of Hong Kong and how his hometown of Verona continues to shape his artistry.
In case you missed it: Camille in Hong Kong: The ‘Emily in Paris’ actor set to visit our city for her new film ‘Prodigieuses’
How do you feel about your first visit to Hong Kong?
The thing that gave me an immediate strong impression is the architecture here. Compared to Italy and the rest of Europe in general, where it’s mostly ancient and small buildings, everything here is huge, enormous, and you feel small walking in the streets looking up at skyscrapers—it’s strange and even a bit scary.
As a celebrity ambassador for Fashion to Reconnect, how do you understand the meaning of “sustainable fashion”, and how do you personally practise this concept?
I don’t like to waste, and that doesn’t only apply to fashion but also to things like food and water. When it comes to clothes, I don’t like to spend a lot of money on them, and when I do, it’s for something that’s worth the value: leather goods handmade by craftsmen who have a genuine passion for their craft, or tailored suits by a seamstress. That way, I can feel the passion, uniqueness and quality of the product. This philosophy is to identify the value of your consumption, and that can be applied to everything in life, not just fashion.
Above Lily Collins (left) as Emily and Eugenio Franceschini (middle) as Marcello on the set of ‘Emily in Paris’ Season Four in Venice in August 2025 (Photo: Getty Images)
Lily Collins (left) as Emily and Eugenio Franceschini (middle) as Marcello on the set of ‘Emily in Paris’ Season Four in Venice in August 2025 (Photo: Getty Images)
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Your character in Emily in Paris, Marcello, is direct, confident and values simplicity, as opposed to some of Emily’s other romantic interests. What does Marcello offer Emily that you think resonates with what people are looking for in a modern romance today?
Marcello loves life more than possessing Emily, and I think a person who loves life more than anything—another person, business or even himself—lives in the best way. People like this are interesting and charming, and Marcello is this kind of person. He loves living, and this makes him attractive. He’s full of life. I think this is the point.
You started your career in Italian cinema before international productions like Emily in Paris. How different is your experience between acting in local and global productions?
The biggest difference is the budget. For an international production, you have a bigger budget. We shot Emily in Paris at Fontana di Trevi, Fori Romani and beautiful spots in Paris and Venice. To have these places just for three to four hours is very expensive. If it weren’t for an international production, it would have been tricky. For local productions in Italy, it’s difficult.
So the main thing in our work as actors [in Italian productions] is the emotion. Even if you don’t have money to do a project, if you have a good idea or something to say to the world, you can focus on presenting your emotions.
Above Eugenio Franceschini (Photo: Instagram/@franceschinieugenio)
Eugenio Franceschini (Photo: Instagram/@franceschinieugenio)
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Among the many things, Verona is known to be the setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. How did growing up in the city of love influence your career path?
It has less to do with the Shakespearean play but more with the Italian arts. [Cultural and family] heritage is fundamental to creating the personality of an artist. My family are theatrical actors and puppeteers, and I have been exposed to puppets, masks and acting since I was a child. I’ve seen my parents wearing masks and dressing up in strange, colourful costumes. The theatre arts have been imprinted on me from a young age. It was difficult to find something else that attracted me in the same way. I can never imagine myself being a scientist. The world outside becomes boring when compared to life inside the theatre. All these things together made me the artist that I am today.
What dream roles would you like to take on in the future?
I would love to play a character that I love from the Italian comic book series: [the titular sailor of the series] Corto Maltese.
Another dream is to bring the forgotten artistic tradition of my city, the commedia dell’arte [a form of professional, improvised Italian theatre that was popular throughout Europe from the 16th to 18th centuries] to the rest of the world. My family are comediante dell’arte. I’d love to shoot a movie about this amazing art.
Zabrina is the Senior Editor, Arts and Culture of Tatler Hong Kong. She specialises in performing arts, visual art and film. Her wanderlust was first fuelled by the Mighty Rovers Antarctica Expedition 2010. Over the years, she has interviewed A-list artists and filmmakers, including Oscar winners Chlóe Zhao and Tim Yip, Golden Horse winner Sylvia Chang, In the Mood for Love cinematographer Christopher Doyle, Pachinko author Min Jin Lee, and Coachella’s first Chinese solo singer Jackson Wang. She won gold at the WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards for her 2021 feature on the waves of hate crimes targeting Asian Americans.
