Prime-Video - Étoile Season 1: Paris Premiere Shines a Light on a Dazzling, Uncompromising New Series

By Mulder, Paris, Galerie Bourbon, 23 april 2025

On the evening of April 23, 2025, the gilded halls of Paris shimmered a little brighter as the city played host to the much-anticipated premiere of Étoile Season 1. In a fitting tribute to the series’ transatlantic heart, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Lou de Laâge, Luke Kirby, and the show's celebrated creators Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino gathered at the Paris Opera House—a location as symbolic as it was breathtaking—for an exclusive photo shoot and promotional launch. Watching the cast pose against the backdrop of one of ballet’s most revered institutions felt almost surreal, a tangible merging of fiction and reality. It was particularly moving to see Charlotte Gainsbourg, herself an emblem of Parisian artistry, stand proudly alongside Lou de Laâge, a new beacon of French cinema, with Sherman-Palladino and Palladino flanking them like proud parents about to unleash their most ambitious child yet into the world. There was a palpable sense of celebration, but also of seriousness—an understanding that Étoile was more than a mere entertainment product; it was a meditation on the precarious survival of classical art in a modern, commercialized world.

Étoile, now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, is the kind of show that seems predestined to capture hearts—and not just because it boasts an impeccable cast and pedigree. Created by the duo behind Gilmore Girls and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino, the series masterfully captures the intricate politics, emotional highs and lows, and unrelenting ambition that define the world of professional ballet. The storyline—centered around two storied ballet companies in New York and Paris who attempt to stave off extinction by swapping their prized principal dancers—offers the perfect narrative playground for Sherman-Palladino's razor-sharp dialogue and complex character building. In a delightful anecdote shared during the Paris event, Sherman-Palladino admitted that the idea first took shape not over a formal script meeting but over wine in a dimly lit Montmartre bistro, as she and Daniel marveled at how classical arts struggle to keep pace with an increasingly disposable culture. This offhanded brainstorm has now evolved into one of their richest, most textured projects to date.

From its very first episode, Étoile reveals itself to be a love letter not just to ballet but to the very notion of perseverance within an unforgiving system. Luke Kirby, stepping deftly away from his iconic portrayal of Lenny Bruce, inhabits Jack McMillan with a quiet desperation that is utterly magnetic. His scenes with Charlotte Gainsbourg’s Geneviève Lavigne crackle with a restrained emotionality, two leaders from vastly different worlds bound together by a shared anxiety over the future. Gainsbourg, whose presence at the premiere drew an almost reverential awe from French attendees, brings an authenticity to Geneviève that transcends performance; it's almost as if she channels the very spirit of the Opera House itself—elegant, unyielding, and ever slightly melancholic. Lou de Laâge, meanwhile, dazzles as Cheyenne Toussaint, embodying youthful rebellion and raw vulnerability with a grace that had several guests at the Paris premiere whispering about César Award potential. In one particularly memorable sequence from the show, Cheyenne’s confrontation with an out-of-touch patron who mistakes her activism for a "publicity stunt" feels like a direct commentary on the very tensions Sherman-Palladino observed during their time embedded within the Paris ballet scene last year.

Adding layers of complexity and comic relief, the broader ensemble is equally impressive. Gideon Glick’s Tobias Bell offers one of the most moving portrayals of artistic loneliness in recent memory, while Simon Callow’s Crispin Shamblee steals scenes with such theatrical glee that several journalists at the premiere joked they would happily watch an entire spin-off devoted to his character’s outrageous antics. Anecdotally, it was said that during filming in Paris, Callow would often slip into character off-camera, loudly improvising lines about modern art and "the divine necessity of champagne before noon," much to the cast and crew’s amusement. Yanic Truesdale, beloved from Gilmore Girls, makes a welcome return to the Palladino universe, delivering sly humor with a warmth that immediately grounds even the most absurd situations in emotional truth. And in a touching behind-the-scenes moment revealed during the premiere's press conference, Taïs Vinolo shared that her character Mishi’s emotional arc—torn between duty and ambition—was heavily inspired by Vinolo’s own struggles as a young dancer in a prestigious but rigid ballet academy.

Beyond the performances, Étoile dazzles with its visual storytelling. The dual cinematography of M. David Mullen and Alex Nepomniaschy captures the stark contrasts between the golden opulence of Paris and the gritty dynamism of New York, creating a visual dialogue that mirrors the thematic tension within the story. The Paris premiere gave attendees a chance to preview select sequences projected against the Opera House’s grand interiors, a setting so perfectly in tune with the show’s ethos that it felt almost symphonic. In one breathtaking clip, a pas de deux performed by Lou de Laâge and David Alvarez against the backdrop of a crumbling yet majestic rehearsal studio drew audible gasps from the audience, showcasing the meticulous care with which Étoile balances its aesthetic splendor against its more somber undertones.

Critical reception so far has been overwhelmingly positive, with an 85% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a "generally favorable" Metacritic score of 69. Yet numbers hardly capture the emotional resonance that Étoile seems to leave in its wake. The Parisian audience, notoriously reserved in their praise, erupted into enthusiastic applause not once but twice during the premiere screening, an extraordinary show of affection that left both Gainsbourg and de Laâge visibly moved. Sherman-Palladino, in a particularly candid moment afterwards, confessed that seeing their project welcomed so warmly in Paris felt like "a surreal homecoming" for a series so steeped in French cultural heritage. She noted how deeply she and Daniel had fallen in love with Paris’s hidden ballet studios, often wandering into late-night rehearsals in obscure arrondissements to capture the authentic heartbeat of the city’s dance community.

In a television landscape saturated with high-concept dramas and quick-fix thrillers, Étoile emerges as a refreshingly intricate, emotionally intelligent series that dares to ask uncomfortable questions about the cost of excellence, the ethics of art funding, and the fragility of cultural legacy. Even its imperfections—occasional pacing issues, slightly indulgent dance sequences—feel like necessary risks in a project that is, at its core, about navigating imperfection with grace. Much like the dancers it portrays, Étoile embraces its flaws as part of its beauty, resulting in a show that feels not just watched but lived, experienced, and cherished. As Paris celebrated its premiere with a night of music, dance, and heartfelt speeches, it was clear to all present that Étoile had already earned its place in the pantheon of truly great television storytelling—a shimmering testament to the enduring power of art, even in an uncertain world.

synopsis :
Two world-renowned ballet companies, one based in New York and the other in Paris, are attempting a daring gamble: to save their historic institutions, they decide to swap their most talented recruits.

Étoile
Created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, Daniel Palladino
Directed by Amy Sherman-Palladino, Daniel Palladino
Starring Luke Kirby, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Lou de Laâge, Gideon Glick, David Alvarez, Ivan du Pontavice, Taïs Vinolo, David Haig, LaMay Zhang, Simon Callow
Opening theme "Nights Are for Love" by Sons of Raphael
Executive producers : Dhana Rivera Gilbert, Daniel Palladino, Amy Sherman-Palladino, Scott Ellis
Producers : Nick Thomason, Sal Carino, Marguerite Derricks, Cindy Tolan, Raphäel Benoliel, Jen Kirkman, Isaac Oliver, Liviya Kraemer
Cinematography : M. David Mullen, Alex Nepomniaschy
Editors : Tim Streeto, Zana Bochar
Production companies, Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions, Big Indie Pictures, Amazon MGM Studios
Network : Amazon Prime Video
Release April 24, 2025 – present
 Running time : 52–75 minutes

Photo Paris Premiere : Cédric Canezza
Photos : Copyright Amazon MGM Studios