People

Best known worldwide for his role as the charming chef Gabriel in Emily in Paris, Lucas Bravo continues to carefully shape a career that moves beyond global stardom into more intimate, character-driven storytelling. At Le Rendez-vous Paris (January 17-20, 2026),  M.Chiara Duranti chief-editor of Formatbiz met the French actor to talk about Les Saisons, a new ARTE TV series he was presenting at the event, as well as his deep connection to languages, culture, and his growing interest in working in Italy.

Formatbiz:You speak several languages—French, Italian, English, Spanish—and now you’re studying Japanese. How important is language for you as an actor?
Lucas Bravo:
It’s essential. Language is not just a tool; it’s a way of understanding culture, rhythm, emotion. I grew up in Italy, I speak Italian, and I feel very connected to the country. Actually, it’s funny—we’re talking about this now because just yesterday I called my agent. I was watching a friend of mine, Noémie Merlant, who recently worked with Valeria Bruni Tedeschi in an Italian film, and it really struck me. I thought, this is something I truly want to do. I would love to work in Italy.

Formatbiz:So Italy is a real goal for you?
Lucas Bravo:
Absolutely. Not yet officially—there’s no project at the moment—but I’m working on it. Just this week I started thinking seriously about it, and I’m going to begin conversations with a couple of agents in Italy. It feels natural to me.

Formatbiz:Today in Paris, you’re presenting Les Saisons for ARTE. How would you describe the series?
Lucas Bravo:
It’s a love triangle, but not in the conventional sense. It’s a melodrama, yes, and there’s romance, but at its core it’s really about friendship. The story unfolds across the seasons—each episode represents a different season and even a different decade—so you see how relationships evolve over time.
What feels important to me is how truthfully the series portrays emotions. When two men are in love with the same woman, they don’t choose vindictiveness. They don’t fall into violence or rivalry. Instead, they allow themselves to feel sadness, vulnerability, compassion. That felt very real to me.

Formatbiz:That’s quite a departure from the traditional portrayal of male rivalry.
Lucas Bravo:
Exactly. We rarely see men portrayed this way—men who embrace their emotions, who are connected to their vulnerability, even to their femininity. It’s not “you took my girl, so I’ll punch you.” There’s nuance. There’s grace. And I think that’s beautiful.

Formatbiz:Would you say the series is more about love or friendship?
Lucas Bravo:
I think it’s really about friendship. There’s so much love between the two men, and also so much love for the woman they both care about. That’s why the relationship lasts. Of course, there are small tensions, tiny aggressions—but there’s never a big confrontation. They understand each other deeply. They know exactly what it feels like to love the same person. At the end of the day, the series is about empathy, compassion, and giving each other a little grace. When friendship is played in the right key, it becomes pure love.

Formatbiz:The love triangle is a classic theme in cinema, especially in French and Italian films. Were you influenced by other movies or characters?
Lucas Bravo:
Not really. The script felt very singular to me. Because of the structure—each episode being a season, a decade—it didn’t feel comparable to anything else. I didn’t prepare by watching other films. I focused entirely on the script.
Our director was also an actor, which helped enormously. He guided us toward vulnerability and truth. This was one of those projects you do for yourself. In this industry, sometimes you do projects “for the people,” so to speak—but this one, I really did for me.

Formatbiz:What made it such a personal project?
Lucas Bravo:
The scale, for one. A small team, away from big cities, close to nature, by the ocean. We had time—time to reflect, to feel, to sit with emotions instead of rushing from one thing to another. It’s good for the soul. It reminds you why you chose this job in the first place.

Formatbiz:Before we finish—can we ask you to say it again, but in Italian? That you would love to work in Italy?
Lucas Bravo (smiling):
Con grandissimo piacere.