Maybe Prime Video wasn’t looking for its very ownEmily in Paris, but it’s found it. The new showÉtoileis luxurious, fantastical escapism, but instead of high fashion, ballet takes center stage. Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino, the creative husband-and-wifeduo behindGilmore GirlsandThe Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,have returned with a stunning comedy-drama bearing their brand. With a jaunty theme tune produced by Thomas Bangalter (Daft Punk), Simon Callow delivering a deliciously villainous performance, and unexpected cameos, there’s no shortage of entertainment inÉtoile.
Reflecting reality, the art world inÉtoile(meaning star) is struggling, especially in the pandemic’s wake; it’s criminally underfunded, and ticket sales are challenging. And although this is the main premise of the show, many little subplots and characters keep us glued to the screen. While an appreciation for dance might come in handy, the scarcity of ballet-focused television makes this glimpse behind the red curtain all the more valuable. Set between New York and Paris with every sumptuous detail meticulously planned, it must have cost a pretty penny to produce. But it’s worth it — and worth your time.
Familiar and Fresh Faces Make up the Ensemble
Amy and Daniel Palladino assembled an eclectic mix of actors for Étoile.Mrs. Maiselalum Luke Kirby plays Jack McMillan, the Metropolitan Ballet’s director, while Charlotte Gainsbourg portrays Geneviève Lavigne, head of the Paris National Ballet. There’s no end (and we mean no end) of dilemmas for the pair to solve. One such problem is Simon Callow’s formidable antagonist Crispin Shamblee. Callow’s pal David Haig, who’s worked with him many times,includingFour Weddings and a Funeral, plays an old-school artistic director - the inappropriate but lovable Nicholas Leutwylek.
Lou de Laâge’s Cheyenne Toussaint is an eco-warrior ballerina reluctantly transferred to New York. Answering no one, she brings a fierce twist to the prima ballerina position. She’ll only accept another untamable force as her partner — Gael Rodriguez, played bySpielberg’sWest Side Storyknockout David Alvarez. Ivan du Pontavice plays an ambitious young corps de ballet dancer who slowly allies with a fairly unconventional choreographer, Tobin Vell — a brilliant performance by Gideon Click — andYanic Truesdale, Michel fromGilmore Girlsplays the artistic director of the Paris Opera.
Other noteworthy performances include Marie Berto’s Bruna as Cheyenne’s no-nonsense mother, who takes in a stray nepo-baby, Taïs Vinolo’s Mishi. And would you believe me if I said there are even appearances by music geniuses Sparks AND David Byrne of Talking Heads?
West Side Story Review: Steven Spielberg’s Remake of the Classic Musical is Magnificent
Stunning supporting performances steal the spotlight in Steven Spielberg’s epic vision of West Side Story.
The Palladinos' Golden Touch
Étoilefollows the parallel stories oftwo struggling ballet companies: one in New York and the other in Paris, shot at the Lincoln Center and the Palais Garnier.Both companies face financial difficulties, so to revitalize their fortunes, they plan to trade their top dancers, hoping to rekindle interest in ballet. However, this exchange comes with strings attached: it’s funded by wealthy Crispin Shamblee with his questionable history. With love tangles, artistic differences, themes of mortality, scarcity, and finding oneself amidst fierce criticism, the ensemble-driven narrative takes many twists and turns where, apart from the nasty Shamblee, you end up rooting for them all. As if by magic — or the Palladinos' touch.
The use of professional dancers in each institution is breathtaking. With choreography by Maisel’s Marguerite Derricks, the beauty of their movements and actual performance sequences shows Amy Sherman-Palladino’s devotion to the art form as a trained dancer. The closing sequences show the dancers' actual rehearsals. Asshe told The New York Times, “We wanted to show that ballet isn’t something for someone else. It’s storytelling; it’s athletic; it’s powerful, emotional, transporting. It’s a great, dynamic art form.”
Gilmore Girls: The 20 Most Rewatchable Episodes
Gilmore Girls is full of quirky characters, quick wit, and heartfelt lessons. If you need a dose of fun, check out the 20 most rewatchable episodes.
From Catwalks to Center Stage
So why the inevitableEmily in Pariscomparisons? It’s not just location —Étoileis also super stylish in set, costume, and cinematography. It’s a chance to jeté to another realm and watch the glamorous drama unfold. Akin toGilmore Girls, the Palladinos' humor is quick, dry, and packed with enough one-liners to shake a stick at. For example, when Toussaint keeps saying she’ll put her drinks on her tab, a bartender repeatedly responds off-camera that they don’t have tabs.
Visually, there’s hilarious subtlety in moments that aren’t the main focus, like the fiasco of a curtain call and Shamblee’s bodyguards in disguise. The pop references are also punchy, withFame(there’s a homage scene on the road in the beginning) andEmily in Paristhrown into the mix. Alongside this, from the opening Sons of Raphael theme tune “Nights Are For Love” to the conclusion of each episode, the music is also a class act, including the likes of “Heart of Glass” by Blondie, “Cosmic Dancer” by T. Rex, and, of course, Talking Heads “Once in a Lifetime,” with Sparks performing onstage in the final emotive dance “I Married Myself.”
At the end of the eight episodes, things have been left unanswered for the guaranteed second series on Prime Video.Étoileoffers viewers complete immersion in ballet’s enchanting yet rarely explored universe.
