Étoile gets cancelled by Amazon Prime after season one, breaking the two-season order
Étoile has been canceled by Amazon Prime after just one season, despite the streaming platform's initial two-season commitment. The show, which followed the lives of ballet dancers from New York and Paris in a cultural exchange, premiered on April 24, 2025, with all eight episodes released simultaneously on Prime Video.
Created by Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino, Étoile featured a cast that included Luke Kirby, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Lou de Laâge, Gideon Glick, David Alvarez, Ivan du Pontavice, Taïs Vinolo, David Haig, LaMay Zhang, and Simon Callow. The drama explored the pressures of the ballet world and ended its first season on a cliffhanger. In June 2025, Amazon officially canceled the show, just six weeks after its premiere.
The official synopsis reads:
"The dancers and artistic staff of two world-renowned ballet societies embark on an ambitious gambit to save their storied institutions by swapping their most talented stars."
The cancellation was reportedly due to the show's performance versus its production cost. Despite a two-season straight-to-series order in 2023, the show was discontinued after its debut run. Étoile was greenlit under former Amazon MGM Studios head Jennifer Salke, who exited in March 2025. Under new leadership led by Mike Hopkins, the decision was made not to move forward with the second season.
Why Amazon cancelled Étoile after one season
The cancellation of Étoile was confirmed in early June 2025 and first reported by Deadline on June 6, 2025. Prime Video had initially committed to two seasons of the show but opted out of the second following an internal review. The decision came less than two months after the show's release.
During its streaming window, Étoile did not appear in Nielsen’s top 10 charts. The series—costly due to international filming locations, original choreography, and a large ensemble—faced difficulty attracting a broad audience. Although it briefly topped Prime Video’s in-app rankings, it was quickly overtaken by other titles like Reacher.
Amazon’s internal restructuring also factored into the outcome. Former studio head Jennifer Salke, who had approved the show, departed in March. With Mike Hopkins taking over and reporting lines shifting, several multi-season deals were re-evaluated. Étoile was ultimately dropped, though the platform will continue to support the show’s Emmy campaign in comedy categories.
Despite being part of the creators' overall deal with Amazon Studios, there are currently no plans for renewal or continuation on another platform.
Étoile cast and plot recap
Season one of Étoile centered around two prestigious ballet companies: the Metropolitan Ballet Theater in New York and Le Ballet National in Paris. In a bid to preserve their global stature and secure financial and artistic longevity, the institutions initiated an exchange program involving their most prominent dancers.
Jack McMillan, portrayed by Luke Kirby, served as the artistic director of the New York company, while Geneviève Lavigne, played by Charlotte Gainsbourg, took charge as the interim artistic director in Paris.
The storyline begins when Cheyenne Toussaint (Lou de Laâge), a principled and determined ballerina from Paris, transfers to New York. Meanwhile, Tobias Bell (Gideon Glick), an emotionally volatile American choreographer, moves to Paris. Gael Rodriguez (David Alvarez), Cheyenne's former partner, rejoins the New York troupe at her request. In Paris, Gabin Roux (Ivan du Pontavice) emerges as a dancer prone to conflicts while performing Tobias’s routines.
Additional characters include Mishi Duplessis (Taïs Vinolo), who returns to France to avoid political tension with her influential mother, Nicholas Leutwylek (David Haig), a traditionalist wrestling with his role in a modernized industry, and SuSu Li (LaMay Zhang), a self-trained prodigy aided by her mother’s backstage access.
The season also featured Crispin Shamblee (Simon Callow), a sponsor with conflicting interests, along with a roster of recurring roles played by Yanic Truesdale, Marie Berto, Joy Womack, Tiler Peck, Christine Chang, and others. Across eight episodes, the show followed professional rivalries, artistic setbacks, and personal reckonings within the high-pressure environment of elite ballet.
The series finale introduced unresolved storylines—including romantic and professional tensions—suggesting broader arcs that will now remain incomplete.
Étoile's cancellation after one season ends a story designed to unfold over two seasons. The show struggled with performance metrics and budget alignment under a new management strategy at Prime Video. Viewers can still stream season one of Étoile on Prime Video.
