A new streaming series aims to chronicle the rise of Karl Lagerfeld on the Parisian fashion scene of the 1970s. Daniel Brühl plays the leading role.
Daniel Brühl embodies the fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld in a streaming series. “What a gift, what an honor, what an adventure,” wrote the 44-year-old actor on his Instagram account in French and English on Wednesday evening. “Finally I can tell you: I will play Karl Lagerfeld, one of the biggest challenges so far.” On Thursday, the Disney+ streaming service confirmed the series project about Lagerfeld, who was once born in Hamburg and died in Neuilly-sur-Seine near Paris in 2019. Title of the series: «Kaiser Karl».
The Gaumont film studio is currently shooting the series in France, Monaco and Italy, according to the US trade journal Variety. A release date for Disney+ has not yet been set.
“In the midst of the queer subculture and the typical Parisian fashion world, “Kaiser Karl” was developed and adapted for television,” said Disney +. The six-part series traces the designer’s rise in the Parisian fashion world of the 1970s.
“In 1972, the 38-year-old Karl Lagerfeld aspired to become the most famous fashion designer in France – at a time when Yves Saint Laurent had the upper hand,” Disney + describes the starting point. «This is the story of «Kaiser Karl» and his desperate quest for recognition; full of clan rivalries and ego battles, parties and decadence, tragic love affairs and great friendships.”
The series features many world stars in the plot: Marlene Dietrich, for example, is played by Sunnyi Melles (“Triangle of Sadness”), Paloma Picasso by Jeanne Damas (“Honesty”) and Andy Warhol by Paul Spera (“Die wilde Zeit”). .
Lagerfeld’s longtime partner Jacques de Bascher (Théodore Pellerin) also appears. According to the report, more than 40 different sets and over 3000 costumes are used in “Kaiser Karl”.
The French director and screenwriter Jérôme Salle (“Zulu”) will be the “artistic mastermind” behind the series. He will shoot episodes 1, 2 and 6, his colleague Audrey Estrougo (“Une histoire banale”) is directing the other three episodes.(dpa)