The streaming service Disney has announced the cast of the upcoming series “Kaiser Karl”. None other than the German Hollywood export hit Daniel Brühl (44) will play the eccentric fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld (1933-2019). The series follows Lagerfeld’s rise in the Paris haute couture scene in the early 1970s to become the most famous fashion figure in France.
Daniel Brühl is enthusiastic about his new role in a first statement: “Being able to play the iconic character Karl Lagerfeld is a gift and a fantastic challenge.” He is currently filming in Paris, in Lagerfeld’s adopted home, and moving “in a complex world” in the 70s, “which is about much more than just fashion”. “The fact that Disney is sending me on this journey as a German actor fills me with great joy and pride,” Brühl continued.
The French production company Gaumont, which already realized the Netflix surprise hit “Lupin”, is responsible for “Kaiser Karl”. The Lagerfeld series is currently being created in France, Monaco and Italy. A total of six episodes are to be filmed initially. The story begins in 1972, when the then 38-year-old Karl Lagerfeld set out to dethrone the then unrivaled Yves Saint Laurent (1936-2008, played by Arnaud Valois, 39) in Paris. The rivalry with Pierre Bergé (1930-2017, played by Alex Lutz, 44) and the love affair with Jacques de Bascher (1951-1989, played by Theódore Pellerin, 25) should also be part of the plot.
In addition to Daniel Brühl and numerous French actors, the German actress Sunnyi Melles (64) can also be seen in “Kaiser Karl”. She will play the 1920s icon Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992), who lived in Paris until her death. The series has nothing to do with the cinema adaptation of Karl Lagerfeld’s life that was announced last year. In it, Hollywood actor Jared Leto (51) will play the native of Hamburg.
