Daniel Brühl embodies the fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld in a streaming series. “What a gift, what an honor, what an adventure,” the 44-year-old actor wrote 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 Disney release date has not yet been set.
Six parts traces the rise of Lagerfeld
“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, 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,” says Disney, describing 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”) .
40 sets and over 3000 costumes
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”.
French director and screenwriter Jérôme Salle (“Zulu”) will be the “artistic mastermind” behind the series. He will direct episodes 1, 2 and 6, his colleague Audrey Estrougo (“Une histoire banale”) is directing the other three episodes.
Variety report Brühl on Instagram
