From a Marvel villain to the king of high fashion, Daniel Brühl is showing his range.
The German actor, known for his roles in Captain America: Civil War, Inglourious Basterds, All Quiet on the Western Front, and Good Bye, Lenin!, will play the late Karl Lagerfeld in an upcoming six-part miniseries on Disney+, as reported by Variety.
Based on Raphaëlle Bacqué’s 2019 biography of the same, Kaiser Karl will detail Lagerfeld’s rise to prominence in the lavish 1970s Parisian fashion scene and reign at Chanel and Fendi. The show, which is being spearheaded by French production and distribution company Gaumont, will also delve into the German designer’s rivalry with Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé (a.k.a. the founders of YSL), as well as his romantic relationship with Jacques de Bascher.
Disney+ first announced plans for the series back in 2021 but presented the full cast on Thursday. Brühl, oft referred to as the golden boy of German film, will lead the impressive ensemble as a young, thirtysomething Lagerfeld. Canadian actor Théodore Pellerin (It’s Only the End of the World) will play Lagerfield’s boyfriend Jacques de Bascher, Arnaud Valois (BPM (Beats per Minute)) will star as Yves Saint Laurent, and Alex Lutz (Guy) will portray Pierre Bergé. Together, the quartet will portray the epic ego battles of the era and the tragic love affairs.
In addition, Kaiser Karl will reflect the partying and decadence of the ‘70s, spotlight the queer subculture, and document the inner workings of the industry. The show will also highlight some of the biggest stars of the era, including Marlene Dietrich (Sunnyi Melles), Paloma Picasso (Jeanne Damas), and Andy Warhol (Paul Spera).
Naturally, you can expect top-notch production design. Kaiser Karl will feature more than 2,200 extras and more than 40 different sets. The outfits will be on point, too, with some 3,000 costumes gracing the screen—160 of which will be created from scratch.
Kaiser Karl will mark the first dramatic series to profile the fashion icon, though Jared Leto will star as the legendary designer in an upcoming feature film backed by the Karl Lagerfeld fashion house. The Disney+ series is currently shooting in France, Monaco, and Italy.
