Jared Leto will star as fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld in an upcoming film. Lagerfeld, a multi-talented artist and longtime creative director at luxury brands Chanel and Fendi, died in 2019 at the age of 85. A visionary designer in his own right, Lagerfeld had a 50-year career marked by lifetime achievement awards in the arts.
Leto and Lagerfeld operated in overlapping circles and were photographed together at various events over the years. Leto’s interest in fashion is well known and he has appeared on several runway shows as a guest and as a model. In 2021, the actor even appeared as fashion designer Paolo Gucci in the Oscar-nominated film House of Gucci.
Speak with WWD (through Variety), Leto shared the news about the Lagerfeld movie, in which he will both star and produce. The Lagerfeld company is on board with Leto’s vision for the biopic of the late fashion great, stating it will focus on “important relationships in the life of Karl Lagerfeld, told through an unpredictable lens, just like the man himself. Three of the designer’s closest associates will serve as executive producers. One of them, Pier Paolo Righi, the chief executive officer of Lagerfeld’s company of the same name, noted that they have been approached by numerous parties interested in taking a life. van Lagerfeld on screen, but said the team resonated best with Leto and his production partner Emma Ludbrook, Leto praised Lagerfeld’s seemingly limitless talent in a statement:
Karl has always been an inspiration to me. He was a true scholar, an artist, an innovator, a leader and, most importantly, a kind man. When we got together with the Karl Lagerfeld team, we immediately shared a creative vision to pay a respectful tribute to Karl while pushing the artistic boundaries of what a biopic can be.
Why Jared Leto is an interesting choice to play Lagerfeld
Leto belongs to today’s class of high-profile Method actors, but some have argued that his approach borders on an almost unsavory level of engagement. He suffered health problems that caused him to lose weight for his role in Requiem for a dream and reportedly sent his suicide squad co-stars disturbing gifts while in character as the Joker. However, other contributors appreciate Leto’s method of trading, including: morbius director Daniel Espinosa, who has praised his dedication. Lagerfeld himself was a tireless worker who ridiculed downtime, so that kind of dedication from Leto could be the perfect way to honor the designer and portray him accurately on the big screen.
Leto is also disciplined in the arts as Lagerfeld was. He is a founding member of the rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars and has been spotted at art collection exhibits. Leto is also more than comfortable with the fashion world and that, combined with his previous work in House of Gucci and real relationship with Lagerfeld, makes him suitable for the role. leto‘s name still carries enormous weight for bringing great movies and ideas to life, which could help make the Lagerfeld biopic a success.
