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 that was stamped 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 known, and he has appeared at several runway shows as both a guest and featured model. In 2021, the actor even appeared as fashion designer Paolo Gucci in the Oscar-nominated film House of Gucci.
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Speaking with WWD (via Variety), Leto shared the news about the Lagerfeld film, which he will both star in 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 "key relationships in Karl Lagerfeld’s life, told through an unpredictable lens, much like the man himself." Three of the designer's nearest collaborators will serve as executive producers. One of them, Pier Paolo Righi, the chief executive officer of Lagerfeld's eponymous company, noted that they have been approached by numerous parties interested in bringing Lagerfeld's life to screen, but said the team resonated best with Leto and his producing 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 polymath, an artist, an innovator, a leader and, most importantly, a kind man. When we came together with the Karl Lagerfeld team, we immediately shared a creative vision of doing a respectful ode to Karl while pushing the artistic boundaries of what a biopic can be.
Why Jared Leto Is An Interesting Choice To Play Lagerfeld
Leto is in the current class of high-profile Method actors, but some have argued his approach borders on an almost distasteful level of commitment. He incurred health issues shedding weight for his role in Requiem for a Dream and allegedly sent his Suicide Squad co-stars disturbing gifts while in character as the Joker. However, other collaborators have appreciated Leto's method acting ways, including Morbius director Daniel Espinosa, who has lauded his dedication. Lagerfeld was a tireless worker himself who derided downtime, so that sort of commitment from Leto could be the perfect way to honor the designer and accurately portray him on the big screen.
Leto is also cross-disciplined in the arts like Lagerfeld was. He is a founding member of the rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars and has been spotted at art collection shows. Leto is also more than comfortable with the fashion world and that, coupled with his previous work in House of Gucci and real-life relationship with Lagerfeld, makes him a good fit for the role. Leto's name still carries an immense weight for bringing big movies and ideas to life, which could help make the Lagerfeld biopic a success.