Jared Leto to play fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld in biopic

The House of KARL LAGERFELD and Jared Leto have  closed an agreement to create a film about the acclaimed fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld. Leto is attached to star and produce alongside his partner, Emma Ludbrook, through their production company Paradox.

The late fashion icon’s trusted confidants, Pier Paolo Righi, Caroline Lebar and Sebastien Jondeau, will partner as Executive Producers of the film. For over 35 years, Caroline Lebar worked closely with Karl Lagerfeld as an advisor for both his brand and personal communications, while Pier Paolo Righi has served as CEO for the Maison KARL LAGERFELD for over 10 years. Sebastien Jondeau spent 20 years as the designer’s personal assistant and bodyguard and continues his collaboration with the brand today as Style Consultant.

The exact storyline remains confidential, though the film will cover the key relationships in Karl Lagerfeld’s life, told through an unpredictable lens, much like the man himself. Producers are currently in conversation with filmmakers.

‘’Karl has always been an inspiration to me,” says Leto. “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. I’m so grateful to Karo, Pier and Seb for allowing us to go on this journey together.’’

The famed fashion designer died in February 2019 and continues to be revered as one of the most fascinating and celebrated creatives of this century. More recently, this past Friday, September 30, Anna Wintour (Chief Content Officer & Global Editorial Director of Vogue) and The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced the theme of the 2023 Costume Institute Exhibition and Met Gala will be Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty. Dedicated to Karl Lagerfeld’s iconic work and six-decade career, the exhibition will explore his creative process, the evolution of his designs, and his everlasting impact on fashion.