Jared Leto to produce film about Karl Lagerfeld

Jared Leto has secured a deal with the House of Karl Lagerfeld to create a film about the acclaimed late fashion designer.

The American actor will star as Lagerfeld while also producing the film alongside his partner Emma Ludbrook, which will be done through their production company, Paradox.

While the exact storyline of the film will remain confidential, a press release stated that it would cover the key relationships in Lagerfeld’s life, “told through an unpredictable lens”.

The designer’s trusted confidants, long-time CEO of Maison Karl Lagerfeld Pier Paolo Righi, advisor Caroline Lebar and personal assistant Sebastien Jondeau, will also partner as executive producers.

Speaking on the film, Leto said: “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.”

Leto previously had a hand in the creation of biographical drama House of Gucci, in which he played the fashion house’s former chief designer and vice president, Paolo Gucci.

The news closely follows the announcement that the German fashion designer will be at the centre of the 2023 exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and therefore the theme of the next Met Gala.

Lagerfeld, who died in 2019, boasted a celebrated career at the helm of Chanel and his own label, while also designing for the likes of Chloé and Fendi.