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Daniel Bruhl. “Karl Lagerfeld was more French than German.”

The German actor plays a famous fashion designer in the series, who died five years ago Becoming Karl Lagerfeld, from Disney+. A demanding role into which he immersed himself body and soul.

He takes on one of the most challenging roles of his career. In Becoming Karl LagerfeldGerman actor Daniel Brühl discovered Disney’s new addictive series twenty years ago Goodbye, Lenin., plays the role of a star fashion designer. The series’ first images and broadcast date of June 7 on the platform were revealed at a press conference at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday, March 12. We had the opportunity to preview three very successful episodes that tell: the rise of the creator in Paris in the 1970s, before he became a well-known iconic figure. At this time, Karl Lagerfeld did not wear black yet, nor did he work for Chanel. He is an independent designer who collaborates with various brands, some of which have disappeared, others have become important, like Fendi and Chloé. He became, as we see on screen, the artistic director of these two houses in the 1960s. Daniel Brühl tells us in detail how he brilliantly slipped into Kaiser Karl’s shoes.

Madame Figaro .How did you come up with this ambitious project? Daniel Brühl.– I heard about it almost very early, more than two years ago. I was excited and nervous at the same time, which is always a good sign. I like to feel outside my comfort zone. I immediately wanted to play this legendary character, and a German one at that. Then the project disappeared, much to my dismay. So I was even happier when I got a letter from the director with the script. I immediately said yes before thinking about how I was going to do it…

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How did you get into the skin of the character?
I’m used to making my own interpretation of the lives of the people I play. But in Karl’s case, the images are already too many. He is a character with a special style and an attitude recognizable by everyone. So I had to go beyond the facade, break through the armor and find out who the man was and what had moved him throughout his life. I was wondering who he was before fame. I also remembered our only meeting when I was still a very young actor. He photographed new talents. The others were all fighting to be ahead. I found it humiliating and he gave me a little sign to show that he appreciated that I didn’t get into this game, his gesture touched me. In the end, I was delighted to discover how much he was interested in various things: art, photography, cinema, theater, architecture. I immersed myself in his cultural tastes before and during filming. I watched movies he liked Children of Heaven, I went to the “Shampoo” cinema, where he often went. I reread Proust. I also tried to feed on what was written about him, in particular Biography of Raphael Baque, Kaiser Karl (Ed. Flammarion), which greatly inspired the series. After reading a lot about Carl, including the contradictory things he could say in various interviews, I had to make a choice, find my truth. It was a journey.

The series traces his rise between Paris, Rome and Monaco in the 1970s. Did you learn anything about this particular period?
I learned how Karl and his fashion circle lived in their bubble of perfection in their early days. They were big dreamers who practiced their profession with an intense passion, almost reminiscent of childhood. Karl sometimes wanted to live like a prince, then have Bauhaus or Art Deco tropism. Whenever he did something, it was done thoroughly and with great attention to detail. I also didn’t know this quartet, driven by the love-hate dynamic between him, Jacques de Bascher, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé. What a joy to play!

Karl Lagerfeld and Jacques de Bascher, Daniel Brühl and Theodore Pellerin.
Disney+ Press

This quartet, driven by the love-hate dynamic between Karl, Jacques de Bascher, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé; what a joy to play!

Daniel Bruhl

How can we find accuracy in embodiment without falling into caricature?
Fear is everywhere even today. I know that when I look at myself, I will see many details that will make me angry. But I was lucky that I had time to prepare. I live in the countryside of Majorca and the sheep watched my walk and my accent without judging me too much. During the first reading in Paris, the other actors of the series spoke French like machines. They made jokes, in short, they were French. I told myself that Carl had to talk like that and that it was going to be difficult. Then there were the dress fittings and I started to believe it when I looked in the mirror. During the actual experiments, I forgot my fears. Théodore Pellerin, who plays Jacques de Bascher, was my pillar of support throughout the filming. I fell in love with him. I assure you, I warned my wife. He was always very gentle and comforting. Arnaud Valois, Yves Saint Laurent, and Alex Lutz, who plays Pierre Bergé, were also very kind.

Did you need special techniques to become Carl?
Yes! One day, after meeting some of Carl’s relatives, I had an epiphany. I’m half Spanish and thought of him as a matador. Matadors are very masculine and feminine at the same time. They have a real body language, it’s almost a dance. They are also very proud. This is a fundamental image that comes back to me before every painting. I had a certain tension in my body, I wanted to dominate the world by showing a certain grace, gentleness, elegance. It was like entering a bullfight. This helped me a lot. It was also very good for me that the series was shot in French, because Karl Lagerfeld was more French than German. It was the culture she loved, the people, the Paris that she helped cement as an international fashion capital. I was looking for what was French in me, I was soaking up all the energy of the city and the neighborhoods he loved like Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

Immerse yourself in the heart of the 1970s, when Karl Lagerfeld (Daniel Brühl) was building his legend.
Disney+ Press

You are known for your diverse roles in film, did you approach working on the series differently?
What’s interesting about this format is that it allows you to have time to explore many aspects of the character, to really prepare in advance. I spent two days at the house of Chloé, which allowed me to tour absolutely every department while it was in full swing on the eve of the Met Gala. That’s what I like about my job, I discover worlds that I don’t know. I enjoyed the experience both professionally and personally.

A lot has been said and published about Karl Lagerfeld, what do you think the series brings?
The difference with other current series in the world of fashion is that the character of Karl Lagerfeld is still very fresh in our minds. He died just five years ago. He is successful and very prolific, like Andy Warhol, everyone has heard his name one day. What the series brings is a look into the personal trajectory, path to fame of an iconic figure in pop culture and even history.

Source: Le Figaro

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