Jared Leto took the Met Gala theme of Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty to a whole new level by dressing up as Choupette, the late fashion designer’s beloved cat.
Leto, 51, stepped out on the red carpet in a white furry full body cat suit and took off the large head to pose for photographers on Monday night.
The cat was certainly a beloved pet, with Lagerfeld teasing in 2013 that he would even marry Choupette if it were legal, and it was also reported after his death in 2019 that he even set aside some money for the cat in his will .
Leto has a close connection to Lagerfeld himself, with the actor set to star as the late fashion designer in a new biopic he’s also producing.
The entertainer is also close to releasing new music with his rock group 30 Seconds to Mars, which is due out on May 8th.
Cat Vibes: Taking the Met Gala theme of Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty to a whole new level, Jared Leto dressed up as Choupette, the late fashion designer’s beloved cat
Unmasked: Leto, 51, hit the red carpet in a full body white furry cat suit and took off the large head to pose for photographers on Monday night
When Leto walked the red carpet in a furry white cat suit, no one knew who it was until he finally took off the cat head and revealed himself, with Leto even hugging a confused Lizzo on the red carpet.
While speaking with ET on the red carpet, Leto explained why he chose to dress up as the late designer’s cat.
“I knew Karl. He was always such a nice person to me. I could imagine him looking down with a big smile on his face and seeing Choupette in all his glory. So it’s my pleasure to be here to support that advantage,” Leto said.
After walking as Choupette, Leto made a quick switch and hit the red carpet again in a diamond-accented longline black top with lace sleeves, under a black cape with diamond-studded shoulder pads, black trousers and black shoes.
In October, it was announced that Leto would star as Lagerfeld in a biopic he is producing with Emma Ludbrook through her production company, Paradox.
“I feel like this is a moment to come full circle and Karl would be proud of what we are doing,” Leto said in a statement.
“Karl was an artist. Period. He was a fashion designer, he was a photographer, he was an artist. There was no definition for him. He was a creative powerhouse,” added Leto.
The film, which has the full endorsement of Lagerfeld’s fashion house, will follow, “key relationships in Karl Lagerfeld’s life, told through an unpredictable lens, much like the man himself”.
Lizzo: When Leto walked the red carpet in a furry white cat suit, no one knew who it was until he finally took off the cat’s head and revealed himself, with Leto even hugging a confused Lizzo on the red carpet
Why: While speaking to ET on the red carpet, Leto explained why he chose to dress up as the late designer’s cat
Why: While speaking to ET on the red carpet, Leto explained why he chose to dress up as the late designer’s cat
Friendly Karl: “I knew Karl. He was always such a nice person to me. I could imagine him looking down with a big smile on his face and seeing Choupette in all his glory. So it’s my pleasure to be here to support that advantage,” Leto said
Quick change: After walking as Choupette, Leto made a quick change and hit the red carpet again in a diamond-accented longline black top with lace sleeves, under a black cape with diamond-studded shoulder pads, black pants and black shoes
Biopic: In October, it was announced that Leto Lagerfeld would star in a biopic he was producing with Emma Ludbrook through her production company, Paradox
Proud: “I feel like this is a moment to come full circle and Karl would be proud of what we are doing,” Leto said in a statement
Leto added, “There’s a wide variety of relationships to explore. Karl can look back on a career spanning more than 50 years, so he was close to many people both personally and professionally. I can say that we will focus on key relationships that convey different parts of his life.
The Met Gala-themed Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty was announced in September, which was met with backlash due to some controversial comments.
He said in 2009 that “no one wants to see plump women,” and in 2018 he commented that he was “sick of” the #MeToo movement.
The Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty exhibition opens May 5 and ends July 16 and features over 150 of Lagerfeld’s designs with accompanying sketches.