The Emmy-winning Australian actor, a standout in everything from Bloodline and Animal Kingdom to Mississippi Grind and The Dark Knight Rises, is taking the part of the fashion legend. Despite being racked by anxiety, even in the face of his newfound success, and overwhelmed by his memories of the war and the impossible decisions he had to make to ensure his own survival, the couturier revolutionized the industry over the course of a decade, ushering in a new era of unapologetic luxury and sophistication. Tragically, he would die shortly after from a heart attack in 1957, at the age of just 52. His then 21-year-old design assistant, Yves Saint Laurent, went on to succeed him as the house’s head designer.
Juliette Binoche as Coco Chanel
Photos: Apple TV+ / Getty
Still a byword for effortless elegance, the ruthlessly competitive and deftly strategic queen of Parisian fashion will be played by none other than the Oscar-winning French star of Three Colors: Blue, The English Patient, and Chocolat. After finding great success in the ’20s and ’30s with her silk jersey tops, little black dresses, and acres of pearls, the designer found herself at a crossroads when war broke out in Europe in 1939. She closed her couture house and sought to ensure the safety of her nephew, André, a soldier who was then being held in a German prisoner of war camp. After arranging his release, she was eager to secure more funds, and tried to regain complete control of her perfume company, which was mainly owned by the Wertheimers, a wealthy Jewish family that had fled to the United States. At this point, she embarked on an affair with a German officer, Baron von Dincklage, and was known to have associated with Nazis who suggested they could help her reclaim her business. They also embroiled her in a plot to broker a peace deal with Winston Churchill, given that the pair were old friends.
After the liberation of Paris, Chanel changed allegiances. She was briefly arrested for being a Nazi collaborator, but promptly released, possibly due to Churchill’s own intervention. She then moved to Switzerland for several years, returning to stage her fashion comeback in 1954 at the age of 70. It was a major breakthrough, and led to another fruitful creative period before her death in 1971, at 87. Much of her estate was inherited by her nephew, André.
Maisie Williams as Catherine Dior
Photos: Apple TV+ / Courtesy Collection Christian Dior Parfums, Paris