The filming of Bernard Tapie’s biopic for Netflix started in March 2022. In the title role, Laurent Lafitte who, as Closer reveals exclusively, had to comply with a very specific request for the series.
Series and biopic lovers will be able to rejoice: a series on the legendary Bernard Tapie is in preparation at Netflix. The streaming platform has decided to dedicate an entire series to this “wonder man“whose life has been at the heart of many controversies, died on October 3, 2021 at the age of 78s. On the casting side, the celebrities who will embody the business giant are already known and it is Laurent Lafitte who will have the difficult task of bringing Bernard Tapie to life. To give him the reply and play his wife Dominique Tapie, it is the actress Joséphine Japy who was chosen. As filming was in full swing after kicking off on April 7, Closer exclusively reveals that Netflix had to suspend it for a very particular reason and this because of Laurent Lafitte.
If they want to hope to be able to quickly resume the filming of wonder man for Netflix, Laurent Lafitte will have to gain weight. Yes, this member of the Comédie-Française is not big enough to play a certain part of the story of the one he plays on the small screen, Bernard Tapie. Thus, as Closer reveals, filming was stopped for a period of three weeks so that Laurent Lafitte, whose build does not correspond to that of Bernard Tapie in the second part of his life, can gain weight. The actor will have to gain 15 kilos to look more like his character on the show. After several weeks of filming in Versailles in April 2022, production will therefore resume, in Marseille this time, when Laurent Lafitte has succeeded in rounding up enough for Netflix to consider that he looks enough like Bernard Tapie.
Bernard Tapie was against the idea of the series on his life
Politician and businessman, Bernard Tapie marked the French economic and political landscape with a career as controversial as it was impressive. His death on October 3 was a shock and his funeral brought together millions of people across France, first in Paris and then at home, in Marseille. When the release of a series on his life was announced, Bernard Tapie spoke in Var-Morning, in particular on the choice of the casting of Laurent Lafitte to embody it. If he has nothing against the actor personally, he had not been delighted by this announcement and was against the idea of the series which thus appropriated his name.
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© Frank Fernandes
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Bernard Tapie
Laurent Lafitte will play the role of Bernard Tapie
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Bernard Tapie
The task looks complicated
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Laurent Lafitte
The actor will have to gain weight
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Laurent Lafitte
Netflix asked him to gain 15 kilos
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Laurent Lafitte
He does not yet resemble the Tapie of the second part of life
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Laurent Lafitte
Filming is interrupted for several weeks
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Laurent Lafitte
Filming started on April 7
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Laurent Lafitte
The actress Joséphine Japy will play the wife of Bernard Tapis
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Bernard Tapie
The man died on October 3, 2021
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Bernard Tapie
He was 78