Is Class Act on Netflix based on a true story? We discuss the 2023 Netflix series and whether it is based on real events.
Class Act is a Netflix miniseries that’s being billed as a fictionalized biopic story about the controversial French politician, singer, and actor Bernard Tapie.
The series is created by writer and director Tristan Séguéla and screenwriter Olivier Demangel, with French actor Laurent Lafitte portraying Taie and Joséphine Japy as Dominique, Tapie’s wife. There are seven episodes of Class Act, all available for streaming on Netflix.
What is the series Class Act about?
Class Act tells the story of the rise and fall of Bernard Tapie. Tapie was known for many things, including being a singer, TV host, politician, and businessman, and for being one of the most controversial public figures in France.
Across the seven episodes, the series shows all the successes and downfalls of Tapie, portraying him as a jack of all trades, which he was, with references to him making music and being an influential businessman.
Class Act shows some of the real businesses Bernard Tapie built, like Coeur Assistance, and some of the ones that he bought, such as Adidas. They show how he became bankrupt and other scandals during his life that led him to prison.
The series shows Tapie becoming Minister of City Affairs under the government of Pierre Bérégovoy during François Mitterand’s presidency. However, the series doesn’t show that Tapie was asked to return to the Ministry of City Affairs a few short months after he was forced to resign due to legal issues.
In the final episodes, the series draws its conclusion with Tapie given the chance to confess but instead chooses to walk out of the prosecutor’s office, accepting his defeat.
Is Class Act on Netflix based on a true story?
Sort of. The official synopsis for the series says that the series “traces the romantic destiny of an extraordinary character, Bernard Tapie, one of the most iconic and controversial French public figures.” The show does state it is a fictional version of Tapie’s life, but no names have been changed to protect their identities. The events depicted in the show are based on publicly known facts. However, stories surrounding his private life have been fictionalized for dramatic purposes.
While the show is based on real people and real events that happened, the creators Tristan Séguéla and Olivier Demangel have made sure audiences are aware this is fictional.
There is a statement at the beginning of each episode that states: “This series is loosely based on a true story. The hero’s journey is based on facts known to the public. The role played by his entourage, and Dominique, their private lives, and the dialogue are fictional.”
Is Class Act based on real people?
Yes. Bernard Tapie is a real person, and before he died in 2021, Tapie revealed he had not agreed to the show being made, which does make this show feel a little sketchy. Tapie’s widow, Dominique, has told French journalists that she deplores the show and told RTL: “The person who made this series came to see Bernard and he told him ‘No, if someone is going to tell my story, it will be my son Laurent.’ And there you have it… No comment.” So, while the series is based on real people, those real people feel as though the wrong story is being told.
Other characters in the series, such as Jean-Baptiste Tapie and Raymonde Tapie, are based on Berard Tapie’s parents with the same name. Characters outside of the family seem to have been created for dramatic purposes.
