« Cult » (Prime Video) : Karim, the discoverer of Loana, really existed?

The series “Culte”, broadcast on Prime Video, immerses viewers in the behind-the-scenes of one of the most significant television events of the 2000s: the Loft Story phenomenon.

Beyond the iconic contestants, the series highlights the personalities who played a key role in the show’s production. However, among these characters, not all of them truly existed.

This is the case for Karim, the discoverer of Loana. So, is he a fictional character or drawn from reality?

The character of Karim: a role invented for the series

In “Culte”, Karim, played by Sami Outalbali, is the one who discovers Loana during the Loft Story castings, thus playing a central role in her rise. However, unlike other characters in the series, Karim did not exist in real life.

He is a scripted creation intended to enrich the narrative of the series. The co-writer of “Culte”, Nicolas Slomka, has indeed confirmed in an interview that this character is fictional.

He was designed to represent the commitment of the production teams, who spent hours scrutinizing the lofters, fascinated by their daily lives.

Other characters inspired by real figures

If Karim is an invented character, several other key figures in the series “Culte” are inspired by very real personalities who participated in the Loft Story adventure. Among them is Isabelle, played by Anaïde Rozam, who is loosely inspired by Alexia Laroche-Joubert, one of the iconic producers of the show.

Similarly, the character of Elena Valente, played by Jacqueline Corado, is directly inspired by Angela Lorente, a Spanish producer who significantly contributed to the casting of the first season of Loft Story.

A series that captures the essence of the television phenomenon

Although some characters, like Karim, are fictional, “Culte” manages to recreate the atmosphere and behind-the-scenes of the time, while paying tribute to those who made Loft Story a true cultural phenomenon.

The series, which is currently unanimous among Prime Video viewers, offers a perspective that is both nostalgic and critical of a time when reality television was starting to establish itself as a genre in its own right.