Loyalty can be an admirable trait in life, but the same is not always true in art. The history of cinema (and television, theater, and most collaborative arts) is littered with projects that coulda-shoulda-woulda been great, save for an actor miscast by a faithful friend (or a well-intentioned parent, sibling, or lover). More disappointing still are filmographies tanked by that kind of professional affection — think of all the great Helena Bonham Carter performances we missed out on while she was busy being the reliable bright spot in the age of lesser Tim Burton.
But now hear this: It can never be said that Ryan Murphy’s loyalty to actors, and theirs to him, has not paid dividends. Jessica Lange won Emmys. Sarah Paulson’s now a household name, which is as it should be. It’s kept the underrated Evan Peters employed, made sure Denis O’Hare continues to kill it, and helped to remind the world that Kathy Bates and Angela Bassett are queens — and all those gifted people made sure that even Murphy’s messiest, most chaotic creations remained eminently watchable, if not entirely sensible or (sometimes) particularly good.
Now it’s going to make a star of Darren Criss, and Darren Criss in turn makes The Assassination of Gianni Versace a piece of can’t-miss television. His isn’t the only great performance in the second go-round of American Crime Story, but it’s the best and also the most surprising. It’s well past time to call it like it is: Ryan Murphy’s single greatest strength as an artist is his work with actors. He can spot them, nurture great performances from them, earn and retain their loyalty, and identify precisely when to throw them into the role most likely to show them at their best. He did it with Lange. He did it with Paulson. And now, he’s doing it with Blaine the Warbler from Glee.
Like most of Murphy’s recent work, The Assassination of Gianni Versace is every inch an ensemble piece, but only the second season of American Horror Story rivals this outing for the sheer, magnetic pull of one character and performance. Criss’ work as spree killer Andrew Cunanan is so good that it’s perhaps fairest to talk about literally everything else first.
Assassination of Gianni Versace Proves Two Things: Darren Criss is a Star, and Ryan Murphy Can Pick ‘Em
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