How have you been preparing for your directorial debut?

I am in my directing office right now and I am going to start tomorrow. I poured over thousands of pages of books, I shadowed some really talented, generous, wonderful directors, and I am in the world of Ryan Murphy, so you have some of the most incredible professionals you could have working with you. I am excited and terrified and I haven’t really been this thrilled about anything in this industry for awhile, so it’s been a great way to shake up my creative spirit.

I’ve heard that Ryan is good about giving opportunities to first-time directors. How did it come about that this was yours?

He is just one of those people who is so generous of spirit. Truly. I think he knew I had been in this medium of episodic for 20 years, and he knew that I really extensively prepare for everything that I do, and for whatever reason, he saw qualities in me that he felt would work well as an episodic director.

He called me out of the blue and said, “What do  you think about directing it?” I was flabbergasted and blown away and I just very humbly said, “I can’t thank you enough. I will do my best to be prepared and come through. Obviously, he’s been a very big influence in my life and, in large part, he’s been an architect of my career in many ways.

What about the murder of Gianni Versace will make people want to watch?

There is so much I didn’t know. There are so many reasons people are going to watch. There are so many incredible performances going on and the writing is unparalleled. But there is so much about the story that I didn’t understand the specifics of it in the larger context of what was going on in the time period. I am excited for people to see it.

It also has sex, money and fashion.

All the things that excites and titillates but it also has some real substance and nuance to it that will keep people coming back for more.

Matt Bomer on Man Against Nature in Walking Out and His New Job