Kickass T-Shirt, Tom Rob Smith Much of the cast and many producers from “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” showed up to accept their award for best miniseries, and they were all dressed to the nines. Well, minus one.
Executive producer Tom Rob Smith did all of the talking while dressed in a t-shirt and jeans. To be fair, the t-shirt DID have a pocket.
Face it: You’re not going to get a bunch of TV critics in one place and not have them eventually vote to hand out awards to some people. And so it was for another year at the Television Critics Association’s annual awards ceremony, honoring the critics’ choices in about as literal a fashion as possible, by recognizing the best TV of the year in a variety of categories as voted on by the assembled TCA critics.
Happily, the results of the awards confirmed that we (and you) all have excellent taste, highlighting a number of A.V. Club favorites as their honorees. (Phew! That could have been awkward.) The big winner was the dearly departed The Americans, which pulled down both Outstanding Achievement In Drama and Program Of The Year, plus an Individual Achievement In Drama award for star Keri Russell. Meanwhile, new favorite Killing Eve snagged Best New Program, The Good Place was named Outstanding Comedy, and living legend (and Random Roles all-star) Rita Moreno received a lifetime achievement award for her decades of amazing work on the small screen.
Other winners today included a bunch of other people and shows that we like, including Sesame Street, Last Week Tonight, Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, Queer Eye, American Crime Story, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s Rachel Brosnahan. All told, an extremely respectable crop, even if a “Heritage Award” for Friends seems more like an acknowledgement of its unkillable nature, rather than anything else.
Edgar Ramirez doesn’t look much like Gianni Versace in person. But after he gained 20 pounds and spent hours in the makeup chair, his resemblance to the iconic fashion designer was uncanny. In FX’s limited series The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, the 41-year-old Venezuelan actor plays the Miami-based designer who’s busy building his fashion empire (with the help of his sister, Donatella Versace, played by Penelope Cruz) when he’s murdered by a serial killer (played by Darren Criss). The actor, nominated for supporting actor in a limited series, spoke to THR about taking on the iconic role, working with Ricky Martin (who plays Versace’s longtime lover) and the other nominated shows he loves.
How did you feel about the Versace family not participating?
It was completely understandable and expected for the family not to be involved. We have to remember that the Versace family went through one of the most terrifying experiences that a family can ever go through, and it all happened in the public eye. And it never really crossed my mind to try to reach out to them. But I wanted to try to get some firsthand input, and I was lucky that some of his best friends were willing to talk to me. I was happy that I somehow gained their trust. I will never say who they are because we agreed to that.
What is one surprising thing you learned about him?
He was rather reserved and shy. He was very extroverted, meaning he would speak easily, but the difference was that he was very shy and very private. It was surprising because you would imagine that, because of the images and the culture that he created — his dresses, all the exuberance — that he was a party animal. It was more about an artistic expression than a personal need to be surrounded by people.
What did it feel like the first time you were in full Versace makeup and costume?
In the beginning, it felt very strange because I’d never worn prosthetics before. When they first did the bald cap, and then the robe, it felt to me a little bit too scary — I was scared that it would look fake. But that was more the shock of seeing myself like that and not recognizing myself. But when I was doing the last scene and had on the whole look, with prosthetics and the wig and the clothes, I went to Ricky [Martin], and when I opened the door and when he saw me, he started crying, and he said, “I can’t believe it.” That was very reassuring at the beginning.
You’re nominated in the same category as two of your co-stars, Ricky Martin and Finn Wittrock. Is it awkward to compete against them?
No, I think it’s great. Everyone is so great, even the smallest roles are played by such talented, talented people. I’m very happy to have Ricky nominated next to me — we became such close friends. The recognition that we got from the Academy is a sign in a way that everybody is being recognized. Because it takes a village, so I hope that they will see that their work is reflected in the nominations that we got.
What other Emmy-nominated shows have you enjoyed watching this year?
I loved The Looming Tower. It’s a great show. And Godless is great as well. We’re living in the golden era of television right now. We’re even more proud that we got this recognition because there’s a lot of great things happening out there. I’m very moved by this.
Best Directing in a Limited Series or Made for TV Movie
“The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” – “The Man Who Would Be Vogue” – Directed by Ryan Murphy
Plot: The murder of Gianni Versace turns the eyes of the world onto Miami Beach.
Ryan Murphy certainly accentuates the lush locale and circumstances of the titular murder. The inaugural episode of the miniseries launches with grand, salacious detail as a horrifying crime happens before us. Murphy knows how to draw us in using bright, poppy visual imagery that has their own energy. The acclaimed series enters as the frontrunner, and this category tends to go to the frontrunner. However, surprises usually happen when Ryan Murphy is involved. In fact, his shows have never won a directing category in the Miniseries or TV movie vertical. Even “The People vs. O.J. Simpson” had all three of its submissions lose out to “The Night Manager.” If voters are once again looking for a Ryan Murphy alternative, what other option might they go for?
Predicted Ranking
“Godless”
“The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” – “The Man Who Would Be Vogue”
When it comes to Emmy nominations for below-the-line talent, traditional broadcaster NBC more than held its own in the major Creative Arts categories, tying HBO and besting juggernaut Netflix. The Peacock network broadcast three of the 13 shows that amassed seven or more noms in such areas as cinematography, production design and editing. HBO also had three shows in that arena; FX and Netflix each scored two, while Amazon, Hulu and Showtime each had one. Here’s an appraisal of those strongly crafted programs by some of the artisans who helped create them.
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story / FX (nine noms)
The 1997 murder of the fashion icon was the culmination of Andrew Cunanan’s cross-country spree. But Ryan Murphy’s retelling flips the script, say the members of the re-recording mixer team, Doug Andham and Joe Earle, nominated for the opening episode. “It starts with this eight-minute operatic build-up to the murder, and then it works backwards,” Andham says. “And for most of that opening sequence, music is the driving force, with sound effects being used more for texture.” Once the murder happens, the team’s soundscape takes center stage. “There’s the violence of the gunshot, the sound of keys in the gate and we fade to black,” he adds. The show then begins its coast-to-coast road trip, “so every week we had to create a whole new soundtrack, and it was like starting a new show,” Earle says. — Iain Blair
Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson followed up their critically acclaimed (and Emmy-winning) FX limited series The People v. O.J. Simpson with another ‘90s-set true-crime saga: The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. It was an even darker and more Byzantine tale exploring the bloody trail of serial killer Andrew Cunanan and the victims he claimed before murdering the famed fashion designer. For their efforts, the show earned 18 nominations.
As seasoned as you both are, what aspect of this series was unlike anything you’ve ever had to tackle before?
NINA JACOBSON We had the benefit of Maureen Orth’s book, but it was really the only significant text that covered Cunanan and the victims. And there was much more that had to be imagined in the context of what we didn’t know, as opposed to having the abundance of source material to work with [as on The People v. O.J. Simpson]. We wanted to get it right and to be respectful of people whose stories would be told who weren’t around to speak for themselves.
BRAD SIMPSON The victims were all — for the most part, except for Versace — friends with or knew Andrew Cunanan, so it also meant that Andrew Cunanan was the centerpiece of the show. We had to figure out a way to make a character whom you’d want to stay with for nine episodes and invest in. And It was a practical challenge, from a casting level, that every two episodes we needed to find great new members of the cast to come in and give their tour de force performances
JACOBSON Each episode, you would be losing somebody you cared about, but staying with somebody who was responsible for that loss.
How were you able to find the right balance of having an artistic vision, but also staying as true as you can to the story’s particulars?
JACOBSON Make sure to add to the difficulty that we keep telling the story backward — that was also very challenging! Because there would be things that you would realize, “No, you can’t tell that yet, because we don’t know that yet. That hasn’t happened yet.” Having to be mindful on where we were in this complex timeline was a challenge.
SIMPSON It’s a really complicated thing when you’re doing true crime or any true stories. We try to be ethical. We try to be mindful of our responsibility as producers and that there are real people at the center of this. Marcia Clark said something about our “O.J.” show, once she watched it: “Sometimes I would quibble with their facts, but they always caught the correct emotional truth.” You had to look at the evidence that was out there, the police reports, everything else, and say to yourself, “What do we think is emotionally true about what happened?” I think we achieved that. We never wanted to romanticize Andrew. We wanted to humanize his victims while also asking, “How did this happen?” He wasn’t born a sociopath. He wasn’t born a killer. I’m not excusing what he did, but he was made into a killer by his father, society and the shame that he felt as a gay man in the ’90s.
What were the elements that you felt were going to really resonate with the audience?
JACOBSON Right around the time we were just developing the script, I went with my daughter to my alma mater, and she was asking me about my memories of college. So many were about my own internalized homophobia and my desire to not be gay. To bring that shame and both the internalized homophobia and the homophobia that surrounded the investigation — that was something that was really important to us.
Were there elements of the story that struck a chord with the audience that you didn’t see coming?
SIMPSON The emotional connection that the audience felt toward not just Gianni Versace but to Judith Light’s character and Ricky Martin’s character — to these normal people who got caught up in Andrew’s murdering spree. It was gratifying to do a show where I hope we did right by the victims but also got to show what was possible for them in their lives.
Who has the most difficult job on the show?
JACOBSON I would have to say Darren [Criss] because to live in that darkness, rage, shame and all of that and yet be the person who he is on set — who is so positive, warm, embracing.
SIMPSON He had to carry the show and do these horrible things and not excuse them, but make you want to watch it every week, despite the fact that he was doing terrible things to people he really grew to care about.
What other nominated show are you obsessed with?
SIMPSON I don’t want to sound like a suck-up to FX, but we’re both obsessed with The Americans and Atlanta.
It’s dangerous to underestimate Benedict Cumberbatch at the Emmys. Most pundits weren’t predicting that he’d win Best Movie/Mini Actor for “Sherlock: His Last Vow” in 2014. In fact, he ranked fourth with 50/1 odds. Now he’s nominated in that category for the sixth time in seven years, this time for “Patrick Melrose.” And again he’s not the front-runner to win. But our Emmy Experts warn us not to foolishly discount him again in what could be his second time upsetting a Ryan Murphy favorite.
The 2014 race was up in the air. Mark Ruffalo had the narrow lead in our predictions for his role in Murphy’s HBO adaptation of “The Normal Heart,” and even in hindsight that seemed like a smart bet. It was a showy performance full of righteous speeches adapted from a Tony winning play about the early days of the AIDS crisis.
Then there were Billy Bob Thornton and Martin Freeman, both nominated for “Fargo.” It was the front-runner for Best Miniseries, which it ultimately won, and Thornton especially seemed like a formidable opponent since he was an Oscar winning movie star playing a mustache-twirling villain. Most of our Experts and Top Users that year thought Thornton would take it.
But instead, Cumberbatch won in a huge upset. Not only that, “His Last Vow” ended up with seven total Emmys that year including Best Movie/Mini Supporting Actor, where Freeman upset another “Normal Heart” actor, Matt Bomer. It was the most awarded program of the year in any genre. We didn’t see that coming.
Now the ‘Batch is back, and so is Ryan Murphy — no surprise there since both have been regular fixtures at the Emmys in recent years. Cumberbatch earned his sixth bid for playing the tortured title character in “Patrick Melrose,” and his bid tied him with Laurence Olivier for the second most nominations in the category (both are one bid behind Hal Holbrook). And Murphy could be poised to sweep the longform categories with his true-crime limited series “The Assassination of Gianni Versace.”
Among the wins we’re predicting for “Versace” is Best Movie/Mini Actor for Darren Criss, who plays spree killer Andrew Cunanan. But it’s not an open-and-shut case. Criss gets leading odds of 2/3, but Cumberbatch is right on his heels with odds of 7/2. And he’s backed by five of the Expert journalists we’ve polled for their Emmy picks so far: Debra Birnbaum (Variety), Eric Deggans (NPR), Joyce Eng (Gold Derby), Anne Thompson (IndieWire) and Ben Travers(IndieWire). That’s only two fewer Experts than are predicting Criss.
“Patrick Melrose” did well overall at the Emmys, also earning bids for Best Limited Series, Best Movie/Mini Writing, Best Movie/Mini Directing and Best Movie/Mini Casting. That shows significant support from the TV academy, though it’s the acting branch that matters for Cumberbatch and unfortunately he’s the only actor from the program to earn a nom. Compare that to “Versace,” which earned six nominations for acting, so it appears to me much more beloved by the peer group voters who will be deciding Cumberbatch’s fate.
Then again, “The Normal Heart” had five acting nominations and “Fargo” had four in 2014. “Sherlock” only had two that year, but it still managed to win them both. Sometimes it’s not a matter of how many actors the voters love but how much they love them. And judging from recent history, they love Cumberbatch. A lot.
ACS news 