If “The Assassination of Gianni Versace” earns an Emmy nomination for Best Limited Series, as Gold Derby’s racetrack odds predict, that would be the seventh consecutive nomination for prolific producer Ryan Murphy in this category. Over the past decade Murphy and his team at FX have completely reinvented TV’s longform format, and that’s no more evident than at the Emmys. Previously these six shows all received Emmy noms for Best Limited Series: “Feud: Bette and Joan” (2017), “The People v. O. J. Simpson” (2016), “American Horror Story: Freak Show” (2015), “American Horror Story: Coven” (2014), “American Horror Story: Asylum” (2013) and “American Horror Story: Murder House” (2012).
Based on Maureen Orth‘s book “Vulgar Favors,” “Versace” follows the story of spree killer Andrew Cunanan (Darren Criss) who murdered several men in the 1990s including fashion designer Gianni Versace (Edgar Ramirez). Tom Rob Smith wrote the nine-episode series that also stars Emmy contenders Penelope Cruz, Judith Light, Ricky Martin, Cody Fern, Finn Wittrock and Jon Jon Briones.
Not to be forgotten, two other Ryan Murphy Productions also earned Emmy bids in the top races: “Glee” as Best Comedy Series in 2010 and 2011 and “The Normal Heart” as Best TV Movie, which prevailed in 2014. His landmark FX series “Nip/Tuck” was shockingly snubbed at the Emmys as Best Drama Series, though it did triumph in that same category at the Golden Globes in 2005.
In terms of Emmy wins, Murphy has one for directing the “Glee” pilot and three for producing “The Normal Heart,” “The People v. O.J. Simpson” and its short form counterpart “Inside Look: The People v. O.J. Simpson.” On this year’s Emmy ballot he’s eligible for producing “9-1-1” and “American Horror Story: Cult” in addition to producing and directing “The Assassination of Gianni Versace.”
Sixteen out of 19 of Gold Derby’s Emmy Experts from major media outlets don’t just think “Versace” will be nominated, but that it will win. They are: Debra Birnbaum (Variety), Debbie Day (Rotten Tomatoes), Eric Deggans (NPR), Lynn Elber (Associated Press), Joyce Eng (Gold Derby), Pete Hammond (Deadline Hollywood), Chris Harnick (E), Matthew Jacobs (HuffPo), Tom O’Neil (Gold Derby), Lynette Rice (Ent. Weekly), Robert Rorke (New York Post), Matt Roush(TV Guide Magazine), Anne Thompson (Indiewire), Peter Travers (Rolling Stone), Ken Tucker (Yahoo) and Adnan Virk (ESPN). See more Emmy odds and rankings.
As one of TV’s most successful storytellers, Murphy is using his influence to try to change Hollywood for the better. He recently created the Half Initiative, which strives to make the entertainment industry more inclusive by creating equal opportunities for women, minorities and the LGTB community behind the scenes. “We started with the directing end of my company. We started with the hope of 50% or more. Now, actually, our average is running like 60% female,” he told our sister site Deadline.
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