Tag: darren criss

How Glee’s Darren Criss transformed for new role as Gianni Versace’s killer

Glee star Darren Criss’ latest role is a world away from the one that made him a TV star. In The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, he plays spree-killer Andrew Cunanan.

In 1997, Andrew gunned down the Italian-born fashion icon outside his home in Miami. He’d killed four others in the three months prior.

The manhunt ended when he turned the gun on himself. Twenty years on, the killer’s motive remains unclear.

It’s a dark role for someone who rose to fame as singing, dancing Blaine Anderson in Glee. But Darren points out his latest character was all too human.

“People think what Andrew did was really far away from what they are capable of being or are,” Darren, 31, tells TV WEEK.

“The truth is, we all have access to the same thoughts and feelings someone like him had.”

The nine-part series also stars Édgar Ramírez as Gianni Versace, Penélope Cruz as Donatella Versace and Ricky Martin as Gianni’s partner, Antonio D’Amico.

Darren admits that between the challenging scenes, he and Ricky would “blow off some steam” by singing together.

“Have I sung Ricky Martin songs with Ricky Martin?” he asks. “Yes I have – and it’s awesome!”

Darren will soon be touring the US with his former Glee co-star Lea Michele. The pair will sing Broadway tunes – and, of course, several songs from the TV show.

Meanwhile, former The Voice Australia coach Ricky Martin put his world tour on hold when he was offered a role in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.

The singer plays Antonio D’Amico, Gianni Versace’s long-time partner.

“I was living in Miami when Versace was killed,” he says. “I was obsessed with this character and project.”

The series lovingly portrays the 15-year relationship between Versace and D’Amico. It was he who found him on the steps after he’d been shot by Andrew.

Filming in the real Versace mansion, preserved as a boutique hotel, helped Ricky, 46, connect with the grief.

“I was waiting inside while they laid out Edgar on the steps,” he says. “It helped me so much to reach a level of sadness. All I had to do was see him covered in blood and hear ‘Action!’ to let it out.”

How Glee’s Darren Criss transformed for new role as Gianni Versace’s killer

Conversations with Darren Criss of THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE: AMERICAN CRIME STORY

Q&A with Darren Criss. Moderated by Henry Goldblatt, Editor in Chief of Entertainment Weekly. 

 Inspired by actual events, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story is the second installment of FX’s award-winning limited series, American Crime Story. 

 Ryan Murphy, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, Brad Falchuk, Alexis Martin Woodall, Dan Minahan, Tom Rob Smith, Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski are Executive Producers of The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. It is written by Tom Rob Smith, and Ryan Murphy directed the premiere episode of the series, which stars Darren Criss, Edgar Ramirez, Penelope Cruz and Ricky Martin.  The series is produced by Fox 21 Television Studios and FX Productions.

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)

Serial thriller with designs on Versace

dcriss-archive:

Gunned down by a serial killer on the steps of his Miami Beach home, the murder of fashion icon Gianni Versace in July 1997 captivated the world. But the crimes that festered around, and later were exposed by Versace’s death, most fascinate Darren Criss, the 31-year-old actor who plays killer, Andrew Cunanan, in a new TV drama series. After his breakout role as Blaine in Glee, Criss has made a string of TV appearances; wowed Broadway as Hedwig in the musical Hedwig And The Angry Inch; developed the alt-pop band Computer Games with his brother, Chuck; and in January this year got engaged to his longtime girlfriend, writer-producer Mia Swier.

American Crime Story 2: The Assassination of Gianni Versace has already aired in the US, what’s been the reaction?

I’m just thrilled people have watched it — not for my own ego — but because it’s such a fascinating and compelling story that raises so many questions. It’s the kind of show that I’d like to talk about, even if I wasn’t in it!

We don’t totally know Cunanan’s motivation for the serial killings, do we?

I don’t think it is as simple as this guy wanted fame and fortune or glory. It’s sort of a pretty big cocktail of a lot of unfortunate factors.

And the crimes around that crime?

The show tries to hone in on this theme of homophobia in the United States. One of the great things about American Crime Stories is that we centralise our story on a crime, but we kind of really investigate and explore the other crimes around that, and how they affected the central crime, and vice versa. The first series (The People v O.J. Simpson) obviously is centred on the murder, but what it is really investigating is racism in Los Angeles; and what that trial meant for national black identity. What we focus on here (Versace) is how homophobia plays a hand in these crimes — not just for Cunanan and Versace, but how it manifests itself in the FBI and in the military.

20 years on, those issues are still relevant.

Absolutely. It’s unfortunate, fear and prejudice always seem to be in fashion in one way or another.

Aimee Mann guest stars in a powerful scene for Cunanan, where she sings “who’s going to drive you home tonight?” (The Cars, Drive). How psychologically revealing are those lyrics?

Oh, yeah. It’s a great scene. He’s terrified of being left alone. There’s a key line — and I’ll summarise — where he says, ‘I’m a new person. Now I just need someone to be a new person for’. He just needs these people so he can share this fantastical version of himself.

Segueing now, The Cars, ’Til Tuesday, did they influence your band Computer Games?

Sure. Any popular good music. Everything influences you either consciously or not. So, yeah, sure, I’ve played my fair share of Cars covers in my day.

Hedwig creator John Cameron Mitchell will be in Brisbane next month. Did John give you any advice on the role when you took over from him on Broadway?

He’s been such a great friend and a great mentor in general, that I can’t boil it down to one specific piece of advice. But I will say John was always very encouraging of me to learn my own stuff to sort of add to the internal narrative that is Hedwig. And, yep, I’m a ‘Hed-head’ myself. I was a Hedwig fan that got to wear the wig!

American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace, Foxtel, showcase, Thursdays, 8.30pm; also available Foxtel On Demand

The Origin of Love: The Songs and Stories of Hedwig, QPAC Concert Hall, July 17, 8pm, qpac.com.au

Serial thriller with designs on Versace