Darren Criss joined us on Good Day LA to discuss his portrayal of Andrew Cunanan in “The Assassination of Gianni Versace,” – and joked about a now viral moment at the Billboard Music Awards in which Taylor Swift was “blocking” his view of Shawn Mendes. | 22 May 2018
Filming The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story was quite an experience for Darren Criss.
Not only was he playing killer Andrew Cunanan, who shot the famed designer dead in Miami, 1997, he was filming it where the murder took place. Literally.
Casa Casuarina was home to Versace until Cunanan cut short his life. Now it is a boutique hotel, used by director Ryan Murphy for his 9 part drama.
“It was an extreme luxury most people don’t have when you are filming an historical event,” Criss tells TV Tonight. “Usually you have to recreate it in a sound studio. This was the exact house, the exact place, the street and steps -the whole thing. It was a profoundly surreal experience.
“For the people of Miami to see this being recreated was pretty bizarre.”
The series has won rave reviews and stars Criss, Édgar Ramírez as Gianni Versace, Ricky Martin as boyfriend Antonio D’Amico and Penélope Cruz as Donatella Versace. The sumptuous locations, enhanced with exquisite furniture, costumes and classical music immediately elevate the piece to a grand scale, if contrasted by the grisly subject at its heart.
The articulate Criss, who is best known for playing Blaine in Glee, says the visuals reflect the characters of the key players.
Darren Criss doesn’t want to humblebrag, but he had a very memorable encounter at the Met Gala earlier this month. He was approached by someone who had just seen his performance as serial killer Andrew Cunanan on “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” — and who had no idea of his song-and-dance history as Blaine Anderson on “Glee.”
“He was like, ‘Oh, man, everyone’s gonna think you’re this killer now.’ He didn’t know what I had done before and he didn’t know anything about ‘Glee,’ and I was really thrilled,” Criss tells Gold Derby in an exclusive video interview (watch above). “I was like, ‘This is great.’ If I can keep that up, to me, that would be a huge accomplishment because the goal is to continually keep people on their [toes].”
Criss certainly did just that with his haunting, unnerving turn as Cunanan, who killed four men in a cross-country murder spree before fatally shooting the fashion designer in broad daylight in July 1997. A man of many alias and personas whose true self will forever remain unkowable, Cunanan was a complex role as it is, but it was made even more complicated by the limited series’ storytelling structure, opening with the murder of Versace (Edgar Ramirez) before going backwards in time.
Issue no. 5 of Emmy magazine via @ItsLily on Twitter (part 1) | 21 May 2018
Darren Criss on mastering the ‘emotional Tetris’ of ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace’
Darren Criss chats with Gold Derby editor Joyce Eng about mastering the ‘emotional Tetris’ of ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace.’ He doesn’t want to humblebrag, but he had a very memorable encounter at the Met Gala earlier this month. He was approached by someone who had just seen his performance as serial killer Andrew Cunanan – and who had no idea of his song-and-dance history as Blaine Anderson on “Glee.”
Glee star Darren Criss’ killer new role
Actor Darren Criss opens up about starring in hit show Glee and playing infamous serial killer Andrew Cunanan in new TV series The Assassination of Gianni Versacci: American Crime Story.
You recently teased your fans with a new single, “Fiebre”, when can we expect a new full length album?
I am thinking hopefully by the beginning of next year, but right now we have been pretty focused on the Vegas show and American Crime Story, which we were shooting for eight months. Today, the record company no longer needs the record out at a very specific time so the artists have more freedom, and if a song is ready then I can just release it. Obviously numbers are important in this industry, but it gives us an idea of what the audience likes or dislikes, and I have never felt more relaxed doing music.
Since you mentioned American Crime Story, how did you become involved and what made you say yes to the story?
A few years ago I had the opportunity to work with Ryan Murphy on an episode of Glee. We’ve kept in touch and he invited me to dinner to tell me that he thinks he has a role for me. Once I read the script I immediately said yes because it was personal. I knew I wanted to be a part of telling Versace’s story. I wanted to remind the viewers the injustice behind what happened. Because it’s not how Gianni Versace died, but how we allowed it to happen. What angers me most is that Cunanan was on the FBI’s Most Wanted List, living on Miami Beach which is a very small community, but the FBI turned the other way because he was a gay man killing gay men. There is no denying to me that this was really an issue of homophobia. I think we did a great job covering that aspect of the story.
I read that Ryan Murphy wants to give you your own show, any word on that project?
Well he told me about it and then made it public, and I got really excited! We haven’t spoken in detail about it because he is transitioning from one network to another and he told me that he will be busy until June, but I’m not in a rush. (laughs) I would love to do something behind the scenes as well. But no, we haven’t talked about it yet.
You brought up the issue of homophobia and it made me think of your new music video. “Fiebre” and of course American Crime Story both show you openly embracing your sexuality. After being forced into the closet for so long, how does it feel for you to finally be able to express being gay through your music videos and now your acting roles?
Amazing! If I could go back and come out in the late ‘90s or early 2000’s then I would, because it felt amazing to come out. When I talk to people who are struggling with their identity, I tell them that it may be bumpy for awhile but in the long run the love that I received from my friends, family, from social media…it was spectacular. I know this is not the case for everyone but at the end of the day it is about dignity and self love.
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