Tag: interview

Trump Gets a ‘Bracing Cold Slap’ from ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace,’ Says Ryan Murphy

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Ryan Murphy has never been one to shy away from bold storytelling and provocative themes. Last year’s The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, which Murphy executive produced, was about the iconic trial but also delved into issues of racism, sexism, and fame obsession in our culture.

For ACS‘s second installment, The Assassination of Gianni Versace, the TV producer hopes to once again use a crime as a way to explore social issues. In particular, Murphy sees the 1997 murder of the fashion designer as a chance to discuss sexuality and homophobia in the 1990s. “The more I had read about it the more I was startled by the fact that [Versace killer Andrew Cunanan] really was only allowed to get away with it because of homophobia,” says Murphy. “There was this great apathy about it and nobody cared and I think part of that was because it seemed like gay people were disposable in our culture.”

He also believes the current political climate makes Versace‘s themes even more relevant. “I think it does open a discussion and I think it’s the perfect timing based on this president we have,” says Murphy. “One of the reasons I wanted to do this was I felt that Obama was a president who I revered. He was my president. I felt there was so much progress in terms of gay rights and rights for any marginalized group of people. Suddenly, it felt like Trump is inaugurated and the door closed and there’s fear again and they’re trying to take away everything that we fought for for so long. This is a bracing cold slap against the policies that the current government has. We celebrate gay people and gay creativity. So I think it’s the perfect time to put that on.”

Trump Gets a ‘Bracing Cold Slap’ from ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace,’ Says Ryan Murphy

How Ryan Murphy Plans to top ‘People v. O.J. Simpson’ Phenomenon with ‘Gianni Versace’

How do you top a phenomenon like last year’s The People v. O.J. Simpson? Opulence, sex and Ricky Martin, naturally. Those are just a few of the elements viewers can expect when The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story premieres in early 2018, focusing on the tragic killing of the fashion titan (Martin plays his long-time love Antonio D’Amico). FX’s follow-up to Simpson, featuring the same team of executive producers including Ryan Murphy, Brad Simpson and Nina Jacobson, won’t premiere for months but EW was exclusively on the set in May as the cast shot in Versace’s former home, Casa Casuarina. “It was very moving, sometimes disturbing,” says Penelope Cruz, who plays Gianni’s sister Donatella, of shooting in the house. “We all felt a very powerful energy. It just made me have more passion to tell this story.”

On July 15, 1997, Gianni Versace had left to go on his regular run to Miami Beach’s News Cafe. As he returned home and was opening his front gate, Andrew Cunanan, a sociopath who had become fixated on the designer after reportedly meeting him years earlier, walked up behind Versace and shot him twice in the head. The openly gay Versace was one of the most exciting and provocative designers of the moment, famous for his bold skin-baring designs. “Gianni was a disrupter,” says Edgar Ramírez (Joy), who plays the colorful figure. “He was doing things at the time that no one else was doing. He had this rock-star vision of couture and was the master of combining fashion, celebrity, and fame in a way that had never been combined before.” But his future was snuffed out by Cunanan (Glee’s Darren Criss), an intelligent, handsome, and highly disturbed young man from San Diego. Versace, based on the book Vulgar Favors by Maureen Orth, hopes to show how these two men’s paths crossed and ended so violently. “Here are two men from comparable backgrounds that had all kinds of similarities,” explains writer Tom Rob Smith (London Spy). “They came from parents who were striving but not wealthy. They had the Italian-heritage connection. This feeling of being an outsider. The sexuality connection. Why does one go on to become this incredible creator and great life force? And the other young man ends up destroying so much?”

The tale haunted Murphy, who pitched doing it even before Simpson aired. “I kept going back to Versace because it was different from O.J. tonally,” says the executive producer, sitting on the back patio of Casa Casuarina. “It was a manhunt and it takes place all over the country.” And just as the O.J. Simpson trial was a lens through which to examine racism, Murphy sees the Versace murder as a chance to do the same with sexuality and homophobia in the ’90s. “The more I had read about it, the more I was startled by the fact that Cunanan really was only allowed to get away with it because of homophobia,” says Murphy. “There was this great apathy about it, and I think part of that was because it seemed like gay people were disposable in our culture.”

The ACS team now not only has to live up the legacy of Simpson‘s success but also a glut of other true-crime scripted series. “I would only feel pressure if we were doing, like, the Menendez trial,” says ­Murphy. “But this is so dramatically different, and it’s about fashion and celebrity. Everything feels like you’re jumping off a diving board for the first time because there’s no template.” In this week’s cover story, EW has your exclusive deep dive on how Murphy brought together an Oscar winner, a Glee favorite, and a music superstar for one of 2018’s most anticipated television events.

How Ryan Murphy Plans to top ‘People v. O.J. Simpson’ Phenomenon with ‘Gianni Versace’

entertainmentweekly:

American Crime Story

Step inside the Versace mansion. The acclaimed series is taking a fresh look at the shocking murder in ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace’ and we’ve got your exclusive first look.

On July 15, 1997, Gianni Versace had left to go on his regular run to Miami Beach’s News Cafe. As he returned home and was opening his front gate, Andrew Cunanan, a sociopath who had become fixated on the designer after reportedly meeting him years earlier, walked up behind Versace and shot him twice in the head. The openly gay Versace was one of the most exciting and provocative designers of the moment, famous for his bold skin-baring designs. “Gianni was a disrupter,” says Edgar Ramírez (Joy), who plays the colorful figure. “He was doing things at the time that no one else was doing. He had this rock-star vision of couture and was the master of combining fashion, celebrity, and fame in a way that had never been combined before.” But his future was snuffed out by Cunanan (Glee’s Darren Criss), an intelligent, handsome, and highly disturbed young man from San Diego. Versace, based on the book Vulgar Favors by Maureen Orth, hopes to show how these two men’s paths crossed and ended so violently. “Here are two men from comparable backgrounds that had all kinds of similarities,” explains writer Tom Rob Smith (London Spy). “They came from parents who were striving but not wealthy. They had the Italian-heritage connection. This feeling of being an outsider. The sexuality connection. Why does one go on to become this incredible creator and great life force? And the other young man ends up destroying so much?”

The tale haunted Murphy, who pitched doing it even before Simpson aired. “I kept going back to Versace because it was different from O.J. tonally,” says the executive producer, sitting on the back patio of Casa Casuarina. “It was a manhunt and it takes place all over the country.” And just as the O.J. Simpson trial was a lens through which to examine racism, Murphy sees the Versace murder as a chance to do the same with sexuality and homophobia in the ’90s. “The more I had read about it, the more I was startled by the fact that Cunanan really was only allowed to get away with it because of homophobia,” says Murphy. “There was this great apathy about it, and I think part of that was because it seemed like gay people were disposable in our culture.”

The ACS team now not only has to live up the legacy of Simpson‘s success but also a glut of other true-crime scripted series. “I would only feel pressure if we were doing, like, the Menendez trial,” says ­Murphy. “But this is so dramatically different, and it’s about fashion and celebrity. Everything feels like you’re jumping off a diving board for the first time because there’s no template.” In this week’s cover story, EW has your exclusive deep dive on how Murphy brought together an Oscar winner, a Glee favorite, and a music superstar for one of 2018’s most anticipated television events.

A lot of people don’t know the whole story, and I would encourage people not to Google anything. I think there’s a lot more to it than people know. It’s a weird thing to be playing a real person. That, you know, lived and walked on this earth and had family and friends. So there’s a certain responsibility and sensitivity that one must apply to that. But it is exciting nonetheless to be a part of such a prestigious project with so many incredible people. I’m really looking forward to it…We go to Miami in a couple weeks, and while I’m looking forward to shooting something in Miami, you know, going to those steps and going to that house, it’s going to be real eerie, man, but I’m glad I’m with good people. That’ll be a nice safe place to work.

Darren Criss talking about playing Andrew Cunanan in American Horror Story: Versace (via belleybuttons)

dailydarrennews:

DARREN CRISS ON PLAYING HIS FIRST FILIPINO ROLE AS VERSACE’S INFAMOUS KILLER

Next year, the headline-grabbing story of the 1997 assassination of legendary designer Gianni Versace, will be dramatized in the FX TV show “American Crime Story.” Playing Versace’s infamous Filipino killer Andrew Cunanan is Glee star and StarKid theatre company founder Darren Criss. Yong Chavez spoke with the half-Filipino actor singer about his role on Showbiz Tonight.

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

Edgar Ramirez Can’t Wait to Step Into Gianni Versace’s Clothes for American Crime Story

Edgar Ramírez has some designer shoes to fill. He’s been tapped to play the late fashion designer Gianni Versace in Ryan Murphy’s highly anticipated FX mini-series Versace: American Crime Story—the planned third installment of his acclaimed anthology.

The Venezuelan actor—he played Jennifer Lawrence’s husband in the drama Joy and most recently appeared with Matthew McConaughey in Gold—will star as the openly gay designer, who was tragically gunned down on the steps of his Miami Beach mansion in 1997 by serial killer Andrew Cunanan. The limited series chronicles the bizarre murder and the manhunt for Cunanan, who targeted gay men and was responsible for five murders.

“Versace’s life is an amazing story,” Ramírez told Vanity Fair at the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday. “It happened 20 years ago, but it’s still very relevant with the discrimination that is happening in the world today. Ryan is very keen and very sensitive at identifying stories that have a deep connection in society. He creates shows that we can relate to in a deep way—socially and collectively. Versace won’t be an exception.”

It helps, of course, that Ramírez shares a striking resemblance to the top designer, especially after some strategic styling. “It’s really crazy, right?” he said. “I mean, there are pictures now, and it surprised me how much I look like him. We are still in the process of getting everything together, but I may change my hair to look more like him. I am in for a transformation.”

The 10-episode story begins filming in March, with a script based on the 1999 book Vulgar Favors, by Vanity Fair writer Maureen Orth. The show is expected to air in 2018, following Katrina: American Crime Story. Beyond his physical makeover, Ramírez—who was a journalist before becoming an actor—has been preparing for the role by examining old interviews on Versace. His goal is to understand both Versace’s personal life and the public perception of him, to “identify with him so I can recapture his essence and help people relate and understand who he was,” he said. “It’s about re-creating, and I hope people will see Versace through my performance. I have discovered not only was he known for glamour, festivity, sexuality, hedonism, and pleasure—he was also very family-oriented. He was way more modest and focused than people would ever imagine.”

The designer had close relationships with Princess Diana, Madonna, Elton John, and his sister, Donatella Versace. Ramírez has not yet reached out to Donatella, who took creative control over the company after her brother’s death, and would not comment on whether she will be involved with the show. He also was mum on whether Lady Gaga, Murphy’s latest American Horror Story muse, would appear in the series as Donatella, as rumors have suggested—though, Ramírez does promise, “she’s going to be an interesting character.” (Murphy himself shot down the rumors in January, noting that the series’s demanding schedule would not reconcile with Gaga’s particularly busy 2017.)

Either way, viewers can certainly look forward to seeing the opulent and unadulterated glamour of Versace’s life. Even Ramírez is thrilled to wear expensive clothes like the designer once did and spend time at Versace’s lavish mansion, Casa Casuarina, where Madonna and Whitney Houston once stayed. The mansion boasts 10 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, and a pool that is lined with 24-karat gold.

“I’m excited for the robes, and to hang out at the villa Casuarina,” said Ramírez. “It’s going to be fun!”

Edgar Ramirez Can’t Wait to Step Into Gianni Versace’s Clothes for American Crime Story

‘American Crime Story’: Ryan Murphy Talks Versace Season… Plus, Gaga as Donatella?

One of the most exciting projects on Ryan Murphy’s production horizon is the follow-up to his game-changing American Crime Story. Actually, make that two follow-ups.

Murphy took the stage at a very special panel at Entertainment Weekly’s PopFest on Sunday to reveal details about the dual forthcoming installments of Crime Story, the Emmy-winning series which launched its inaugural season centered on the O.J. Simpson trial.

As has previously been announced, seasons 2 and 3 of the series will be focused, respectively, on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the 1997 murder of fashion designer Gianni Versace. Both will be shot simultaneously with separate casts and production units, with Katrina shooting in June and the Versace tale beginning production in April.

With casting underway for both shows, the panel moderator Tim Stack commented that Murphy repertory cast member Lady Gaga would make “the perfect Donatella.”

Murphy paused. “Ya think?” he asked, and grinned. And the crowd went wild.

“I was always very moved and freaked out by the Versace assassination, and I thought it was a really great story to do because it’s a manhunt season,” Murphy said. “[Serial killer Andrew Cunanan] killed four people and then Versace, and was on the loose. We’re exploring the reasons of how he got away with being undetected.”

It became very clear, though, that Murphy’s heart lies in the story of the recently announced Versace/Cunanan season, as he went on to speak about why he felt it was so important to tackle: “The tragedy of the Versace murder was that it should not have happened. He should have been caught by then. But he wasn’t caught because he was targeting gay people, and people didn’t care. That’s why Gianni Versace was killed, for the most part. So it’s a really tragic story and I’ve always said the thing that makes me cry the most in the world is lost potential, or lost possibility, and I think he was such an amazing force taken too soon for reasons which he shouldn’t have been. That is a true crime story in America, so we’re tackling that.”

The Versace story is expected to air after season 2’s Katrina: American Crime Story, which is scheduled to premiere in 2017.

‘American Crime Story’: Ryan Murphy Talks Versace Season… Plus, Gaga as Donatella?