[PRESS RELEASE]
The role of serial killer Andrew Cunanan in season two of the FX anthology series American Crime Story was more than a challenge for actor Darren Criss— in a sense, it was his destiny. In the latest issue of emmy magazine, the series’ creator Ryan Murphy describes how Criss and the rest of the hand-picked, all-star cast embodied the real-life characters in The Assassination of Gianni Versace.
The award-winning official publication of the Television Academy hits newsstands May 22.
In the emmy cover story “American Tragedy,” Murphy shares his fascination with Gianni Versace and how the murder of the renowned fashion designer became the focus of the highly anticipated second season of the popular anthology. Murphy took great care to ensure the project was as authentic as possible, from gathering all related law-enforcement files as source material to casting appropriate actors in each role.
In Murphy’s mind, Criss was destined to play Cunanan, who shared a similar Filipino-American heritage. “I didn’t want to whitewash that part,” says Murphy, aware of Hollywood’s tendency to cast Caucasian performers in Asian roles. “I had been obsessed with the Cunanan and Versace story for years and years and years. And I remember when I first cast Darren on Glee back in 2010, just filing it in the back of my head. Like, ‘Well, there’s your Cunanan.’”
Filling out the ensemble cast, Murphy secured his preferred actors for each role—Édgar Ramírez as Versace; Penélope Cruz as the designer’s sister, Donatella; and Ricky Martin as Versace’s lover, Antonio D’Amico.
Martin and Cruz reached out to D’Amico and Donatella Versace, respectively, to help them approach their roles. In Martin’s case, his conversations with D’Amico provided important social context and helped him better understand the LGBTQ experience in Versace’s era.
“Gianni struggled with coming out because people were like, ‘You’re going to destroy your career,’” Martin says. “So it was a flashback to my reality, my story.”
Tag: press release
“The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” Premieres to 5.5 Million Total Viewers
Ratings Advisory
“The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” Premieres to 5.5 Million Total Viewers
Among The Highest-Rated Cable Series Premieres Of The Past Two Years
FX’s Most-Watched Drama / Limited Series Premiere Since Legion
LOS ANGELES, January 23, 2018 -The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story premiered to 5.5 million Total Viewers, making it one of cable’s highest-rated series premieres of the past two years. The premiere night ratings will only increase as video-on-demand ratings become available later this week, adding to the 5.5 million Total Viewers who watched the premiere telecast and three encores in Live+3 and on digital platforms.
On a Live+3 basis, the premiere telecast (Wednesday, January 17, 10PM-11:14PM) alone totaled 3.6 million Total Viewers, ranking it #3 among the 71 cable series premieres since January 2017, and #8 among the 158 cable series that have premiered since 2016.
Among Adults 18-49 in Live+3, the premiere totaled 1.5 million viewers, making it the #4 ranked cable series premiere since January 2017, as well as #2 in Adults 18-34 and #4 in Adults 25-54. The premiere ranks #7 among all cable series premieres since 2016 in Adults 18-49.
For the night, the premiere ranked #1 in basic cable in Live+3 in Adults 18-34, Adults 18-49, Adults 25-54 and Total Viewers.
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (1.5 million) is FX’s most-watched drama/limited series premiere since Legion (1.8 million) among Adults 18-49 in Live+3.
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story returns Wednesday, January 24 at 10 PM et/pt on FX: “Manhunt” – Andrew Cunanan arrives in Miami to stalk Gianni Versace. Written by Tom Rob Smith; directed by Nelson Cragg.
Versace Family Slams ‘American Crime Story’ in Second Statement
The Versace family has issued a second statement in response to the upcoming season of The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.
The family first issued a statement earlier in the week, breaking their silence on the portrayal of Gianni Versace‘s murder. FX responded with their own statement.
“As we have said, the Versace family has neither authorized nor had any involvement whatsoever in the forthcoming TV series about the death of Mr. Gianni Versace, which should only be considered as a work of fiction. The company producing the series claims it is relying on a book by Maureen Orth, but the Orth book itself is full of gossip and speculation. Orth never received any information from the Versace family and she has no basis to make claims about the intimate personal life of Gianni Versace or other family members. Instead, in her effort to create a sensational story, she presents second-hand hearsay that is full of contradictions,” the statement, provided to Just Jared, began. “As just one example, Orth makes assertions about Gianni Versace’s medical condition based on a person who claims he reviewed a post-mortem test result, but she admits it would have been illegal for the person to have reviewed the report in the first place (if it existed at all). In making her lurid claims, she ignores contrary information provided by members of Mr. Versace’s family, who lived and worked closely with him and were in the best position to know the facts of his life.”
“Gianni Versace was a brave and honest man, who engaged in humanitarian work for the benefit of others. Of all the possible portrayals of his life and legacy, it is sad and reprehensible that the producers have chosen to present the distorted and bogus version created by Maureen Orth. The Versace family will issue no further comment on the matter,” the statement concluded.
Versace – starring Edgar Ramirez, Penelope Cruz, Darren Criss, and Ricky Martin – premieres on FX on January 17.
Versace Family Slams ‘American Crime Story’ in Second Statement
Gianni Versace Family Denounces ‘American Crime Story’; FX Will “Stand By” Source Book – Update
UPDATED with FX statement, 12:16 PM: The family of slain fashion designer Gianna Versace has come out swinging against FX and Ryan Murphy’s upcoming installment of American Crime Story, calling it a “work of fiction” and saying it had not authorized and had no involvement in the anthology series.
FX responded with a statement this afternoon:
“Like the original American Crime Story series “The People Vs OJ Simpson,” which was based on Jeffrey Toobin’s non-fiction bestseller “The Run of His Life,” FX’s follow-up “The Assassination Of Gianni Versace” is based on Maureen Orth’s heavily researched and authenticated non-fiction best seller “Vulgar Favors” which examined the true life crime spree of Andrew Cunanan. We stand by the meticulous reporting of Ms. Orth.”
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story bows January 19. The first season of ACS, 2016’s The People v. O.J. Simpson, was a critical and ratings success, scoring nine Emmys and a pair of Golden Globes.
“The Versace family has neither authorized nor had any involvement whatsoever in the forthcoming TV series about the death of Mr. Gianni Versace,” the family said via the fashion house in a statement to media outlets today. “Since Versace did not authorize the book on which it is partly based nor has it taken part in the writing of the screenplay, this TV series should only be considered as a work of fiction.”
FX had no immediate comment when reached by Deadline this morning.
The book by Maureen Orth on which screenwriter Tim Rob Smith’s limited series is based, 1999’s Vulgar Favors: Andrew Cunanan, Gianna Versace and the Largest Failed Manhunt in U.S. History, also was not authorized by the family.
The series from Fox 21 Television Studios and FX Productions delves into the events surrounding the murder of the iconic Italian designer, who was shot in front of his Miami Beach mansion in 1997. He was 50. The assailant was Andrew Cunanan, who killed five people in all during a spree that ended when he committed suicide as police were closing in on him a week after Versace’s killing. Edgar Ramirez stars as Versace, and Darren Criss plays Cunanan. Penelope Cruz and Ricky Martin co-star.
In November, Versace’s sister and Versace fashion house exec Donatella Versace told Deadline’s sister site WWD she had no intention of watching the series, in which Cruz plays her. “I spoke with Penélope,” she said. “She is a friend, she said she will treat me with respect — yes, but I don’t know what will be [shown], from a book that says incredible falsehoods.”
Murphy directed the first episode of ACS and executive produces with Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, Brad Falchuk, Alexis Martin Woodall, Dan Minahan, Smith, Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski.
Gianni Versace Family Denounces ‘American Crime Story’; FX Will “Stand By” Source Book – Update
Versace Releases Official Stance on American Crime Story’s Gianni Versace Season
The fashion brand Versace has released an official statement regarding their stance on the upcoming show, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, airing on FX this month.
“The Versace family has neither authorized nor had any involvement whatsoever in the forthcoming TV series about the death of Mr. Gianni Versace. Since Versace did not authorize the book on which it is partly based nor has it taken part in the writing of the screenplay, this TV series should only be considered as a work of fiction,” the statement, provided to Just Jared, read.
The show is premiering on January 17, and stars Darren Criss, Penelope Cruz, Edgar Ramirez, Ricky Martin, and more.
Versace Releases Official Stance on American Crime Story’s Gianni Versace Season
ACS news 