The busiest show runner in Tinsel Town, Ryan Murphy, has debuted the first full trailer for his latest project, the latest in his American Crime Story anthology, and it’s GOOD. The Assassination of Gianni Versace is based on the tragic 1997 murder of the famed designer by a serial killer, Andrew Cunanan. The source material is right up Ryan Murphy’s alley, especially because he just took on killers Jim Jones and Charles Manson on his latest series, American Horror Story: Cult. The guy likes dark stuff, what can I say?
If you watched Cult, you’ve probably seen some of the moody, atmospheric teaser trailers, my favorite of which features Darren Criss emerging from a swimming pool in a Speedo. During the airing of the Cult finale on Tuesday, FX released the first full trailer for the show which stars Edgar Ramirez as Versace, Darren as Cunanan, Penelope Cruz as Donatella Versace and Ricky Martin, who can also rock the hell out of a Speedo, as Versace’s partner, Antonio D’Amico. Check it out.
This looks amazing. Kudos to the casting director. I was skeptical about Penelope Cruz taking on a role we all thought Maya Rudolph should have had, but she makes for a surprisingly convincing Donatella.
I will admit that Ryan Murphy has been hit or miss with not only me, but a lot of people and critics alike. As many a season of American Horror Story has gone off the rails (and the same for the second season of Scream Queens), the first season of American Crime Story was amazing, as was Feud. But… how will this series fare without the presence of Ryan’s muses, Jessica Lange and Sarah Paulson? I for one can’t wait for this one, which debuts on January 17 on FX. Ryan and company had probably better make some space for an Emmy or two as well.
photos: Getty Images, WENN.com
I’m so pumped about this. Everyone looks great. Darren is such a dead-ringer for Cunanan, it’s scary. Same goes for Edgar as Gianni.
Hmm, I came here to say that I think Criss is way better looking than the photos I saw of Cunanan. But I agree he captures his essence well. I was so fascinated with that story, it started right around the corner from me in Chicago.
Cruz makes a terrible Donatella, imo.
This looks cheesy as h*** and I am soooo looking forward to it!
I can’t wait either and I am actually excited about the cast diversity, overall great actors. I am from Miami and was hitting the Miami Beach night club scene then so I remember when it happened, it was crazy and no one belived it happened in such well known and open place to a well known celebrity
I’m from Miami too. It was such a shock and so sad.
I used to work with an attorney that resembled Cunanan and the police came to the office to question him. It was crazy. Of course they ruled him out really quickly.
Really looking forward to this.
@M&M oh wow that’s crazy…it still feels recent
Penelope still has a strong Spanish accent. They couldn’t find an Italian actress?
I thought she sounded just like Donatella. As long as she doesn’t fall back into her head-tossing schtick she’ll do fine.
Excited for this one. …And AHS: Cult was pretty good too.
I still remember when all this went down. There was coverage in the Washington Blade at the time about someone murdering older, I think, gay men on the east coast. Almost, but not quite a serial killer. I can’t remember as clearly whether that was the same guy who murdered Versace though.
Yes, he was. There was like a Dateline (I think? Can’t remember) last year fleshing out the events that led up to Gianni Versace’s murder and they focused on the previous murders. I am really looking forward to this; ACS season one was amazing.
Ah. Thanks. I thought that was the case. Someone in the NY area died as well.
I am going to have to watch this series.
I’m completely fascinated by Penelope as Donatella. I can’t judge her accent properly but I think it sounds a bit like a mix of Spanish and Italian? Faking a foreign accent in a language that’s not your first is HARD.
I think her accent is terrible. It might be hard to fake an accent but plenty of actors are great at it. I can’t tell you how many actors I thought were American are actually British, lol. I would never mistake Cruz for an Italian.
Yes but she is actually faking an accent in a foreign language. I’ve never seen that work. Whenever there’s someone non-German playing a Nazi in a WWII movie, they sound ridiculous. Everyone thinks a German accent is easy but it’s actually not. And it’s worse when you have a non-English native speaker doing a German accent in a Hollywood movie. It’s completely nuts. Then they have their own accent underneath the German one. I think that’s what happened here.
She looks like she is going to be amazing in this, really excited to see her put her acting chops in play.
Saw this yesterday, looks kinda cheap? And is Penelope’s voice dubbed? it does not match her lips when speaking.
Who is playing Naomi, Cindy, Linda and Christy.