This is a fan forum to discuss Darren Criss\'s career and his public activities, including his theater, film, and TV projects, his music and musical performances, charitable work, interaction with fans, and interviews.
I was also one of those folks like Darren who did not want to feel like everybody else, but I did it to express my individuality, my uniqueness, and diversity. It's interesting to hear the various reasons why people want to be different.
・・・ “I know what it’s like to want to stand out. Andrew [Cunanan] had that too, but we had different reasons.” — #ACSVersace’s own @DarrenCriss explains how he found humanity in the sociopathic killer he plays on TV at the link in our bio. [camera emoji] @katwirsing for Esquire.com. Styling by @mrjonathanevans.
Via Esquire’s Instagram Story (February 8th, 2018)
via dcriss-archive
This guy is so funny. That second comment.
She is a writer for Refinery 29
EDIT:
*When you remember that tonight there’s a new episode of… #ACSVersaceEnFX
americancrimestoryfx: That’s the truth. #ACSVersace
Vanity Fair wrote: American Crime Story: The Truth Behind That Surprising Musical Cameo
February 7, 2018
Yeah—the lyrics “you can’t go on thinking nothing’s wrong” seem pretty appropriate here. I wanted to ask for your take on what Darren Criss is giving in that scene as he listens to the song. We see Andrew overwhelmed by emotion—what emotion do you think that is?
Simpson: When Tom was writing it, I think he wanted to have two things going on. It’s a turning point in the episode. For David, he’s looking out the window of the bathroom and realizing that he’s trapped with Andrew. Maybe he could climb through the window and maybe he couldn’t, but he returns to Andrew. One of the things that’s happening for Andrew in that scene—and it’s one of the few times so far that we’ve seen any real emotion—the way Dan Minahan directed [Darren] to play it, and the way that Tom had written it, was the idea of: you’re watching the singer, David’s gone to the bathroom, and you’re feeling this sense of loss. You think he may have escaped. But either way, there’s an undercurrent of dread that you may have lost him no matter what. Darren wanted to get psyched up and do it in one take—you know, the slow push in that ends with him crying. And we gave him the space that he needed, and just did the long, slow push into the tear, and then he follows up with such joy.
Warning: Spoilers! Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks" (for Darren!). Such an interesting interview, where he spans several topics, from his view of portraying Andrew Cunanan, to his need to feel different since he was young, to his philosophy about acting, to his engagement to Mia, to his gratitude for the opportunities granted to him by Ryan Murphy, to what the future holds for him as an actor. I thought his choice of words was interesting, at the end of the article, when he talked about his future in acting, he used the word "abyss," which often has a negative connotation of darkness and falling, instead of using a more positive word or imagery (a wide open meadow full of various trails to explore). I wonder if the possibility of more fame inspires some trepidation in Darren. (Or haha, I could be just reading too much into it, since he did use the word "precipice" before using "abyss.")
Esquire wrote: Darren Criss Has Never Wanted To Be Ordinary
[Feb. 7, 2018?]
Darren Criss has never killed anyone. In fact, it’s hard to imagine the 31-year-old actor so much as raising his voice at anyone given how disarmingly kind and solicitous he is in person. When he arrives for his photoshoot, he immediately learns the names of everybody on set; as various editors drop in, either to check in on the shoot or to gawk at the celebrity in our midst, Criss goes out out of his way to make introductions—impressively listing off everyone’s name in the room. But Criss has found more in common with Andrew Cunanan, the social-climbing narcissist turned serial killer he plays in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, than he expected.
“People always ask me, ‘What’s it like to get into the mind of a killer?’” Criss says, slipping into a gravelly Movie Trailer Voice as we talk over coffee. “But you’re not doing that! I mean, a killer doesn’t get into the mind of a killer—they’re just existing. We boil it down to killing somebody and go, ‘I’ve never done that, so that’s definitely as far from me as possible.’ But the things that inform those decisions can be very close to who we are. We all have access to the same variety of emotions. You just ride them at a certain frequency, and it takes you to a certain place.”
[. . . ]
There are, Criss says, “a lot of similarities between us that I like to remind myself and other people of,” beyond the striking physical resemblance and biographical parallels (both Cunanan and Criss are half-Filipino and California natives). “What it is to want what you can't have—that I get. Who doesn't know what it's like to feel unloved, or want to rise above your station, or just on a very simple level be liked?”
It’s the latter that comes through most powerfully in Criss’s mesmerizing, profoundly unsettling performance: the sense that Cunanan needs to be not just liked, but adored. Underlying all of his tall tales—the lies about his wealthy upbringing and influential friends, the personas he adopts and discards—is a kind of naked desperation that puts the audience on edge even when nothing overtly bad is happening. He is, to put it generously, extra. And as the lies stop working for him, and more and more people begin to see through him, that neediness turns vicious.
[. . . ]
[Criss states,] “I really reveled in being different,” he tells me. “I didn't want to be normal. I didn't want to be put in a corner. I know what it's like to want to stand out. Andrew had that too, but we had different reasons. He used it as a social statement, where I just liked the feeling of not being like everybody else. I think he did it to lord his status over other people; for me, it was a way to connect with people.”
I bring up a standout moment from this week's episode, “House by the Lake,” the fourth of the season. . . . The pair stop at a roadside bar, where Aimee Mann sings a mournful cover of The Cars’ “Drive.” While Madson goes to the bathroom—and considers trying to escape through a window—we stay with Cunanan, in a rare moment of honesty. In an unbroken 90-second shot, we slowly pan in on Criss’s face as he begins to cry, watching Mann sing the song and taking in its lyrics (“Who’s gonna drive you home tonight?”). It’s an unsettling scene because of how moving it is, despite coming moments after we’ve seen Cunanan beat a man to death with a claw hammer.
[. . .]
For all the commonalities he’s found with Cunanan, Criss is not remotely method, and he has no trouble getting out of character even on the darkest days of material. “Some people need to scream into a pillow and run off and do their thing and live with their character non-stop,” he says. “I am not one of those people, and sometimes I feel like a bad actor because I'm not. But I think for me, things live and die between action and cut, or lights up and lights out. I feel like if I live with something too long, then I cheat the immediacy of the moment.”
[. . .]
Two days after Versace's premiere, Criss announced his engagement to longtime girlfriend Mia Swier via Twitter and Instagram. “It was a long time coming,” he says. “We’d waited a while before we announced it. I had a whole thing written, like, ‘Usually I don’t like talking about my private life...’ which I really don’t—I was really allergic to it for a while. Eventually I got over myself and realized that it’s just the best way to let people know.”
So 2018 is a banner year for Criss on many levels; though it’s early to start talking Emmys, it’s hard to imagine him not being a frontrunner for his revelatory performance. “We’ll see,” he says, downplaying awards buzz. “The success for me is that people are talking about it. But this is a moment for me, and I recognize that, because I've had one before. The fact that I've gotten another one from Ryan Murphy is not beyond my understanding, and I'm trying to enjoy it as much as I can. I feel like I'm very much on a precipice, so I'm excited to see who or what is in the abyss.”
Interesting interview. Mike Farrell has kind things to say about Darren, in terms of Darren's presence on screen, as well as Darren's good relationship with the crew. If you a M*A*S*H fan, be sure to visit the site to read the whole interview. He also supports progressive causes.
Windy City Times wrote: NUNN ON ONE MOVIES Mike Farrell channels Chicagoan Miglin in Gianni Versace
2018-02-07
WCT: How was it working with Darren Criss? MF: He’s terrific. He’s really a nice young man and very talented. I confess to never having seen Glee. For someone that is relatively new to the business, he has a great presence, and had a good relationship with the crew. It was really fun to get to know him and see him work. WCT: Even on television it is interesting to see his interpretation. MF: I agree. It is an enormous task to pull off. From what I saw he really did a remarkable job.
edouardholdener: Happy birthday Darren Criss! I’m so proud that I got to play a young Andrew because you’re such an amazing Andrew Cunanan!! #ACS #americancrimestory
Michael Chinery: If you haven’t already – check out “The Assassination of Gianni Versace” series on FX – actor Darren Criss is phenomenal as Andrew Cunanan!
mattbomer: Happy Birthday to my brother from another mother @darrencriss. Always inspired by you my friend, but your work on @americancrimestoryfx this year is phenomenal. Wishing you an incredible birthday, and a beautiful year my friend! XO
Episode 3 spoilers!
americancrimestoryfx They almost had him…#ACSVersace
via Darren Criss Army
From dcriss-archive:
Aw, Jon Jon Briones and Darren.
jonjonbriones: Happiest of birthdays to @darrencriss. This year is going to be amazing for you!!! I raise a glass…or two to you! @americancrimestoryfx
Spoilers Episode 4!
Stills of Darren Criss and Cody Fern in episode 4 “House by the Lake” of The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (February 6th, 2018) | Source
haha! Love this! That is definitely my face too, although I admit sometimes I was so scared I left the room.
Spoiler:
Lin wrote:I'm so proud and impressed and SO creeped out. I never would have thought Darren could creep me out like this, but he very thoroughly succeeded. He sends actual shivers down my spine every week and I can't wait for the next episode.
I'm glad you're proud and impressed, Lin. Ditto that for me too. It's a new sensation to be creeped out by Darren. He's such a adorable sweetie pie in real life. And the previous characters he played never had that effect on us, of course! (I loved Blaine and Hedwig!! His character from Eastwick was adorkable, and his Harry from AVPM and its sequels is much beloved. Lee in Girl Most Likely was nice, a good guy. I guess folks had mixed feelings about J. Pierpont Finch, but he was not scary and creepy! Justin from American Horror Story was a jerk, but no killer, and the Music Meister from The Flash turned out to be a good guy.)
Darren sure is hitting the perfect notes in Versace. (But cross fingers the next character he plays is a different kind of character. )
I hope that Darren sees this message, for the sake of this very ill child. Time is absolutely critical because how ill is this child. If you have twitter, please retweet, same if you have an instagram account.
dailydcrissnews wrote:Hello! There is a twitter account out there called Children’s Wish NL and they are trying to grant a wish for one of their sick kids to have Darren reach out to them. If any of you have a twitter, please retweet or quote this tweet and try to @ Darren and/or his manager Ricky (RockerRick on twitter) so hopefully they can see it and do something for this young person
Here is the tweet:
PLS RT
Hey @DarrenCriss, one of our @cwfbc wish kids doesn't have too much time left and he's your biggest fan. Could you help them make his last hours special? @GLEEonFOX Their DMs are open
Gleekto wrote: Just to add to this - It appears that the wish child may only have hours to live (according to the tweets) so this is very urgent (And I imagine what they are hoping for is a phone call/skype right away). Lots of people are trying to contact Ricky on twitter, including someone he follows who will DM him.
My impression is that he is on instagram a lot more often - so if anyone has a way to get to him, Darren, Mia - go forth.
** **
Darren's Calendar:
February 12 *Darren will be on The Talk.
February 15 **Darren is filming on Steve TV at 3:45 pm in Universal City (southern California)
Darren will be filming an episode of “Steve TV” on Feburary 15th at 3:45 PM. Request for tickets is available here.
Air date will be posted once information is available.
This is nice!
Darren has hit 2 million Instagram followers (February 1st, 2018)
The Criss Project's fundraiser for The Trevor Project in the name of Darren's birthday.
TheCrissProject: You guys are amazing! The giveaway for the #ACSVersace book is on! We’re already at our $2500 goal, w/o including merchandise proceeds, and w/ 4 days to go until Darren’s birthday! We may do a better video tomorrow, but this shows what you could win.
Via jessica_o_’s Instagram Story (January 31st, 2018)
via dcriss-archive
** **
From Darren Criss Army:
The Criss Project's fundraiser for The Trevor Project in the name of Darren's birthday.
As part of our fundraiser for Darren’s 31st birthday, The Criss Project is GIVING AWAY this press kit book from American Crime Story!!
Help celebrate Darren’s birthday with a donation of $20 or more to The Trevor Project by Sunday, February 4 and you will be entered for a chance to win it!
DONATE HERE
For more information, visit The Criss Project on Twitter
Thanks again Jeremy for your PMs warning me about the violent scenes!
Here are Jeremy's warnings about any violent scenes (spoilers about Episode 3)!
Spoiler:
so, episode 3
the beginning is not violent, although they make you think you're gonna see something gruesome about Lee's murder : it gets bloody when Andrew punches him but, if you don't want to miss important acting, I suggest you to watch until Andrew takes the concrete (then you can close your eyes until you hear the police sirens)
about one of the last scenes, in the basement : when the guy asks Andrew not to kill him, you should close your eyes because Andrew is gonna shoot him in the head... (sorry for the spoiler)
It was a very sad episode, but very well written and well acted. Darren's acting is amazing, and I agree, it's nice to see him on our TV screens each week. (I miss those days when we got to see him every week!)
From dcriss-archive:
TV Guide - February 5th, 2018 Issue
** **
EDIT: Adding a few more items:
This is nice of Michael Feinstein:
Video
Inc: Get the popcorn. Here are the 7 best new TV shows you have to watch this season.
via dcriss-archive
[UHQ] Darren Criss and Edgar Ramirez at Build Studio on January 16, 2018 in New York City.
This is interesting. We as Darren fans noticed right away that Darren's unique triangular eyebrows have been trimmed on the top.
ACSFX: There’s a story within the details you don’t notice. See how hair and make-up help define the characters in #ACSVersace. *Darren edit
via dcriss-archive
This is regarding the issue of Darren's eyebrows. I thought this post of robtennislover on Gleekto's blog is funny, because it's true. Darren's fans did a double-take and asked, "What happened to Darren's face?!"
robtennislover
Have you seen the new video about make up for the show? I'll paraphrase. Make up lady: Darren change was a subtle trimming of the eyebrows that most wouldn't notice. Meanwhile, Darren Criss fans: What the fuck happened to his face?
Gleekto
Yes ha ha! It’s like all the advertising of “Sorry to fans of Blaine on Glee. You have no idea what you’re in for”…
gq: It’s not up for debate: @DarrenCriss rules. The actor absolutely kills it in his new role as a notorious murderer on #ACSVersace. And fun fact: Darren told us that he still reads GQ the old fashioned way: in print. (@ericraydavidson) #grammys
ACSFX: Wednesday, go further inside the lies of a killer. Preview the next episode of The Assassination of Gianni Versace. Sponsored by @Buick. #ACSVersace
via dcriss-archive
acsversace-news: Stills of Darren Criss and Mike Farrell in episode 3 of The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story | 29 January 2018
From Darren Criss Army:
Episode 2
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story | Season 2 Ep.2: Great Creator Scene | FX
I wasn't able to watch today. Had to take care of some things for family. Will watch tomorrow.
From dcriss-archive:
This is so nice of dcriss-archive, to do a masterlist of press articles for Episodes 1 & 2.
Press Masterpost | ACS Versace Episode 2 “Manhunt” Review/Recap
Harper’s Bazaar: The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Addresses Versace’s HIV Status
Buddy TV: ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace’ Recap: Andrew Arrives in Miami
Vulture: The Assassination of Gianni Versace Recap: Easy Lover
Entertainment Weekly: The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story recap: ‘Manhunt’
AV/TV Club: American Crime Storybegins to paint a portrait of a killer
NY Times : ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace’ Episode 2: The Great Creator
TV Line: American Crime Story: VersaceRecap: Sex, Lies and Duct Tape
Den Of Geek: The Assassination of Gianni Versace Episode 2 Review: Manhunt
Remezcla: ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace’ Episode 2 Recap: Penelope Cruz is MVP
Into: ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story’ Episode 2 Recap: Andrew Cunanan and the Pink Speedo
Paste Magazine: American Crime Story Review: Always on the Run Now
Slash Film: The Assassination of Gianni Versace Review: Episodes 1 and 2
Boston Herald: The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story recap: ‘Manhunt’
Hollywood Life: ‘Versace’ Recap: Gianni Learns Difficult News & Andrew Stays Under The Radar
Refinery 29: ACS: The Assassination Of Gianni Versace Episode 2 Recap: “Manhunt”
Tracking Board: AMERICAN CRIME STORY REVIEW: “MANHUNT”
Decider: ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story’ Episode 2 Recap: Light Is the Left Hand of Darkness
Culled Cultured: Dancing to Phil Collins With Duct Tape: The Patrick Bateman/Andrew Cunanan Connection
Birth. Movies. Death: THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE Review: “Manhunt”
Tell Tale TV: The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Review: Manhunt (Season 2 Episode 2)
Previously TV: American Crime StoryDoes The Hustle
Yahoo!: ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace’ episode 2 recap: Death’s a beach
Podcasts
The People v Ryan Murphy: ACS S2E2 - “Manhunt”
Still Watching: Versace: “Manhunt” with Max Greenfield
Epic Old-School Recaps: American Crime Story S02.E02: Manhunt
Videos
AfterBuzz TV: American Crime Story: Gianni Versace Season 1 Episode 2 Review & Reaction
Collider: The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Episode 2 “Manhunt” Review
Darren saying nice things about Ryan.
MTV: .@DarrenCriss discusses how working with @MrRPMurphy on #ACSVersace is far different than his experience working with him on #Glee.
via dcriss-archive
Excerpts from an interview:
TV Guide wrote: How Darren Criss Transformed Into Versace's Charismatic Killer
Jan. 24, 2018
It's a career redefining role for Darren Criss, who first entered the pop culture zeitgeist far on the other side from Cunanan as Blaine Anderson on Glee. His tenure on the musical high school show had Tumblr dub him as America's boyfriend. Fans who remember him as the sweet-hearted, tender Blaine — and those who dismissed him because of it — will be shocked as they tune into Versace to see Criss play smarmy, manipulative and deeply disturbed. The young actor deftly makes you feel for and deeply fear Cunanan at the same time.
Episode 2 revealed how the series plans to pedals backward through Cunanan's killer spree to show the evolution of a murderer in a new way. While Versace holds title prominence, it is Criss' performance as Cunanan that the series hinges on for the rest of the run. TV Guide talked to Criss about sinking his teeth into the role, the weight of knowing Cunanan's victims' families are watching and why Glee co-creator and American Crime Story overlord Ryan Murphy handpicked him to play the game-changing part.
[. . . ]
What was the shooting order for this series? Did you guys largely go in episode order? Because I know you went and shot at the actual house. Criss: It was all over the place. It was like shooting a nine-hour movie. We shot everything all over the place. Yeah, it's kind of hard to track the timing of stuff.
Even the order of the series is kind of weird because we're going backwards through his evolution as a serial killer. So for you, how did you track of like, "Okay, it's this day, and I am at this place in his psyche"? Criss: Oh, yeah. I enjoy that chronological Tetris. I sort of have this masochistic joy of piecing those things together. Maybe it's my weird OCD thinking. So it wasn't hard for me. I enjoyed that challenge. I don't know what the question is. I think I'm just agreeing with you that, yeah, it's hard, but you do have to sort of map out where everything is. And you have to be very delicate with it because you can't go to a 10 when you know in sequence you haven't earned it yet. Or conversely, let's say you're at Chapter 2, and you dial it to an 11, but now you've blown your wad on where you get to in Chapter 12.
Emotionally mapping things is really, really fun for me, so it didn't get confusing. It's like a fun game for me as an actor, and I enjoy that process a lot. But yes, to your point, yes, I did do that. And that's a very important thing to do because we went a lot through time. And I still haven't seen the series, so I have no idea how it ends up playing out.
Entertainment Weekly wrote: Max Greenfield on his haunting Assassination of Gianni Versace role and the end of New Girl
January 24, 2018
One of the great surprises of The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story is the completely transformative performance by New Girl’s Max Greenfield. The actor plays Ronnie, a junkie who befriends Andrew Cunanan (Darren Criss) and is unaware that his new acquaintance is a wanted serial killer.
In only a handful of scenes, Greenfield creates a full-bodied tragic character — even Ronnie’s walk feels specific and thoughtful. . .
[. . .]
How as it working with Darren?
It was really great. It was intense. As heartbreaking as Ronnie was, part of that heartbreak was his relationship with Andrew and the fact that he was enamored by this guy, and also sort of thinking he had made a friend. He was so alone and thought this was a guy who came to Miami for the same reasons he had. Watching him sort of try to keep up with Andrew and carry on a normal conversation with him like friends might do and listen to this guy who was so all over the place. The humor of that is not lost on me. I mean, there is an element of like, man, this is an odd couple!
What was it like when Darren emerged from the bathroom with duct tape on his face?
The nice thing of a scene like that is they’re not very hard to play! If you’re in character and the scene is “Be freaked out by the guy who walks out of the bathroom with his head wrapped in duct tape,” I’d love to say I’m an incredible actor, but at that point it’s not that hard. You also have to spend a fair amount of time staring at Darren in a pink Speedo; was that an odd day at work?
That is so par for the course on a Ryan show. Honestly, it couldn’t be less weird. FULL ARTICLE | TVGUIDE.COM
There were other pics that showed Darren stopping for this fan. He has such a big, kind heart.
missblairotte: If you know me at all, you’ll know how much this means to me. Thank you @darrencriss for always being such a bright light in my life I absolutely cannot wait to see you win all the awards possible for #ACSVersace and for the whole world to recognize your incredible talent
PumpkinPie522: @DarrenCriss thank you so much for coming over,for the hug andpic. Ily! See u tomm
The Futon Critic wrote: [01/23/18 - 09:32 AM] "The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story" Premieres to 5.5 Million Total Viewers
FX further spins the numbers for Wednesday, January 17.
[via press release from FX]
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.
In The Assassination of Gianni Versace, Darren Criss Finally Found His Killer Performance
1/22/2018
As Andrew Cunanan, the darkly charismatic and deeply disturbed man who killed Gianni Versace, Darren Criss is the unquestionable star of the show.
At first, you might not know what to make of Criss's performance as the notorious murderer. He spends much of the show's premiere evading capture after having killed one of the most prominent figures in the fashion world and largely getting away with it. As the show stretches back into Cunanan's history, the overwhelming completeness of Criss's transformation becomes remarkable. He shifts from sinister gunman to a darkly enchanting boy genius, a guy who belts the lyrics to Laura Branigan's "Gloria" as he arrives in Miami to kill Versace, wining and dining victims and cohorts alike with a chilling talent for cycling through whatever emotion or approach will get him what he wants.
It's a huge shift for the energetic and irrepressibly pleasant actor who became an overnight teen idol for playing Blaine Anderson on Glee—a role that put him in the orbit of Ryan Murphy, who years later, would reach out to Criss with the role that will doubtless cause many Blaine fans great distress.
[. . .]
. . . Cunanan, a young man warped by the circumstances of his upbringing and his own unique pathology, coupled with a culture of homophobia that kept him from ever finding the level of acceptance that he sought. . .
. . . If there's a running thread, it's how homophobia didn't just afflict Cunanan and help spur his crimes, it also shielded him and kept him from capture. Cunanan's story is one of shared cultural shame, chronicling how attitudes widely held twenty years ago—attitudes that are, frankly, still present—let a killer evade justice.
[Criss states,] "Homophobia exists on much subtler, more institutional levels. So in this case, the failure to investigate the community that it did not understand is less about personal, rampant homophobia, a gay-bashing FBI. It's more of a systematic and institutionalized fear of not knowing how to breach this subculture, and how that adds up to the largest failed manhunt in FBI history. That's the tagline of [Orth's] book, but you go. 'Wait, that's a huge fuckin' superlative.' Like, how is that not a way bigger deal? It's not, because it was a story that was fighting an uphill battle in mainstream interest."
Criss also sees homophobia as an internal driving force in Cunanan's story, referring to "his hatred of that which made him different" as an aspect of his character that goes lockstep with '90s mainstream culture's indifference to and ignorance of the gay community.
[. . . ]
. . . To him [Criss], an important aspect of Cunanan is the tragedy of his turn toward destruction. Andrew Cunanan, as Criss envisions him, was a man whose desires and ambitions were all things anyone would want, and anyone can relate to having denied: To rise above your station, to love someone, to be remembered. To feel cheated by a world that conspires against you, drowning those aspirations with an impossibly stacked deck—a mentally ill mother, and a delusional, criminal father, a false sense of entitlement given by those negligent parents.
"These are all things that are unfortunate. People have risen above that," Criss says. "There are resilient people who are not bound by those things, and Andrew was not one of them. . ."
[. . . ]
Finding a new identity for yourself is really important. Just like anybody finding their identity in life is huge, but in the gay community, it's a much harder climb, it's historically a difficult one to make it through, and if you have made it through, it's a very celebrated thing that connects the gay community, and gives it a strong presence, a strong voice." He pauses. "Having said that—Andrew finding himself in a place where alternate identities are understood and supported can become a problem. He's living in San Diego, already a dichotomous town of wealth and disparity. You have military, you have a booming gay culture, and it's a lot of people suppressing and compartmentalizing their identities and supporting that."
It's an idea that Versace explores in its fifth episode,"Don't Ask, Don't Tell," one of the show's best hours, focusing on the life of Jeffrey Trail, Cunanan's first victim, and one that brings his turn towards murder into sharp focus through Trail's parallel struggles of being a naval officer in the era of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and Cunanan's attempts to relate to him in his own exploitative, manipulative way.
"You're exploring another side, another version of Andrew that wants to exist so badly, [in a community] that won't accept him," Criss says, "Two different versions of that but the same plight. Jeffrey was somebody that made it through. Andrew couldn't, and had to destroy him."
ACSFX: Envy drove his obsession. #ACSVersace @DarrenCriss
via dcriss-archive
From the GQ interview:
[HQ] In The Assassination of Gianni Versace, Darren Criss Finally Found His Killer Performance
via dcriss-archive
Joshua Rivera is the writer of the GQ article, and he notes how nice Darren is. Matt Weinberger is Senior Tech reporter with Business Insider. Matt says a very kind thing about Darren being gracious (which he absolutely was with everyone!) at stage door for Hedwig.
The Assassination of Gianni Versace | Inside Season 2: Darren Criss as Andrew Cunanan | Source
Extremely charming. Extremely dangerous. Take a look inside the troubled life of Andrew Cunanan with the cast and crew.
via dcriss-archive
Sorta an update about when the show is seen in the UK.
Daily Mail wrote: January 20, 2018
The nine-part series, which launched in the US last week and will be broadcast on BBC2 possibly within the next three weeks, has won plaudits from critics who laud it as ‘thrilling, deliciously campy television’.
Gianni Versace was the 5th victim and was killed on July 15, 1997, in Miami.
American Crime Story - Episode 2.02 - Manhunt - Synopsis
THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE: AMERICAN CRIME STORY Manhunt
1/24/2018
10 PM ET/PT
Andrew Cunanan arrives in Miami to stalk Gianni Versace. Written by Tom Rob Smith; directed by Nelson Cragg.
Source
Lee Miglin was the 3rd victim, killed on May 4, 1997, in Chicago. William Reese, a caretaker, was the 4th victim and was killed on May 9, 1997, in New Jersey. Cunanan stole Reese's truck.
Episode 2.03 - A Random Killing - Synopsis
THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE: AMERICAN CRIME STORY A Random Killing
1/31/2018
10 PM ET/PT
Chicago real estate tycoon Lee Miglin is murdered in what police describe as a random killing. Written by Tom Rob Smith; Directed by Gwyneth Horder-Payton.
Source
David Madson was the 2nd victim. He was killed on May 3, 1997.
Episode 2.04 - House By The Lake - Synopsis
THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE: AMERICAN CRIME STORY House By The Lake
2/7/2018
10 PM ET/PT
Minneapolis architect David Madson is forced to go on the run with Andrew Cunanan. Written by Tom Rob Smith; Directed by Dan Minahan.
Source
His first victim was Jeffrey Trail, who was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on April 27, 1997.
Episode 2.05 - Don’t Ask Don’t Tell - Synopsis
THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE: AMERICAN CRIME STORY Don’t Ask Don’t Tell
2/14/2018
10 PM ET/PT
Naval officer Jeffrey Trail meets Andrew Cunanan for the first time, and Gianni Versace reveals his sexuality to the world. Written by Tom Rob Smith; Directed by Dan Minahan.
*The show takes a one week break after episode 5
Source
Episode 2.06 - Descent - Synopsis
THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE: AMERICAN CRIME STORY Descent
2/28/2018
10 PM ET/PT
Andrew Cunanan celebrates his birthday in San Diego as his life starts to fall apart. Written by Tom Rob Smith; Directed by Gwyneth Horder-Payton.
Source
Episode 2.07 - Ascent - Synopsis
THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE: AMERICAN CRIME STORY Ascent
3/7/2018
10 PM ET/PT
Andrew Cunanan leaves behind a troubled family life as Donatella Versace struggles to find her role within the Versace empire. Written by Tom Rob Smith; Directed by Gwyneth Horder-Payton.
Source
Episode 2.08 - Creator/Destroyer -Synopsis
THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE: AMERICAN CRIME STORY Creator / Destroyer
3/14/2018
10 PM ET/PT
A young Andrew Cunanan struggles with his oppressive father as a young Gianni Versace becomes a designer. Written by Tom Rob Smith; Directed by Matt Bomer.
Critics' Reviews of The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Darren Superlatives
itsminttea:
Electrifying, dynamic - newsday
astonishing performance - freep
superb work - cleveland
But this show is ultimately the loot in a strong-arm robbery by Darren Criss as the murderous Cunanan. Criss,… brings a terrifying intensity to his role as the preening, dissembling Cunanan. - reason
gripping - entertainment weekly
an Emmy-worthy performance - post-gazette
most committed and impressive performance of his career - variety
chilly, chameleonic work as Cunanan is the best of his career - avclub
special mention must be made of Criss, who beautifully captures Cunanan’s ability to tell the biggest lies anyone has ever heard and literally charm the pants off anyone he sets his sights on - nypost
most mesmerizing as the undeniably charming, and disturbed, serial killer - yahoo
He’s creepy, he’s precise, and he’s absolutely impossible to take your eyes off of. As spree-killer Andrew Cunanan, he is giving a provocative performance that will have people talking and showering him with awards. Go ahead, just carve the Emmy for him now. It’s going to be hard for any other male actor to come close to what Criss is bringing this year. - decider
game changer - brinkwire
people … no doubt will be astonished by the intensity of the actor’s performance here - mySanAntonio
marveling at the talents of Darren Criss - esquire
chillingly good, horror movie villain; - bostonglobe
screeners on twitter
His acting alone makes this addicting;
Blew my mind;
Jaw will drop;
Criss as the sociopathic killer is truly disturbing;
fantastic & deserves all the nominations;
some of his finest work;
amazing, totally nails it;
screaming about @DarrenCriss’s next-level performance;
He is going to win an Emmy for sure;
incredible;
Tremendous, and this will redefine his career, and it deserves to;
career-changing performance
scares the shit out of me;
one of the best TV performances I’ve ever seen;
grade A crazy and wonderful as Cunanan;
it is with a heavy heart that I must announce that I am now a Darren Criss stan;
goddamn revelation;
AMAZING;
award-winning/top-of-list performances;
can safely say Darren Criss will get an Emmy nomination. He is unbelievable in this;
@ACSFX: See why critics are raving about #ACSVersace.
via acsversace-news
It's really interesting to hear both of them talk about the 1990s. They both really liked Darren's performance. One of them said he is doing a phenomenal job. (One of them said, "He's really good. I'm shocked.") I don't see any numbers in terms of at what point does the discussion start of Versace. If you jump to about right after the "O" is in "Opinionfest," that's where they talk about Darren.
The Shifting Tides of Culture T & Lo discuss the ongoing cultural shift in Hollywood, examining the reactions to the Aziz Ansari story and how the wider #MeToo movement is changing the conversation. Plus, the “Heathers” remake and how it demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of the original film, which leads to a wider discussion on remakes, reboots and sequels, with thoughts on “Blade Runner 2049” thrown in. Finally, they review the 1st episode of “The Assassination of Gianni Versace” and how it depicts the assault on gay culture that followed his death.
*Starts at 37:45 on full podcast
via acsversace-news
Cult of Whatever wrote: An impressive premiere sets the scene for a very different crime
January 19, 2018
I didn’t like Glee so I wasn’t that aware of Darren Criss until he started popping up in some predictable places: as a dead hipster in American Horror Story: Hotel, and some unpredictable places: as the Music Meister in the Supergirl/Flash musical crossover. None of these roles prepared me for his magnetic performance as Andrew Cunanan. Clearly the most eye-catching part of this premiere, at least until Penelope Cruz turns up, Criss, along with Murphy, and head writer Tom Robbin Smith, have crafted a captivating sociopath who, if he wasn’t a real person, I would have called a larger than life imitation of Tom Ripley.
Go Fug Yourself wrote: American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace
Jan. 19, 2018
2. Overall, I thought the pilot was very good. I didn’t read any reviews prior to watching it, but I saw a lot of tweets indicating that several TV critics thought it was very different than The People vs. OJ, and people who want what they got from OJ might be taken aback. Personally, I didn’t expect them to be particularly similar, but that is perhaps because I knew I wouldn’t have the same personal connection regardless. I think it was very well-acted — Darren Criss is great; it’s too soon to tell how Penelope Cruz is, as Donatella, but (a) even mediocre Penelope Cruz is probably gonna be pretty good, and (b) Donatella is a tough role to shoulder thanks to SNL.
The Film Experience wrote: "ACS: The Assassination of Gianni Versace", Episode 1
January 19, 2018
Then we see Andrew Cunanan played by a never-better Darren Criss who will inevitably and deservedly going to be showered with awards on the fall.
[. . . ]
This will be an exploration of Andrew Cunanan, who Darren Criss embodies with overbearing charisma, ambition, wide-eyed naiveté, and the right amount of flickering darkness to make us raise an eyebrow. We see that all throughout his life he has looked from the outside longing to belong, and that his magnetic personality and natural ability to lie through his teeth have carried him through.
[ . . . ]
Whereas The People vs. OJ explored issues of racism and misogyny that reverberated in the present more than ever, Gianni Versace seems to be wanting to tackle both the homophobia and the celebration of gay culture that allowed these murders to happen. The majority of the players were gay themselves, and their relationship with that identity deeply influenced the case, either emotionally (with Ricky Martin’s character), strategically (all of Cunanan’s victims followed a very specific pattern), or legally (the Miami PD relationship with the local gay community was complicated, to say the least)
We’ll see exactly what statement the show frames around the murder as it develops, but the pilot doesn’t shy away from letting us know that identity politics will play a huge role in this; and that, yes, they are also still relevant.
Another reason why caffeine may not be the best choice of beverage for watching Versace, I think it may add to any jumpiness that results from watching Cunanan.
This is a very interesting article. I have only seen one episode so far, so I don't know if I agree with the author of this article about the amount of focus on Cunanan's race. Hopefully, there are some scenes (where it's clear it's not one of Cunanan's made-up stories) that show Cunanan also was alienated because of his race. I am very grateful to Ryan that he was committed to having a Filipino actor portray Andrew Cunanan, so I give lots of credit for that.
Slate wrote: The Deracination of Andrew Cunanan
Jan. 19, 2018
You finally need two hands to count all the current TV shows with Asian American protagonists. Fresh Off the Boat (ABC) and Master of None (Netflix) arrived with fanfare for breaking ground (though a third season of Aziz Ansari’s romantic comedy was uncertain even before the star’s current scandal), while Quantico (ABC) and Into the Badlands (AMC) keep chugging along, and the comedy Brown Nation (Netflix) and children’s melodrama Andi Mack (Disney Channel) have yet to become blips on the mainstream pop cultural radar. So it’s a bit strange, and off-putting, that the latest series with an Asian lead—one of the most anticipated shows of the year, it so happens—isn’t being described as such.
. . . American Crime Story’s first season, The People v. O.J. Simpson, tackled issues of both race and gender skillfully; there’s no reason why we should accept any less from its second.
. . . A few character details here and there suggest Andrew’s racial self-hatred and the prevalence of anti-Asian racism within the gay community, but the relative sparseness of these implications is all the more noteworthy in contrast with the richly developed portrait of the decade’s homophobia.
Credit where it’s due, even if the bar for praise here is laughably low because Hollywood’s institutional aversion toward Asian stories and characters remains so entrenched: In casting Glee’sCriss (who played Blaine Anderson), Ryan Murphy hired a half-Filipino (if white-passing) actor to play the half-Filipino role of Andrew Cunanan. Criss is excellent, and in later episodes, the Philippines-born Broadway performer Jon Jon Briones is electrifying as Andrew’s father, the sociopathic Modesto, who teaches his favorite child all the wrong lessons about the American dream.
[. . . ]
Ben de Guzman, a policy advocate in D.C., saw Cunanan on the news and thought, There but for the grace of God go I. “As a young, gay Filipino American man who was around his age when he was in the news,” de Guzman recalls via email, “I was forced to look at how the same forces of homophobia and racism that informed my life must have affected him too.”
Nickede is an award winning CEO of Charity Campaigns Agency. Janine DiVita is an actress/singer/writer.
Inquirer wrote: Jon Jon Briones, Ricky Martin and Édgar Ramírez on ‘Versace’ roles (part 2)
January 21, 2018
On working with Darren, Édgar remarked, “Darren is great. I have never worked with him before. He has such a strong energy—he is a singer, musician, composer and a very fine actor. It’s interesting because we hardly encounter each other, but we share the same space many times. So we became closer personally on set. I’m very happy to be doing this with him. I know his work before from ‘Glee.’
Jeremy wrote:I found Darren perfect and I personally don't try to have sympathy for Cunanan. I consider him as the vilain of the show and that's it.
Donatella is indeed a bit special but I do believe she's trully sad for his brother. I'm surprised you think Ricky was a bit restrained, his character seemed devastated to me.
Spoiler:
I also liked Darren's acting. I agree, that Cunanan is the villain of the show. Absolutely no doubt about that. But I kept in mind what Darren said, that even with villains, we share some commonalities. I think Darren also said something to the effect that (I'm paraphrasing) he didn't want to portray Cunanan as simply 100% evil, that he wanted to portray him as a complex human being. The first time I watched, I saw at a few points, Darren showing us Cunanan's humanity. As I said earlier, I felt a twinge of sympathy for Cunanan when his friend Lizzie finds him trying on Lizzie's husband's suit. At first she's angry at him, but when he said to her, "I have nothing" (which we saw in his almost empty closet), I did feel something for him. It also is interesting when Cunanan was so moved by the opera that he cried. (And we see Versace behind the stage, who--to me-- looked also moved by the emotion in the opera singer's voice.) I watched parts of the episode again and noticed how Cunanan was curious about the pretty objects on stage (while he was waiting for Versace). Cunanan picked up the top portion of the decanter and fumbled with it, a little clumsy. And he seemed interested in another crystal looking object (I don't remember what it was), showing his curiosity.
Intellectually, I think Donatella must be incredibly sad because of her brother's death. The point where I felt her emotion the most was when she paused when she saw her brother's blood on the steps. I'm just saying, though, I didn't really feel an intense grief from her. I lost a family member, and it was so intense that I was unable to stop my emotions from pouring out. But that is me, and I admit, I may be projecting here. Everyone grieves differently.
Likewise, I may be projecting regarding Antonio's grief. I think the part where I felt he was a bit restrained was when he was being interrogated. He was so polite to that infuriating and homophobic officer (FBI?). But don't get me wrong, I thought Ricky did a wonderful job. I thought Darren, Ricky, Edgar and Penelope all were wonderful.
From dcriss-archive:
I loved this article. I'm very appreciative of Darren clearing things up for me. I'm also very appreciative about how the producers were committed to representation, by having a half-Filipino actor play Andrew Cunanan, who was half-Filipino. Racism does not have to be malicious to perpetuate itself. There is intentional racial discrimination, but there also is systemic racism that will continue to cause a disparate impact on members of a group. I also appreciate what Darren said about Jon Jon Briones, a wonderful actor with years of experience who because of his race, gets limited roles. I hope Jon Jon Briones gets recognized for his acting and hopefully, more doors will open for him.
Indiewire wrote: Darren Criss on Not Whitewashing Half-Filipino Andrew Cunanan In ‘Versace’ — Turn It On Podcast
1/19/2018
Darren Criss calls it “serendipity” that he already was in Ryan Murphy’s orbit when the producer focused in on telling the tale of serial killer Andrew Cunanan for “The Assassination of Gianni Versace,” the latest edition of “American Crime Story.” Cunanan was half-Filipino, just as Criss is, which gave the actor a rare opportunity to play his ethnicity.
“I believe there are a lot of great half-Filipino actors out there that could have done this a lot of justice, [but] when Ryan talked about doing this three years ago, before we actually got the ball rolling last year, I would joke with him saying, ‘Hey man, I would love to do this, but if you don’t want me to do it with you, I defy you to find another guy who looks kind of like him, who’s in the same age range, who’s in your Rolodex of actors. Because if you don’t cast a half-Filipino guy, the Filipino community is going to cry bloody murder. So I don’t know what your other options are!’
“I would have never held that against him but I would jokingly think that. I’m glad it all came to fruition when it did.”
Executive producer Nina Jacobson said it was important that the actor playing Cunanan was half-Filipino, especially after having just produced the upcoming film “Crazy Rich Asians.”
“We did not want to whitewash a role,” she said. “Andrew was half-Filipino, and it was really important to not just get a guy and say that he was. We wanted to be authentic in terms of Andrew’s background. And the fact that Darren had kind of this striking resemblance physically, the chops of an actor and professionalism to take on a role of this disturbing hard role to play that he also could authentically play a half-Filipino character as opposed to the usual Hollywood thing.”
Criss said that he doesn’t think whitewashing comes out of any conscious malice, but admits that he may harbor “half-white privilege” in that view.
“What makes good casting work is when you have good actors. There are a lot of great Filipino actors that I think people just aren’t thinking outside of the box enough,” he said.
Criss pointed specifically to Jon Jon Briones, who plays Modesto Cunanan in “The Assassination of Gianni Versace.”
“He’s a tried and true Broadway veteran, he’s been acting for years, he’s not just some newbie — maybe to the film and television world but certainly not as a craftsman of acting,” Criss said. “And Ryan asked me, ‘Who is this guy, I love him! Where’s he from, how come he doesn’t get roles?’ I said, ‘Ryan, he does but he’s a Filipino man who looks a certain way. You have to understand the roles he’s being offered.’ The Thai terrorist on ‘CSI.’ And he’s from the original cast of ‘Miss Saigon,’ he’s doing Miss Saigon right now. He’s the Engineer on Broadway. What it takes is a role like this, hopefully, where people go, ‘oh! This guy is really good!’ It sucks we have to wait around for roles that show you off within the corner you’re put in to be able to play in the larger room.”
“The Assassination of Gianni Versace” may have Versace in the title, but it’s really the story of Andrew Cunanan, and the tale of how he became the killer of not just Versace but several other socialites across the country. It was a juicy role for Criss, and IndieWire’s Turn It On podcast recently met up with the actor to discuss the mystery of Cunanan, the sensitivity of the fact that so many people impacted by Cunanan may be watching, and how his ethnicity as a half-Filipino man made him the perfect fit for the role. Later in this episode, we also talked to American Crime Story producers Brad Simpson and Nina Jacobson about the franchise. But first, we talked to Criss about how this role impacted him. Listen below!
Another interview (along with podcast, see below):
Variety wrote: Remote Controlled: ‘Versace’ Star Darren Criss on Playing Andrew Cunanan, Plus ‘The Four’ Experts
January 19, 2018
Welcome to “Remote Controlled,” a podcast from Variety featuring the best and brightest in television, both in front of and behind the camera.
In this week’s episode, Variety’s executive editor of TV Debra Birnbaum talks with Darren Criss, who stars in the new installment of FX’s “American Crime Story” franchise, “The Assassination of Gianni Versace.”
Criss says that he’d been discussing playing serial killer Andrew Cunanan with series creator Ryan Murphy for several years. “My reaction was, I’d be thrilled to do this,” he says. “I thought it was something he forgot about and was just spitballing. But he stuck to his word, and I’m so glad he finally decided to do this.”
But he knew the part would always be his, he admits. “I almost defy you, Ryan, to find someone else in your camp who somehow looks like this guy, is actually half-Filipino, is in the same age range,” he says. “Good luck!”
Criss wasn’t intimidated, though, by the thought of playing a serial killer. “People always think that’s some sort of departure, and while I understand that curiosity, I can’t help but feel that same curiosity would be present if I had started with something like this, and this is what you knew me for,” he says. “People forget that actors are actors, and we depart for a living.”
And he says he found ways to relate to Cunanan, and hopes other people will, too. “We all have more in common not only with each other, but the worst person you can think of than we like to admit,” he says. “The differences are small in number but huge in content.”
Criss did his own research and talked to people who knew him. “The show explores the best parts of him and the worst parts of him,” he says. “It’s really a healthy mix of a lot of unhealthy things.”
The more he learned, the more he sympathized with Cunanan. “My heart just broke constantly for this guy,” he said. “The wasted potential is the most heartbreaking tragedy of all of it.”
Remote Controlled with Debra Birnbaum Ep76 - Darren Criss on 'American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace Darren Criss discusses transitioning from "Glee" into the role of serial killer Andrew Cunanan on "American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace." Plus, "The Four's" panel of experts — Diddy, DJ Khaled, Meghan Trainor and Charlie Walk — weigh in on how their music competition show will find the next big music star.
Interesting interview. From acsversace-news (via dcriss-archive):
Entertainment Weekly wrote: The Assassination of Gianni Versace: Darren Criss compares Andrew Cunanan to an Instagrammer
January 17, 2018
There are a ton of great performances in FX’s The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story but perhaps the most revelatory is Darren Criss as serial killer Andrew Cunanan.
[. . . ]
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Were you at all nervous stepping into this? It’s the biggest and most complicated role you’ve tackled. DARREN CRISS: There were no nerves whatsoever. This was the most exciting, I-can’t-wait-to-do-this experience I’ve ever had. This is an opportunity I’ve been waiting and working my entire life for… This is a role of a lifetime. I’m dripping with gratitude and overwhelmed. I’m so fully aware that this is not something that comes around often. So that’s what it felt like every day. There’s not nervousness or trepidation or fear. I sort of always loved things that look to other people like they’re hard to take on. I’m not saying anything is easy.
There’s so many things about this that are great. Not only is it a great role but it’s a fantastic story with a lot of fantastic weight that I really think sheds light on a lot of things that haven’t been able to be exposed.
So no, I wasn’t nervous at all. I think people have this fixation with dark things — they think they’re scary or hard. Maybe I’m just a dark person. I just find that all dark, scary, conventionally negative things come from pretty relatable places: fear, embarrassment, ambition, and disappointment.
You’re thinking about the emotions that bare them. It doesn’t come home to me. It doesn’t make me afraid of Andrew. It doesn’t make me love him or hate him any less. I get disappointed by him. My heart breaks for him, mainly because of all the good things we get to see about him.
On a professional level, it’s the excitement of being with people that I love working with within a story I think is really important and really matters. On a personal, role level, it’s so nice to be in something that has so many layers and has an opportunity to challenge audiences senses of empathy. Being able to be a part of that is like being able to go to do the most invigorating work one can do.
How did you get inside the character of Andrew? He’s so complicated and mysterious. What was the preparation?
. . . The only thing you can really do is not so much preparation but being available to all emotions at all times which I think is probably the most important thing. At any point, he’s ready to fire off in any direction. You can’t really prepare for that. . .
What was the biggest challenge of this?
. . . We all remember what it is to want to be liked or stand out or use whatever wiles you have to assert yourself or not assert yourself. All these things that are extremely relatable that I really do relate to him and we have more similarities than that. Obviously, the things that make us different are big but I think they’re few in number.
Ryan Murphy launched your career in so many ways. What was it like working with him this time? He was adamant you play this role.
This was the first time I got to work with Ryan in a real sense as far as us getting in the kitchen and getting our hands dirty and really working on the material. By the time I got to Glee, he wasn’t really directing and he didn’t direct me on American Horror Story [Criss guest-starred on AHS: Hotel]. I never worked directly with him. We’ve been friends obviously as my boss and seen him at events and parties and stuff and he’s always been a great supporter of me. But we never had really made something like this together. It was cool for me to see.
Ryan is a very prolific guy and he’s created this whole brand around himself and that’s the guy I knew and would have rosé with. But seeing him actually at the helm, creating this world, doing what he does best is really cool. It’s really inspiring. It was really a thrill to work with someone in that capacity. Actors are only as good as the moments they get and he’s given me quite an extraordinary moment.
It could easily have veered into camp or gone over the top. But you all keep it very human and grounded.
If that’s what came out, great because I would like to think all of us were shooting for that. You always want something to be as grounded as possible. My interest from day one was showing the humanity of Andrew and that’s something everyone has been interested in from day one. If you just have a cut and dry good guy/bad guy, that’s not interesting. We can’t just vilify Andrew and then what’s the point of following this person if we’re not going to mess with her our sense of relatability to a conventional “villain.” We have to humanize him — that’s the only route to get to know him on a larger level.
I’m really excited to see a lot of the Ricky [Martin], Edgar, and Penelope [Cruz] stuff because I was not there for any of that. It was like shooting two completely different shows. I have no idea how it’s going to play out. I can’t wait to see the parallels.
What do you want people to take away from this?
I really want people to question their sense of empathy and really try and figure out at one point this could have been their own selves. It’s not about Andrew specifically and more people like Andrew: people who idolize excess and how they obsess over the things they don’t have and it ultimately destroys them and the dangers of that. Andrew is somebody that curated his image very well, like with doctoral accuracy, surgical accuracy. He really wants to make sure he was viewed a certain way by certain people. It’s not too dissimilar with how many of us filter our own lives now. I’m talking in extremes here but it can be related to the social media world with how we literally filter our lives and we’re obsessed that people perceive us in a certain way. . .
I think people will relate to that anguish and what it feels like to want to have your image of yourself be as fantastic and larger than life as possible, even if it is false. . . I think he was the pre-Instagram filter Instagrammer. He filtered his own life. The thing people said about him was that he was a storyteller. He wanted people to think a certain way of him. That to me is less devious and more misguided and heartbreaking. I don’t get mad at Andrew — my heart breaks for him. The enormous potential that someone so creative and charismatic put his energies in a totally misguided place: that’s the stuff that really interests me.
Via Aaron Kurlander’s Instagram Story (January 18th, 2018)
wmag: Former Glee star @darrencriss still sings and dances in American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace, but this time, it’s to the deranged ballad of a serial killer. Visit the link in bio to get inside the mind of the precocious star and murderer next door.
via dcriss-archive
Via Michael Beckert’s Instagram Story (January 18th, 2018)
dcriss-archive: [UHQ] Darren Criss Still Sings and Dances in The Assassination of Gianni Versace, But to the Deranged Ballad of a Serial Killer
W Magazine wrote: Darren Criss Still Sings and Dances in The Assassination of Gianni Versace, But to the Deranged Ballad of a Serial Killer
January 18, 2018
Within seconds of meeting Darren Criss, you can tell that his mother raised him right. He has a firm handshake, repeats everyone’s name, and looks them right in the eye. He has the casual affability of a Cub Scout troop leader or someone sitting next to you in the back row of a SoulCycle class. He hands out compliments like full-sized candy bars. In a room full of people, waiting to take his picture and ask him questions, he seems most excited to talk to a fifth grader about the minutia of Harry Potter mythology.
This wouldn’t be so odd except that all of these people are waiting to ask him questions about playing a serial killer. Criss’s latest role is Andrew Cunanan, an openly-gay escort turned spree murderer whose last crime before he killed himself is the titular one in American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace, which premiered on Wednesday night . . .
But maybe Darren, the precocious star next door, and Andrew, the precocious killer next door, aren’t so far apart after all. “Of the many things that break my heart about Andrew is that after this all came out, and friends and loved ones of his found out about it, they were mortified. They couldn't believe it,” Criss says. “Andrew was a very bright, affable, lovable guy. He had so much promise, and you wonder a little, then, how does a kid with all this go down such a destructive path.”
[. . .]
His unique genes might have been part of the reason why Ryan Murphy, the executive producer of the series, thought of Criss for the part. Murphy first gave Criss his big break when he was cast as Blaine Anderson on Glee. It would appear there's a trendlet of former song-and-dance teen stars graduating to serial killer roles, with Zac Efron signed up to play Ted Bundy and Disney Channel star Ross Lynch on screen as Jeffrey Dahmer.
“I really am allergic to the notion that playing somebody who did terrible things somehow elevates a career, or validates someone's ability, or qualifies somebody as a serious actor, although I think it does,” Criss says of this serial killer mini-boom. “I spend the same amount of time and due diligence to fictional characters in a lighter world, like Glee, that I do a real person in a much darker world for Andrew Cunanan. I'm still putting the same amount of tokens in the machine, and I do the work, I read the script, and I am very much in tune with the common denominators between myself and that person.”
Still, Criss says that inhabiting the role didn’t affect him too much, and that months of playing grisly murder scenes didn’t come home with him—at least not to a dangerous degree. “I had a dream, it was really hyper-violent, and I had offed several people, I don't even know who they were, it was abstract,” he recalls. “But the dream was not about the violence or the homicide, so much as it was being on the run, on the lam. It was more tied to what was going on when we were shooting the show. And I woke up next to my girlfriend, and seeing her and being terrified, not because in my head I had killed anybody in my dream, but because I was like, ‘Oh my god, she's gonna find out.’”
[. . . ]
“I was less shocked and scared and disturbed by Andrew, and more just utterly heartbroken,” Criss says, looking deep into your eyes like he’s about to ask you out to a school dance. “The thing is so sad to me, and it's such a loss of promise and potential. He could have been a creator, and he decided to be a destroyer. It's just the worse crime of all.”
This article is a nice summary of Darren's work over his career, beginning with A Very Potter Musical with StarKid Productions. Here's an excerpt:
Refinery 29 wrote: American Crime Story: Versace Proves This Is The Year We Need To Make Darren Criss Happen
January 18, 2018
On Wednesday night, Darren Criss debuted one of his most high-profile roles yet as Andrew Cunanan in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. It’s also his most intense role to date — an unhinged serial killer — that’s expertly delivered by someone who, up until now, has kept things pretty lighthearted. For many people, however, this might be the first time you’re seeing the 30-year-old actor. His role in ACS is garnering much more press than any of his other work to date, and to those finally getting on board: welcome! The Darren Criss fan club has been waiting for you.
[. . . ]
Watching Criss become a fan favorite on Glee for almost five seasons felt like a triumph for geeks everywhere, and the support of these day-one fans is something Criss told Refinery29 in an interview (brag) that he’d never take for granted.
Clearly, Criss has been doing well these past few years. He has a band with his brother called Computer Games. He had roles in American Horror Story, Supergirl, and the Transformers: Robots In Disguise animated TV show, but none of his work has managed to spark widespread interest the way ACS has. He just landed a profile in The New York Times, glowing write-ups in places like The Daily Beast and Newsweek, and appearances on Jimmy Kimmel and Good Morning America.
When I see stuff like this, as opposed to the knee-jerk I-knew-him-first reaction, I’m positively elated. Yes! Finally! Criss is great, and after watching just the first episode of ACS, I can tell he’s going to surprise even long-time fans with just how talented and emotional his work can be. Until then, here are some flyers for the fan club. We meet every week. Bring snacks.
Into More wrote: Finn Wittrock On Playing Andrew Cunanan's First Victim in "The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story"
18 Jan. 2018
We had a good time,” Wittrock said of working with Criss. “There are some projects where you really take the relationship off screen and this one was more us talking as co-conspirators figuring it out together. He is a very generous person on set and a remarkable versatile actor and really jumps in and out of the character very fluidly.
Track: Darren Criss on Andy Cohen Live (01-17-18) Darren Criss on Andy Cohen Live (January 17th, 2018)
via dcriss-archive
Aw, that's nice of him to get a cute Winnie the Pooh gift for his mom when he was in Japan.
Darren Criss: BUILD Last Minute - Watch as Darren Criss shares a hilarious little Siri secret, as well as some other funny responses in his minute backstage with us. Make sure to tune in to his new series, “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.” | Source
Pics from MTV's TRL:
Darren Criss attends MTV TRL at MTV Studios on January 17 2018 in New York City
Darren celebrating with friends.
nellcan: I love spending time with and getting inspired by amazing people @priyankachopra @maneeshkgoyal @madhumalati @alanpowell10 congratulations to my fellow Aquarian @darrencriss you are killing it in @americancrimestoryfx (no pun ) #latergram .
Darren Criss: Today’s the day. I’m very proud of all the hard work our cast & crew put into this, and I’m excited to share it with the world. I’d like to remind viewers that these were very real crimes that destroyed very real people. My heart goes out - as it did every day going in to work- to the victims and their loved ones, who, 20 years later, still must cope with the tragedies that our series depicts. My hope is that our show can bring some kind of justice to those whose stories have, until now, lived mostly in the shadows. And my prayer is that with all the darkness we explore, we can create some kind of light- by igniting discussion and encouraging much larger questions about ourselves and the society we live in. The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story premieres tonight at 10pm ET on FX.
via dcriss-archive
#ACSVersace is #1 Worldwide trend on Twitter (January 17th, 2018)
Via Maneesh K. Goyal’s Instagram Story (January 17th, 2018)
via dcriss-archive
Drink up, Darren. You earned it!
Via Priyanka Chopra’s Instagram Story (January 17th, 2018)
A lot of love and support and well wishes for Darren.
maneeshkgoyal: On his big night, celebrating our wedding singer @darrencriss who happens to also be a superstar assassin with his big premiere tonight in #americancrimestory. #proud
maureen_orth: Can’t wait for tonight! #acsversace begins 10 pm FX and @darrencriss will emerge a huge star! Whole cast is outstanding. They all read my book so carefully. #darrencriss
vanityfair: Andrew Cunanan would have relished being portrayed by @DarrenCriss, but Criss is empathetic enough to understand that, for all its juicy details, @americancrimestoryfx is an epic story of real-life suffering: “My heart is really sensitive to the people who experienced something so horrible that I’m trying to breathe life into.” The #ACSVersace star and #Glee alum opens up at the link in bio. Photograph by @aspictures.
Via Ricky Rollins’ Instagram Story (January 17th, 2018)
calebfoote: MUST SEE TV! Tonight at 10pm on Fox, Eddie and D Criss are absolute powerhouses @americancrimestoryfx #versace
1/17/2018
nicolaseftaxias: Today is the premiere of ACS VERSACE #acsversace Good luck @darrencriss and your team on the show ! Was great to meet and work with you ! You are an amazing actor and friend ! Good luck #nofilter we don’t need it !! Xoxo
jonothonmitchell: Met @darrencriss last year and he was one of the nicest people ever. So happy to see his performance on #AmericanCrimeStory#Versace tonight. People calling it one of the performances of the decade. Come back to ATL anytime, Darren. I’ll take you to the Clermont!
coryazy: I’m truly unsure of which show I’m more excited to watch. #ACSVersace#AllStars3
She is with MTV TRL
tracymeltzer: do yourself a favor and watch the incredibly talented + wonderful @darrencriss in @americancrimestoryfx tonight. SO GOOD! #darrencriss#acsversace#versace#mtv#trl
From Darren Criss Army:
Darren Criss Army wrote:ACS Versace Premiere Schedule
We apologize if anything is missing or incorrect, but this is what we’ve got compiled for the #ACSVersace premiere schedule.
(Sorry, still no info for UK/Australia. Check if iTunes/Amazon are available in places without an air date.)
Thanks @ricky_martin for much of the info!
And Darren Criss Army previously had stated:
Premiere date and viewing info for ACS Versace in Mexico/Latinoamerica on Canal FX_LA (@Canalfx_la )
Will read this interview later. I remember being a fan of their interview of Darren when he was on Broadway in Hedwig.
The Daily Beast wrote: How Darren Criss Became Versace’s Killer (And Why He Keeps Playing Gay)
1/17/18
Step-touching his way through the halls of the fictional Dalton High School—the hair perfectly parted, the navy blazer impeccably tailored, and amplifying an a capella rendition of a Katy Perry song through the sheer wattage of his all-American smile—a then-22-year-old Darren Criss, fresh out of college and making his debut as Blaine Anderson on a 2010 episode of Glee, was the epitome of the teenage dream.
Now, he’s the 30-year-old stuff of nightmares.
Well, he isn’t, exactly, but the serial killer he plays on The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story certainly is.
In many ways, Criss’ revelatory performance as Andrew Cunanan, the 27-year-old gay man who, after murdering five people including the famed fashion designer, became one of the most wanted serial killers in American history, is all the more unsettling because of its stark contrast to the genial crooner we were introduced to on Fox’s burned-fast-and-bright musical dramedy.
But then again, the surprise of a certain clean-cut progressiveness has been the hallmark of Criss’ still-young career.
“I think it’s really given me an alley-oop,” Criss says, referring to the initial shock a Glee fan might have to watching the actor as Cunanan, say, bind a rich john who hires him as an escort with duct tape and then gauge him with a hammer. “I’d like to think [audiences] would be interested and compelled anyway,” without this lingering image of Criss as Blaine, the consummate Nice Guy. “But I think it’s an extra nudge when you have that to juxtapose against.”
When we first met Darren Criss several years ago, he was wearing a thigh-length kimono and tending to his favorite blonde wig, remnants of sweat-sticky glitter smudging just about everything in sight—aided and abetted in its mission by the runoff from his sparkling go-go boots. We were in his dressing room backstage at the Belasco Theatre, high off the energy of his stage-scorching performance in as the titular transgender rocker in the 2015 musical revival Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
It was Criss’ first major gig after wrapping his run on Glee, and a thundering opening salvo in proving the breadth of his talents, let alone taste in projects.
Things are decidedly bleaker, or at the very least chillier, when we reunite two-and-a-half years later at a café in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York to talk Versace, inarguably the biggest and certainly darkest project of his career thus far. Still, Criss’ fashion choice is doing its part to dial up the fabulousness of the morning: a knee-length, forest green mohair overcoathe pets with pride when we compliment it. “One of the kids from Boy Band on Good Morning Americathis morning was like, ‘Yo bro, it looks like you skinned the Grinch!’” Criss laughs. “I’m like, that is indeed an apt observation.” FULL ARTICLE | THE DAILY BEAST.COM
Darren Criss on ‘American Crime Story’ & PRETTYMUCH’s Austin Porter Has Hobbit Feet | Source
PRETTYMUCH’s Austin Porter & DC Young Fly Grill Darren Criss | The Third Degree | Source
PRETTYMUCH, Fall Out Boy, Darren Criss & the Cast of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars’ Today! | Source
Darren Criss Wants to Collab w/ PRETTYMUCH | Source
MtV's TRL.
Via TRL’s Instagram Story (January 17th, 2018)
via dcriss-archive
MTV's TRL. Darren's eyes look pretty here.
DarrenCriss: You should @PRETTYMUCH tune into @TRL right now.
via dcriss-archive
TRL: i stan @PRETTYMUCH and @darrencriss more than most things #TRL
Andy Cohen. Will watch later.
Darren Criss on the Versace Family’s Response the Series: “They don’t know what we’re doing” | Source
radioandysxm: @bravoandy and his “son” @darrencriss wearing matching cardigans on #ACL!
Via Darren Criss’ Instagram Story (January 17th, 2018)
Love his sweater!
Actor Darren Criss visits SiriusXM Studios on January 17 2018 in New York City
Will listen to this Elvis Duran interview later too.
Darren Criss on Playing a Murder | Elvis Duran Show | Source
This was honestly such a heartfelt message from Elvis.
elvisduran: Good luck tonight @darrencriss. Getting ready to watch #ACSVersace!
via dcriss-archive
Track: Darren Criss at The Elvis Duran Show (01-17-18) Darren at The Elvis Duran Show promoting The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story on January 17th, 2018
via dcriss-archive
Elvis Duran and Darren Criss attend ‘The Elvis Duran Z100 Morning Show’ at Z100 Studio on January 17, 2018 in New York City.
elvisduran: So excited to see @darrencriss make his debut as a cold-hearted killer tonight on @fxnetworks’ The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. #ACSVersace
ElvisDuranShow: Pumped for our friend @DarrenCriss to make his debut, TONIGHT at 10 pm ET, in #ACSVersace! @FXNetworks
I did get a chance to watch Live with Kelly and Ryan this morning. Kelly always has nice chemistry with Darren, and Ryan seems nice. Darren looked relaxed. My only suggestion would be to refrain from telling the story about leaving Penelope to talk to other celebrities, and to refrain from the bit that he's stated in other interviews where Darren challenges Ryan to find another half Filipino guy etc. to play the role. It doesn't quite come across as humble, and honestly, I'm sure there are other Filipino or half-Filipino actors who are talented, can pass for that age range, and have a resemblance to Cunanan--I wouldn't assume there are no talented actors with that ethnicity in that age range who are available and working hard for such a great opportunity (I'm not saying they would be as talented as Darren, but I'm sure they are talented). Ok, sorry, it just rubs me the wrong way a bit. The way I look at it, Darren represents himself in the best light when he states how fortunate and lucky he feels he is to be in this project (which to his credit, he had stated before), because he really is fortunate and lucky to be in this project. Ok, I'll stop.
Darren Criss ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace’ Interview on Live with Kelly and Ryan | Source
Kelly and Ryan thought Darren was an intern.
DarrenCriss: Just tryin to get that internship though @LiveKellyRyan Sorta behind in posting today's media blitz of Darren.
Via Live with Kelly and Ryan’s Instagram Story (January 17th, 2018)
via dcriss-archive
Will watch later.
Darren Criss and Exec Producers on ‘American Crime Story’ Season Two Source
Darren on Buzzfeed AM2DM. Will watch later.
Darren Criss on playing a killer, “serious” roles, and the ambiance of “American Crime Story” (January 17th, 2018) | Source
Buzzfeed AM2DM:
AM2DM: “American Crime Story” star @DarrenCriss talks playing murderer Andrew Cunanan in new season
via dcriss-archive
Darren and Edgar in the Build interview.
[14 HQ] Actors Edgar Ramirez and Darren Criss attend the Build Series to discuss ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story’ at Build Studio on January 16, 2018 in New York City. | Source
via dcriss-archive
More pics of Darren at the Build interview. That jacket is so pretty.
[HQ] Darren Criss at Build Studio on January 16, 2018 in New York City | Source
via dcriss-archive
Darren Criss Calls “Versace” a Highlight in His Career | E! Live from the Red Carpet | Source
Darren Criss Discuss Homophobia in “Versace” | E! Live from the Red Carpet | Source