The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

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.

Awards Daily wrote:
‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace’ — A Pauper Slays an Emperor

January 17, 2018

The second installment of Ryan Murphy's crime saga focuses on the murder of Gianni Versace and a complex and controlled performance from Darren Criss.

. . . What is clear, however, is that Murphy wanted to tackle the epidemic of homophobia, and Versace features a performance from Darren Criss that we will be talking about this entire awards season.

[. . . ]

Versace is the victim and object of Cunanan’s obsession, but The Assassination of Gianni Versace truly characterizes how Cunanan was able to burrow into people’s lives.  The opening sequence is stunning. Versace lazily eats breakfast and says goodbye to his morning staff as he casually leaves to stroll down Ocean Drive to buy some magazines. We see a clearly distraught Cunanan wade chest deep in the ocean and then feverishly fumble to accost his idol on the street.

. . . His spree ended with his most famous victim, but Versace gives respectful time to the more unknown people who came into Cunanan’s life.

. . . Versace doesn’t ask us to feel bad for Andrew Cunanan as much as it invites us to witness what he has done.


Darren Criss channels Tom Ripley as Andrew Cunanan. He is both the most confident person in the room and the most insecure baby you will ever meet. It was always reported that Cunanan was the life of the party, and he always made you feel good when you were around him. He spouts off lies faster than his audience can keep up. All he wants to do is impress you and even make him seem better than you.

Criss makes his voice higher and his smile is warm and comforting at times, but when that warmth disappears, there is a level of malevolence to Criss’ performance that is haunting and chilling. Criss’ Andrew Cunanan is charismatic but dangerously unpredictable. It’s the performance of his career.

[. . . ]

This season captures a particular moment in time with homophobia in America. President Bill Clinton put forth Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and a lot of straight people were still scared of gay people from the AIDS epidemic from the 1980’s. There are many moments when heterosexual characters look at gay characters and hint that the “gay lifestyle” is different or seems foreign. Looking through a modern lens, those moments will make you flinch.

Dazed Digital wrote:
The Assassination Of Gianni Versace is a melodrama for the fake news era

January 23, 2018

In the role of Cunanan, Darren Criss is sublimely creepy. As the narrative jumps around in time, we see him both at the end of his rope, as well as at the peak of his prowess, before any of the killings unfolded, lying to his friends and cutting a dashing figure in Matsuda sweaters.

[. . .]

Moving forward, the show intends to go backward in time, tracing Cunanan’s steps toward infamy in step with Versace’s ascendance to fashion royalty. Hopefully we will continue to see themes explored of homophobia in law enforcement, the media’s role in bungling investigations, the gay community’s involvement, the shadow of self-made identity, and the spell of consumerism that leads some people to commit murder. As long as Murphy and the show’s directors continue to pull no punches from the soap opera playbook, it’s going to be one hell of a ride.

Awards Circuit wrote:
TV Review: Ryan Murphy Scores Another Hit With ‘Versace’

Jan. 18, 2018

Ryan Murphy has done it again . . . In many ways, this [The Assassination of Gianni Versace:  American Crime Story] appears to be the story most resonate with Ryan Murphy’s brand. Luckily, Murphy delivers with a pilot that is tantalizing, engrossing, beautiful and frightening in equal measures. Upon ending, one salivates for more.

The show rests squarely on the crown jewel performance from Darren Criss as Andrew Cunanan. There’s something madly brilliant about his performance that makes it complete Emmy bait. Small moments, such as a horrifically joyous celebration in his car following Versace’s murder, unravel the sociopathic tendencies of Cunanan. Criss doesn’t rest on easy explanations for his character, which makes him even more upsetting.

[. . .]

The episode radiates with visual splendor. . . 

. . .
Yet, the story of Gianni Versace feels fresh. That’s because its a different approach. We aren’t solving a murder. We’re entering the mind of a sociopath.

Glamour wrote:
The Assassination of Gianni Versace's Darren Criss: 'All Great Stories Are Great Stories Regardless of Color, Age, Gender, Sexuality'

January 24, 2018

What’s it like to go from playing the lead singer of a glee club to playing a murderer?

DARREN CRISS: I treat all characters, no matter how conventionally dark or light, with the same emotional currency. For the most part, actions that we consider abhorrent come from very real, relatable impulses like fear, hurt, embarrassment, ambition, or a broken heart. It’s my job in this case to humanize Andrew as much as possible. The pain that this man caused is so heartbreaking, but it’s my duty as an actor to try and paint the story with as much empathy as possible.

Speaking of empathy, you’re an activist for LGBTQ rights...

DC: All great stories are great stories regardless of color, age, gender, sexuality. I’ve been lucky enough to have been given really great roles within the LGBTQ community and to be a vessel for those people. I consider that one of the greatest privileges of my career thus far.

Did you feel any specific responsibility when you took the role of Andrew?

DC: The biggest burden that really stuck with me the entire time was I thought about Andrew’s family and friends, especially the people whose lives were directly affected by this. It’s been 20 years, and I couldn’t help but think of the children…There’s a son of one of the victims that is probably around my age. I think about those people and their families and how this is something they’ve been trying to put to rest, and while I’m part of perpetuating the narrative, I hope that somehow we can gain a better understanding of how this happened and in some way help these people [extricate] themselves from a really tragic series of events.

[. . . ]

Following the massive success of the first season, People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story, does it feel like you and the cast have big shoes to fill?

DC: I joke that I can only join second seasons of successful first season Ryan Murphy shows! This is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity that I felt so extremely lucky to be a part of every day. The fact that there is this peripheral buzz and attention on it is certainly a nice bonus and another bonus: social relevance. It checks all the boxes off any artist’s wish list. I honestly have been so happy that I could puke. So where do I go from here? I’m kind of screwed!

Hardly. You seem like a big overachiever—a classically trained violinist, you taught yourself to play five other instruments, co-founded your own musical theater company, and you write and record your own music in addition to your acting. What makes you so driven?

DC: I am painfully ambitious, It comes down to wanting to tell a story, which comes down to wanting to connect with people. My bleeding idealist heart just wants to give people a reason to connect, give strangers a reason to think about themselves in the context of other people’s lives and try and experience new feelings, new thoughts that they haven’t before. I really enjoy that, and the fact that I’ve been able to make a living out of it is really fun. So hell yeah, I overachieve to try and accomplish that as much as humanly possible!

You turned 30 last year, which can be a benchmark for a lot of women and men. Was that the case for you?

DC: The most clichéd inspirational posts like, "Live every day the fullest way," I think I’ve always tried to do that. Time has a knack for going pretty quickly when you apply yourself like that. I didn’t have any bucket lists. I don’t have any pangs like I can’t believe my 20s are over or I can’t believe Glee is over because while they were happening, I’d like to think I was living it up and kicking ass. By the time I got to 30, I was like, "Alright, cool. Let’s keep going."

Decider wrote:
Why'd It Take Us This Long To Catch Onto Darren Criss?

Jan. 24, 2018

Versace has finally given Darren Criss a place to shine.

If you’re a little late to one of the first must-see TV events of the year, Criss plays the serial killer Andrew Cunanan in what is arguably one of the most complicated roles Murphy and his team has ever created.  . .  This portrayal paints Cunanan as a charming killer who cannot be trusted as long as his lips are moving. There’s a sensuality to the character, a characterization that aligns with his status as a male escort but also stands as an overt depiction of raw sexuality that LGBT characters are rarely allowed to display on TV. There’s a danger to every move he makes and every lie he tells, but underneath that danger is a sort of manic, self-hating energy, some nebulous thing that immediately signals to the reader or viewer that this character is not well. And on top of all of these things, in Versace the Cunanan character has to be able to carry the story while competing against stronger, more established characters like Gianni Versace and Donatella Versace. This means holding his own against great performances from Edgar Ramirez, Penélope Cruz, and Ricky Martin all without becoming too sympathetic. As history reminds us, Andrew Cunanan murdered five people before killing himself. Even in the middle of a miniseries where he is cast as a protagonist, Cunanan should never be hailed as a hero.

And yet after watching the first eight episodes of The Assassination of Gianni Versace, Criss has been able to balance all of these conflicting and complicated themes beautifully.

[. . .]

. . . Darren Criss was going to happen.

So what’s taken us so long? It seems to be a combination of lack of roles on creators’ part and lack of interest from Criss. The actor was on Glee until 2015 and part of the traveling tour of Hedwig until later 2016. He’s been busy, and we as audiences have had a million other projects to pay attention to. However, now the actor has the time, the platform, the intricate role, and the guiding creator to become a household name.

It’s time for us all to embrace how incredibly talented (and incredibly creepy) Darren Criss is. If you’ve been a longtime Criss fan, congratulations. Your time has come. As for everyone else, welcome to the club.

Canyon News wrote:
“The Assassination Of Gianni Versace” Is Riveting Television!

Jan. 24, 2018

The bulk of the narrative really unfolded on the actual assassination of Gianni Versace (Edgar Ramirez), by obsessed fan and possible secret lover Andrew Cunanan portrayed with brilliance by Darren Criss.

[. . .]

This is a complicated character we’re looking at here, and Criss is hands down a shoo-in for contention for awards season 2019. If this is what he has done with the character in just 1 episode, I can’t wait to see what other madness unfolds in coming episodes.

“The Assassination of Gianni Versace” is a series that has been so hyped, but it’s actually delivering on all fronts. We’ve gotten a slight glimpse of Versace’s personal life and the fact that he liked to visit gay clubs and have dalliances with young men behind closed doors. We got a very small tease into the world of his fashion empire, and what is certain to be a rivalry as Donatella aims to keep the company from going public. Oh, did I mention Ricky Martin is also part of the cast as Gianni’s lover. “The Assassination of Gianni Versace” airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on FX.

The Game of Nerds wrote:
ACS: The Assassination of Gianni Versace (Ep 1 Review)

January 24, 2018

Cunanan is the definition of a hot mess — he’s suave and uses seduction to get what wants, and what he wants is to be impressive and important. But under his smooth exterior is a disaster of a human being, evident in the first episode when Cunanan is immediately shown to be a pathological liar. He approaches Versace in a club in 1990, refusing to leave until Versace shows him proper attention. He wessels his way into Versace’s good graces and they get rather close while at an opera show Versace designed the costumes for (Cunanan tells his friends that Versace invited him there personally, which wasn’t the case at all).

. . . I think it’s really interesting that the show is quick to set up Cunanan’s psychosis, and the real intrigue comes from watching Cunanan descent into the person he is at the time of the murder.

No doubt about it, the best part of this show (besides the cinematography) is Darren Criss. This is the role of a lifetime for Criss, and in just one episode he already has me begging to see more of this guy, crazy as he may be.

Ms. Enscene wrote:
The Assassination of Gianni Versace is the Apotheosis of Ryan Murphy

Jan. 24, 2018

Darren Criss, as Versace’s murderer Andrew Cunanan, embodies the most dangerous of all possible outcomes of the twilight existence of queerness in the 1990s, an iteration of the charismatic con man that has been a staple of gay narratives from Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley to Steven Jay Russell, the subject of the Jim Carrey vehicle I Love You, Phillip Morris. Criss as Cunanan is an embodiment in line with the former, taking on the role of a chameleon who “tells people what they want to hear,” or as a frustrated lover claims, tells gay people he’s gay and straight people he’s straight, leaving the impression of being a complete artifice.

[. . . ]

Criss, despite being part of a star-studded cast whose crown jewels are Edgar Ramirez as Versace and Penelope Cruz as his sister and ostensible heir Donatella, unquestionably delivers the breakout performance, more or less playing a different character in every scene. It’s a remarkable evolution for an actor best known for a banal stint on Glee, fleshing out a musical supervillain pioneered by Neil Patrick Harris, and copyright infringing musicals executed with his college classmates. What elevates Criss’ performance isn’t that he leans into every fraudulent identity that Cunanan adopts, its how he tackles the ebb and flow of Cunanan’s manic swings, throwing himself bodily into it.

[ . .  . ]


What absolutely has to be understood, celebrated, and duplicated about The Assassination of Gianni Versace is that it’s a queer centric exploration of queer culture that is unambiguous and unapologetic in its embrace of itself. As much as the flowering of supporting characters like Riverdale’s Kevin Keller into powerful and consequential figures represent a kind of progress and an outlet that should continue to be pursued, we need to continue to push for narratives that privilege and center queer lives, communities, and modes of being.

The Assassination of Gianni Versace is an unprecedented opportunity to once and for all reject the notion of queer narratives as niche productions, narrow in scope and inconsequential in viewership. It offers the tantalizing chance at a vindication that queer lives and queer culture are as rich, idiosyncratic, and deserving of center stage as its tragic hero was.

Starry Mag wrote:
Q) What were some of your most memorable moments from filming “American Crime Story?
A) There are two that stand out. One of them is a very intense scene with Darren Criss and it was so dynamic. It was so amazing and intense that we just went for each other. He was such a giving actor. Even when the camera was not on him he was just so giving. I felt like, “Oh my God! I’m an actor! I’m a TV actor!” It felt so good and it gave me so much confidence. The second one goes back to Darren Criss. I can’t say enough about him. I’m just so excited for him because this is a role that will showcase him and really show what he has – what he is about. He has so much to give. We were shooting this scene that was really difficult (which I can’t really say now) and we were having a hard time with it. We were rehearsing it and I kept cringing. Darren looked at me and said, “I understand.” And we talked about it. He talked me through, he calmed me down and said, “We don’t have to go there unless you want to.” He put me at ease and it was so tender. He was so gentle with me. He understood my dilemma. I felt so safe. I get emotional talking about it. He’s amazing! I love him. I love them all!

The New York Times wrote:
‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace’ Episode 2: The Great Creator

Jan. 24, 2018

Cunanan emerges as a truly terrifying figure in this episode, thanks to the strong performance by Darren Criss (“Glee”), whose emotional range is put to effective use. He steals license plates in a Walmart parking lot and breaks into a deranged smile when a little girl stares at him in suspicion. He switches the radio station when a newscaster says he is wanted for the murder of Lee Miglin — a victim we haven’t yet met — and manically sings along to Laura Branigan’s “Gloria.” He checks into a seedy South Beach hotel and smooth-talks the receptionist. Scoping out the Versace mansion, he comes face to face with a life-size medallion of Medusa, the mythical Gorgon whose image Versace adopted as a logo, on the front gate. It’s an even match; Cunanan is scary as hell.

[. . . ]

The episode doesn’t explicitly state that Versace was HIV-positive, as the journalist Maureen Orth contended in her book “Vulgar Favors,” on which this television series is loosely based. The implication is certainly strong. But from a dramatic perspective, it’s not important what his illness was — what matters is that the prospect of premature death hung over these men, who grappled with questions of loyalty, commitment and family, years before same-sex marriage seemed possible, much less became the law of the land. It’s poignant and well worth pondering how Versace’s genius and relationships might have evolved had his life not been cut short at age 50.

Fragments:

• Race has so far been a subsidiary theme, but for brief references to Cunanan’s Asian heritage. (His father was Filipino.) But there’s a telling moment when Cunanan is at a pizzeria and an employee, who has seen the most-wanted poster, goes to the back and dials 911. “Is he black or white?” the dispatcher asks the pizza worker, who is himself black and looks confused. “White guy — he killed four white guys,” the worker pleads. As if any greater urgency were needed.

• A post-mortem scene — in which Versace’s body is lovingly dressed by his sister before cremation — is arguably this episode’s most elegant. His ashes are scooped into an ornate metal box, which flies back to Italy with Donatella. Impeccably tasteful.

Harper's Bazaar wrote:
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Addresses Versace's HIV Status

Jan. 24, 2018

2) The story of Andrew Cunanan's rampage is being told in reverse.

Cunanan is utterly elated in the wake of all this bloodshed, and Darren Criss's pure manic energy throughout this episode is breathtaking.   As he cheerfully drives through South Carolina towards Florida, he turns on the car radio and flips right past a station that mentions his name as a suspect in the murder of Lee Miglin. He lands, instead, on a station playing Laura Branigan’s "Gloria," a peppy disco fave whose lyrics are actually deeply disturbing if you listen closely:

Are the voices in your head calling, Gloria?
Gloria, don’t you think you’re fallin’?
If everybody wants you, why isn’t anybody callin’?

Can't imagine why Cunanan would sing along to this with such gusto!


[. . . ]

5) Watching Cunanan slip from one false identity to the next—sometimes within a single sentence—is dazzling.

I cannot say enough about the sharp, scary writing for Cunanan, nor about Criss's flat-out terrifying performance.

Press Masterpost | ACS Versace Episode 2 “Manhunt” Review/Recap

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

Spoiler:

Gold Derby wrote:
Emmy spotlight: Darren Criss gives the performance of his career in Ryan Murphy’s ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace’

January 25, 2018

Darren Criss spent five seasons charming viewers and critics with his performance as Blaine, the charming and clean-cut crooner on Ryan Murphy‘s hit musical-comedy “Glee.” Now, Criss is turning the tables on audiences by playing a character who is anything but charming: serial killer Andrew Cunanan in Murphy’s new FX anthology series, “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story,” and industry observers are taking notice. In her review of the series, USA Today’s Kelly Lawler wrote that Cunanan is “brought to life with disturbing energy and commitment by Criss, who has decidedly left his wholesome ‘Glee’ character in the dust.” Will Emmy voters take notice of Criss’s killer performance?

“The Assassination of Gianni Versace” follows Cunanan’s destructive path which led him to murder famed designer Gianni Versace (Edgar Ramirez) on the footsteps of his Miami home. Throughout the series, we see Cunanan’s path to Versace, a path that also involved Cunanan killing at least four other men. Cunanan is portrayed as a deeply disturbed, emotionally distant young man whose charisma is matched only by his mental instability.

We see both of those qualities on display in the show’s premiere episode. First, Cunanan is able to use his charm to endear himself to a wary Versace, ultimately leading to the designer asking Cunanan on a date to the opera. Later, the episode flashes forward to the moments after Cunanan killed Versace, and we see Cunanan alone in a parking garage, laughing maniacally and practically unable to contain his euphoria.

Criss’s performance has earned raves from television critics. Writing in The New York Post, Robert Rorke says, “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.” The San Francisco Chronicle‘s David Wiegand calls Criss’s performance “exquisite” and says, “We may have read the papers and watched new accounts of the killing spree and wondered how anyone could have been taken in by such a malevolent poseur. The answer is in Criss’ Emmy-worthy performance.” Reviews like these instantly put Criss in the conversation for this year’s Emmy Awards.

Criss also has a distinct advantage in terms of screen time. As noted by our writer Riley Chow, Criss appears in every episode of the series . . .
. Having that amount of screen time gives Criss the opportunity to show off all facets of Cunanan, from moments of charm and geneality, to outbursts of murderous rage and violence. With Criss as the standout among such a superstar cast AND having such a showy role, it seems almost impossible that the Emmys will ignore him.

Also in Criss’s favor is the fact that the Movie/Mini Actor category at the Emmys is full of winning villains: Armand Assante (“Gotti”), Al Pacino (“Angels in America”), Gary Sinise (“George Wallace”), and Kenneth Branagh (“Conspiracy’) are just a few. And despite the fact that this category tends to favor veteran actors, last year Emmy voters proved their willingness to reward younger talent when they gave the prize to Riz Ahmed for “The Night Of.”

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

Rolling Stone wrote:
'Assassination of Gianni Versace': Sex, Lies, Fashion and Homophobia

January 17, 2018

Darren Criss, leaving Glee far behind, is oily and terrifying as Cunanan, with desperate need in his eyes.

[. . . ]

A tragic theme that runs through the story is the way gay culture was changing at warp speed through the Nineties. It seemed like a much more liberated time than the Eighties, yet Assassination depicts how oppressive the closet still was in 1997. . . The cops in charge of the Versace case are baffled at the unthinkable notion of a gay couple sharing a domestic partnership – the officer who interrogates the boyfriend asks, "What was your involvement with Mr. Versace?" The FBI agents are blinded by homophobia as they snicker over the pronunciation of Versace's name. ("The singer?" "That's Liberace – this is the jeans guy.")

. . . This new American Crime Story presents the designer as a genuinely heroic figure: a visible gay man in the Nineties, living outside the closet in ways that would have been inconceivable a decade earlier. Part of the emotional power of Assassination is that the designer, in his own way, was helping the world make the transition into a different place – a transition he tragically didn't live long enough to see.

Show Snob wrote:
Assassination of Gianni Versace Recap: “Manhunt”

January 26, 2018

Darren Criss shone once again in this episode–channeling a creepy, sadistic, troubled individual.

[. .  .]

The second episode of this intriguing installment was on par with the premiere–if not better. The story is getting darker, the events are coming together, and we are falling deeper and deeper into the twisted psyche of Andrew Cunanan.

Darren Criss’ performance is unlike anything else–and this episode was no exception. Those particular moments where his eyes went dark or an odd, uncomfortable smile took over his face were unlike anything we’ve seen before.

Punch Drunk TV

In Episode 83, we’re talking the delightful aroma of American Crime Story star Darren Criss and the awful scent of bad dates.

Cult of Whatever wrote:
American Crime Story – The Assassination of Gianni Versace: S02E02: Manhunt – A solid episode that loses some dramatic momentum

January 26, 2018

Darren Criss continues to blow my mind as Cunanan. He’s so manipulative and needy while watching him I was thinking that I wouldn’t fall for his lies. Of course, I would, that’s why he’s so dangerous.

Decider wrote:
‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story’ Episode 2 Recap: Light Is the Left Hand of Darkness

Jan. 25, 2018

Just two episodes into the series, Darren Criss is cementing the status of his portrayal of Cunanan as one of the all-time great on-screen serial killers, not just calling to mind Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates, Tom Noonan as Francis Dolarhyde, Ted Levine as Jame Gumb, or Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman, but actually earning the comparisons.

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! 

Harper's Bazaar and Esquire wrote:
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Addresses Versace's HIV Status

2) The story of Andrew Cunanan's rampage is being told in reverse.

Cunanan is utterly elated in the wake of all this bloodshed, and Darren Criss's pure manic energy throughout this episode is breathtaking.   As he cheerfully drives through South Carolina towards Florida, he turns on the car radio and flips right past a station that mentions his name as a suspect in the murder of Lee Miglin. He lands, instead, on a station playing Laura Branigan’s "Gloria," a peppy disco fave whose lyrics are actually deeply disturbing if you listen closely:

Are the voices in your head calling, Gloria?
Gloria, don’t you think you’re fallin’?
If everybody wants you, why isn’t anybody callin’?

Can't imagine why Cunanan would sing along to this with such gusto!

[. . . ]

5) Watching Cunanan slip from one false identity to the next—sometimes within a single sentence—is dazzling.

I cannot say enough about the sharp, scary writing for Cunanan, nor about Criss's flat-out terrifying performance.

TV Line wrote:
Performer of the Week: Darren Criss

January 27, 2018

THE PERFORMER | Darren Criss

THE SHOW | The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

THE EPISODE | “Manhunt” (Jan. 24, 2018)

THE PERFORMANCE | Ryan Murphy’s TV shows offer actors a golden opportunity to spread their wings and show a side of themselves we haven’t yet seen. And in its second episode, Versace did just that for Criss, who shed his squeaky-clean Gleepast to paint a vivid portrait of a murderer who’s just as charming as he is chilling.

As serial killer Andrew Cunanan, it’s disturbing how easily the lies spilled from Criss’ mouth, as Cunanan bragged about his connections to Versace and his upbringing in France, cold-bloodedly rehearsing his half of the conversation in a mirror beforehand in an attempt to sound “normal.” Criss concealed his Glee-trained pipes as Cunanan fled from authorities while singing (off-key) along with Laura Branigan’s “Gloria” on the car radio — a rare moment of pure elation for the troubled loner. This week’s centerpiece, though, was Cunanan’s riveting rendezvous with an elderly man who paid him for sex, wrapping the man’s entire head in duct tape and dancing to Phil Collins’ “Easy Lover” in his underwear while the man gasped for air. Criss’ intensely blank stare was positively unsettling as Cunanan reveled in the pain he was inflicting, like a shark smelling blood in the water.

Later, in a Miami gay club, Cunanan unspooled another set of lies to a fellow dancer who asked what he did for a living, manically rattling off a list of fake occupations before ending with, “I’m the person least likely to be forgotten.” Thanks to this week’s impressively versatile, chameleon-like performance, Criss’ revelatory work on Versace isn’t likely to be forgotten, either.

Pure Fandom wrote:
The 5 best moments from ‘American Crime Story: The Assassination of Versace’ season 2 premiere

January 25, 2018

5. Darren Criss


There were many magnificent actors in the debut episode of season 2, however I think all applause should head in Darren Criss’ direction, as he portrayed Andrew Cunanan spot on. Reading more into Andrew’s life, his father left him and his family to avoid arrest for embezzlement and he and his mother got into an argument about his sexuality. Andrew’s aggressive behavior was shown in this argument when he threw his mother against a wall, dislocating her shoulder. Due to this, he had examinations for his behavior and reports later recognized that he possibly suffered from antisocial personality disorder and a personality disorder characterized by lack of empathy.

What I really loved about Darren’s portrayal of Andrew is when he comes face to face with a TV broadcasting the events of Versace’s murder, he watched the TV with no sign of emotion, until he sees a woman’s reaction where she covers her mouth in horror and shock. He then covers his own mouth up to convince people he was also in shock and managed to fill his eyes with emotion. That just showed so evidently how unaffected Andrew is to his murders. I can’t wait to see how this murder starts to affect Andrew — whether it fills him with guilt or pride, Darren is going to be outstanding as always at telling us the story!

The Observer (Broward College Student Newspaper) wrote:
The Assassination of Gianni Versace is a television masterpiece

January 30, 2018

Criss’ portrayal of Cunanan will probably earn him an award or two due to his fabulous job conveying Cunanan’s psychopathy in ways that show him as he truly was: an obsessed, jealous, pathethic man who couldn’t deal with failure or rejection.

FYI if anyone is so inclined - You can rate ACS on Rotten Tomatoes or Metacritic.

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