The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Gay Times wrote:
Exclusive: Darren Criss reveals what ACS: Versace and Glee taught him about the gay experience

April 18, 2018

While viewers in the US have already been treated to the harrowing series finale of The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, there are still two episodes left to air in the UK.

[. . . ]

The award-worthy performance sees Darren Criss at his finest, and is worlds away from the last gay character he played in one of Ryan Murphy’s television shows, Glee.

[. . . ]


“They are two very different roles,” he told us. “Glee was really an extraordinary beam of positivity – especially for primetime television with mass appeal for young people. It was a wonderful example to set on television, and to be a part of that was really a thrill.

“The Assassination of Versace is really the opposite end of that spectrum where you’re really displaying the turmoil of that gay American identity. Particularly through the navy and military and what people had to go through, and still have to go through.

“I think it’s cool that I’ve been able to be a part of telling both sides of that narrative, and see how far we’ve come and how far we have left to go.”

One of the main points Darren took away as a viewer of American Crime Story is the intense political and social climate around LGBTQ people serving in the US military back in the 1990s.

It was the era of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy being introduced, where LGBTQ recruits were expected to hide their sexual if they wanted to serve. Openly gay people were prohibited from enrolling completely.

“The great thing about this season of American Crime Story was really learning more about – and this is not about the character I played, but rather being a part of the show and watching it – the gays in the military episode,” Darren told us.
Jeffrey Trail – who was one of Cunanan’s five victims – did an anonymous television interview back in 1993 before the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy was introduced by the Clinton administration, revealing the struggles LGBTQ recruits faced.

That moment in history is featured in an episode of The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, outlining the rife homophobia that existed around the time Cunanan committed these atrocious murders.

“It was really illuminating because it’s something that we know about and it’s still talked about in the United States. It still continues to be a divisive topic in our country,” Darren continued. “It’s sort of an abstract concept because most of my friends aren’t in the military, so I’m not as close to it as some people are.

“To me it seems very clear-cut, but when you get into the complexities of what it means to people, like how do you do marry an identity between two things that mean a lot to you. There was a lot of stuff that was explored that I necessarily wasn’t as familiar with, and I was thrilled that it was told on television. I’ve never really seen anything like that before.”

Radio Times wrote:
We need to talk about Darren Criss’s killer performance in The Assassination of Gianni Versace

April 18, 2018

I’d never heard of Criss (he was in Glee, which passed me by) but as Cunanan, he delivers the performance of a lifetime. . .

What Rob Smith and Criss have done is make a whole person, someone who exists outside of those few bare details. Versace hardly appears in the series, which belongs almost entirely to Cunanan/Criss, as we witness a damaged life spin slowly, then quickly, then completely, out of control.

Cunanan seems at first the quietest of whirlwinds, a handsome boy who drips with charm and affability. But – and this is what Criss and Rob Smith are so good at conveying – there’s something a bit off, something not quite right you can’t put your finger on. Like a photo that’s a little out of focus. And then the killing starts. Brutal, swift, out of nowhere. Yet you’ve been expecting it all along, and not just because this is an infamous story. It’s because Criss’s Cunanan trembles with murderous fury, even when he smiles. Particularly when he smiles.

Rob Smith, who is so adept at digging into the dark mud of broken lives, cleverly throws out any accepted version of narrative to play around with the timeline, and with Cunanan’s descent.

So it’s only in this week’s eighth, penultimate, episode that we learn of his twisted childhood as the “special” son of a narcissistic, fraudulent, abusive liar of a father and a fragile, emotionally vulnerable mother.

Criss’s Cunanan is terrifying. Good-looking, personable, but you don’t want him around. There was a point in one episode, when he rang the doorbell of the man who would become his next victim, when I shouted, “Don’t answer the door, don’t let him in!”

Despite all of those very generous outward charms, you know straightaway why people around him find him unsettling to be with and uncomfortable to know. He’s obsessive and forces his way into “friendships” with unwilling men who just wish he’d go away. Or he preys on older gay men who’ve never been able to come out.

Of course, none of this is easy to watch, which is just as it should be. Cunanan’s story was inescapably one of obsession and violence. But as a cautionary tale about someone who wants above all else to be famous, it’s very, horribly, modern.

The Times-UK wrote:TV review: The Assassination of Gianni Versace; The Secret Life of the Zoo

April 19, 2018

As a portrait of a fantasist serial murderer it has been mesmerically done, mostly thanks to Darren Criss. His portrayal of Andrew Cunanan, who killed five people before putting a bullet through his head, has been consistently outstanding.

*Jeremy* wrote:Hello Lin. Have you seen the whole season yet ?

Poppy wrote:Were those two shows impressive to you, Lin?  Yes, some new shows will appear in April and May, so like you said, we'll just have to wait and see.

Poppy wrote:I'm also so glad they are submitting Jon Jon.  I feel torn because I loved the acting of Cody Fern, Jon Jon and Edgar.   But I personally would be most overjoyed if Jon Jon gets nominated.  Even if he isn't nominated by the TV Academy, I'm so glad for him that his work on Versace has brought a lot of positive attention to his acting.  

The Tribune India wrote:
Five point story...

April 22, 2018


The first season of anthology crime series American Crime Story helmed by Ryan Murphy, swooped accolades at various award platforms. Now, the second installment of the series – The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story is something you cannot afford to miss out on! 
The series airs on Star World from Monday to Friday at 9 pm. Here are five reasons why this show is strongly recommended…

• We cannot emphasize on this enough! Ryan Murphy. Ryan Murphy. Ryan Murphy! The man knows how to turn film-making into an art and we do not know anyone else to whom this comes naturally!
  
  
• The series has a spectacular cast! From Academy Award winner Penelope Cruz donning the role of one of her favourite designers – Donatella Versace to Point Break, Zero Dark Thirty star Edgar Ramirez as Gianni Versace, the comeback of one of the most sensational singers of all time – Ricky Martin playing Gianni’s boyfriend Antonio D’Amico and Glee fame Darren Criss’ career-defining performance as serial murderer Andrew Cunanan.
  
  
• Darren Criss. Critics have gone gaga over his performance and the entire industry is talking about him! Criss definitely deserves a shout-out for his performance on the series and it is difficult for us to imagine him anywhere else!
  

The Sunday Herald wrote:
Damien Love's TV Review: The Split, The Woman in White, Westworld and more

April 21, 2018

American Crime Story

9pm, BBC Two

It’s the final part of what will undoubtedly be one of the year’s best series, and, after rigorously following a backwards-running structure since episode one, the story suddenly slams forward again, to throw us back down to Miami in the immediate aftermath of Gianni Versace’s murder. As the media goes into a frenzy, Andrew Cunanan (an astonishing Darren Criss) remains at large, but the city is in lockdown and before long he’s holed up alone, hiding out on an empty holiday houseboat.

Attitude wrote:

Darren Criss on American Crime Story and the role of homophobia in Gianni Versace's death

Ryan Murphy's riveting true-crime drama comes to a close on BBC Two tonight (April 25).

2018-04-25

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story airs on BBC Two tonight (April 25) as the story of US serial killer Andrew Cunanan comes to a bloody conclusion.

Ryan Murphy's nine-part drama series has won critical acclaim for its riveting exploration of wealth, sexuality and power in '90s America, and Darren Criss's mezmerising, haunting portrayal of Cunanan is generating plent of awards buzz - and rightly so.

[. . . ]

One of the dangers with this sort of project is glamorising a killer. Is that something you talked about, and how to avoid it?

If that is ever the way someone perceives it that’s sort of out of our hands. In my mind it’s obviously deplorable – it’s pretty obvious on the moral spectrum where we stand – and I don’t think it glamorises. If anything, it begs the question of ‘how did we get here? How did this happen?’ What’s interesting about it going in reverse is that it’s almost an unintentional redemption story, in the sense that you’ve seen somebody at their worst, and as you go back we’re really hoping to find a reason to sympathise. I think, or I hope, that people tuning in are holding on for some sort of humanity and praying that you find something that can somehow make sense of all this stuff. In that sense I don’t think it’s glamorising so much as investigating and doing what I think in storytelling is so important: you know how the story goes, but it’s the how and the why that really makes us rethink what’s in front of us.

Did you empathise with Andrew at all?

Well it’s my job, yeah. But that’s my job, it’s not the audience’s job. There’s no need to exonerate or forgive – these are horrible things that just break my heart, and people are still alive today that are still very much affected by the echoes of something 20 years ago. The thing about our show is I’m not just playing a killer: we see him at his best, and he was loved, and he had lovely moments with people. . . So the things I latch on to are the common denominators we can all relate to: wanting to be liked, wanting to take care of your friends, knowing what it’s like to want to rise above your station, unrequited love. So yeah I do, and I did, empathise with him, because you have to.



[. . . ]

Obviously Andrew has this chameleon identity, but when you were tackling the role did you see him as someone who was conflicted about his sexuality?

I mean I think he was constantly at war with himself. I think he utilised his homosexuality where it was convenient and where it gave him any kind of status, whether that was in the gay community or in the world at large. If it made him fun and different and interesting in certain circles he would abuse that power, but where it was frowned upon or subversive he would shy away from it where convenient. And whatever sexuality you identify with, to have that kind of dichotomy of you own identity is a pretty [destructive] thing, to never really be sure or when you can be yourself or not, or even what your self is. But what’s so interesting about the time and place in which the show happened, I feel like he world he was in almost inadvertently encouraged his behaviour. I think especially at that time, you know, right in the middle but after the AIDS scare in the United States, you have a lot of men who are, even if they’re out, struggling with where they stand on their gay identity. And when you have someone like Andrew caught in the middle of this i in a world where a lot of closeted men are living behind closed doors. And so Andrew compartmentalising different parts of himself to different people… if you saw how different he was acting, maybe you would sort of understand this if you were doing this in your own life. There was this understanding that compartmentalising your identity was the way you could survive at this sort of time.

Do I think he was conflicted? Yeah. But unfortunately, that conflict was kind of supported unconsciously at the time. It’s a crime of the times. I mean, this the largest failed manhunt in FBI history, ever. And it has a lot to do with this disconnect between government bodies and this fear and misunderstanding of gay communities. [Andrew] was out in the open, in broad daylight, and they couldn’t find him. That has to do less with the genius of Andrew – although hat’s a big part of it – but also the disconnect of government bodies like the FBI.

Radio Times wrote:
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: Darren Criss explains how he succeeded in ‘humanising’ killer Andrew Cunanan

April 25, 2018

. . . The second season of Ryan Murphy’s American Crime Story . . .  could go on . . . as the springboard for Darren Criss, the magnetic young actor who stars as serial killer Andrew Cunanan.

[. . . ]

It represented a huge challenge for actor Criss, who is best known for his role in musical sitcom Glee. How could he humanise the killer without exonerating him? How could he entertain without glamourising his atrocities?

[. . . ]

The actor is warm and thoughtful in person, taking each question down a series of meandering paths towards a thorough, considered answer. He doesn’t shy away from speculation about the drama’s wider conclusions about the murders, and has his own thoughts about the implications of Wednesday’s finale.

[. . . ]

Criss says that while he believed it was his responsibility as an actor to empathise with Cunanan, he doesn’t expect the same from viewers.

“There’s no need to exonerate or forgive – these are horrible things that just break my heart,” he says. “But with someone like Andrew, it doesn’t boil down to just the most horrible things he’s ever done. The pallet of the human experience is so many colours and so many things, and the great thing about our show is that I’m not just playing ‘The Killer’: I’m playing a real person, who had wonderful moments, and we see him at his best, and he was loved, and had really lovely moments with people.”

[. . . ]

“But, I hope they [the Versace family and the families of the other victims] understand that we’re not exploiting a story for commercial value. There’s a larger story at play here that isn’t necessarily about this one horrible thing, which is the Versace murder, but an investigation and exploration of the time and the tragedies which that entails.”

Digital Spy wrote:
Darren Criss responds to American Crime Story: Versace backlash: "It's not exploitative"



April 25, 2018

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story has proven a hit with a critics, who have called the show "dark and complex and tragic" (The Guardian) and the lead performance from Darren Criss "electrifying" (Newsday).

[. . . ]

Former Glee star Criss, . . .  has won universal acclaim for his portrayal of Cunanan. . .

[. . . ]

In a message to the Versace family, Criss said that he and the team who worked on The Assassination of Gianni Versace were "not exploiting a story for commercial value".

"There's a larger story at play here, one that isn't necessarily about this one horrible thing, which is the Versace murder. It's an investigation and exploration of the time, and of course, the other victims that, until now, haven't really had a whole lot of voice – at least in popular culture. I think it's important, talking about them.

"If I'd ever had the chance to meet Gianni Versace, I would have hoped that he would understand that we're trying to create some kind of light out of this darkness. It's not exploitative. Like all good storytelling, it's meant to beg questions and really have us think about things beyond what's right in front of us."

[. . . ]



Criss went on to dismiss the idea that the TV series in any way "glamourises" the path that Cunanan took, adding that it portrays his actions as "obviously deplorable".

"It's pretty clear-cut on the moral spectrum where we stand. So I don't think it glamorises it. If anything, it just sort of begs the question: how do we get here? And how does this happen?"

i-D wrote:
darren criss talks playing versace's killer on this special episode of the i-D podcast

April 26, 2018

You see, the “American Crime Story” of season two is not the murder of Gianni Versace alone. Rather, it is the failure to prevent the murder of Gianni Versace -- a negligence, ignorance, lack of awareness or other that lead the book upon which the series is based [Maureen Orth’s Vulgar Favours] to be subtitled: The Largest Failed Manhunt in the US History.

 

Track: Lea Michele talking about Darren on ACS Versace
Artist: On With Mario Lopez

Telly Mix wrote:
RATINGS! Benidorm, Coronation Street, Emmerdale and more viewing figures

April 26, 2018

On BBC Two, American Crime Story’s The Assassination of Gianni Versace continued with 900,000 viewers.

Paste Magazine wrote:
SNL's "Weekend Update" Anchors Michael Che and Colin Jost to Host 2018 Emmys

April 26, 2018

The Emmys will air live from the Microsoft Theater at L.A. Live in Los Angeles on Monday, Sept. 17 from 8-11 p.m. ET on NBC. Nominations will be announced on July 12.

It’s hard to predict this early who and what will receive nominations, but it strikes us as likely The Crown, Westworld, This Is Us and The Handmaid’s Tale will be among that number. Keep an eye out for Laura Dern’s performance in The Tale, in particular, to nab a nomination. In a perfect world, we’d love to see Darren Criss from The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story snag a nomination, as well, but only time will tell.

VODzilla Co. wrote:
UK TV review: American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace

April 26, 2018

Rating: 9.3
Darren Criss: 10
Writing: 10
Direction: 8

American Crime Story Season 2 boasts a star-making performance from Darren Criss.

[. . . ]

OJ Simpson’s trial cynically piggybacked on discussions about race relations in Los Angeles and social justice in America, while Cunanan’s crimes shone on a light on homophobic attitudes in society at all levels. . .

[. . . ]

At the heart of The Assassination of Gianni Versace is a triumphant performance by Darren Criss. In snobbier times, critics might well have declared it ‘too good for television’, but in a veritable golden age of small screen entertainment, any such critique is a bust. As Cunanan, Criss delivers a magnetic and layered portrait of a psychopath far away from dog-tired movie clichés. Cunanan was a mercurial personality, jocular and kind or a moody, preening, spoilt brat at the flip of a mental switch. He breathlessly lied and stuck steadfastly to his made-up nonsense, as if by force of will he could change reality and manifest his fibs into being. The genius in the acting comes from Criss’s ability to make ‘Andy’ not only likeable, but in making us feel sympathy for a devil. It shouldn’t be transgressive to acknowledge monsters can love; it’s just they love monstrously, selfishly and destructively. The final couple of episodes are especially heart-wrenching. What Criss does so well is craft a performance based on a very complicated person and allows such complexity full rein before our eyes. The effect is astonishing.

[. . . ]

One of Season 2’s most powerful aspects is the examination of institutional homophobia (in police departments, the FBI, the media and the military). The Matt Bomer-directed episode (Ep 5 – Don’t Ask Don’t Tell) is set against the backdrop of the US army’s policy to portray the hideous experiences of Jeff Trail (Finn Wittrock), a former navy officer and one of Cunanan’s victims. But it’s also embedded in little scenes – a cop’s embarrassment of questioning Versace’s partner, Antonio (played by Ricky Martin), and clumsily insinuating the fashion designer was murdered because of his lifestyle choices. Another police officer wisecracks to a colleague she got the case to hunt down Cunanan because she’s a lesbian (inferring she can understand gay people). In its presentation of a world lacking all empathy towards the murder victims and their families, while the news coverage feasts on every scrap of info it can dig up, American Crime Story stings with horror and truth.

Both seasons make for essential viewing, with The Assassination of Gianni Versace taking the show into masterpiece territory. John Travolta’s comeback role as Robert Shapiro reminded us all a guy who has spent a decade or so coasting in a range of B-movies still could deliver the goods. Darren Criss, best known as a Glee cast member, presents the shock of the new. His powerhouse performance is unlikely to be forgotten in a hurry.

Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks."  Source:  http://vodzilla.co/reviews/uk-tv-review-the-assassination-of-gianni-versace-american-crime-story/










Jim Howick is an English actor.  Stephen Bailey is a comedian, and writer.














From acsversace-news:

The Times-UK wrote:
TV review: Britain’s Fat Fight with Hugh Fearnley‑Whittingstall; The Assassination of Gianni Versace

April 26, 2018

The Assassination of Gianni Versace
BBC Two
★★★★☆

How odd to feel bereft that a serial killer is out of your life. Darren Criss’s portrayal of the narcissist Andrew Cunanan has been so faultless in The Assassination of Gianni Versace that when it ended last night with Cunanan in a body bag I was sorry to see the back of him. Which feels uncomfortable.

[. . .]

Nothing, though, should detract from the brilliance of Criss’s performance, blowing the rest of the cast out of the water. While some mid-series episodes were meandering, Criss provided a constant spine of quality in his beguiling monster.

His friend Ronnie offered an insight into Cunanan’s motivation, telling the police that he wanted the world to know his pain, that he’d had to live a lie. When he killed a “bunch of nobody gays” the cops didn’t care, but now he’d shot a celebrity they did.

. . . Even as Cunanan put the gun in his mouth he couldn’t resist a last lingering look in the mirror, vanity the last thing to go. Criss’s awards are surely in the bag.

Express-UK wrote:
It is worrying how far removed we are from the source of our food, says JENNIFER SELWAY

April 21, 2018

BBC Two’s The Assassination Of Gianni Versace ends next week and has been less about Versace and more about his nemesis, the serial killer Andrew Cunanan.

What an amazing performance from Darren Criss.

I can’t wait to see what else this young actor is in.

But it’s hard to imagine him playing a goodie.

The Sun wrote:
Lorraine Kelly I hope the Queen gave bum’s rush to idiots for Windrush debacle

April 21, 2018

I AM obsessed with the latest American Crime Story series about the assassination of fashion designer Gianni Versace.

. . .  I was able to sit back and be enthralled by the performance of ­Darren Criss as serial killer Andrew Cunanan.

It’s an astonishing acting tour de force and light years away from his wholesome role in Glee, where he played Kurt Hummel’s love interest.

Darren is the triple threat. He can sing and dance, as he proved in Glee, and also in his one-man shows – but boy, can this man act up a storm. He should be clearing a space on his mantelpiece right now to accommodate all of the awards that must surely be coming his way.

In the final episode, to be aired next week, he almost makes us feel sorry for the monster that was Cunanan – and that takes the very greatest of acting talent.

BBC wrote:
My culture picks: Viv Albertine

April 19, 2018

Television: The Assassination of Gianni Versace – American Crime Story

[. . . ]

Viv says: “To me it is television at its absolute best - it’s extraordinarily cast and acted, and the main actor Darren Criss, who previously was in Glee, I think is outstanding. He’s in every episode, in every scene; he absolutely carries the whole series.”

Criss plays Cunanan, the character at the heart of the series, and as Viv explains, “there’s hardly even any dialogue for him but he carries it all in the way he walks. He can switch like a light from one moment to arrogance, to vulnerability. It’s absolutely stunning and the scripting, everything about it is wonderful.”

Dead Good wrote:
The Assassination of Gianni Versace episode 9 review

April 25, 2018

We see minor glimpses of the cops’ efforts, including an interview with the criminally underused Max Greenfield. His character Ronnie may not have been pivotal to the story these past nine weeks, but the New Girl star lit up the screen every time he popped up with his handlebar moustache and baggy vests.

It was good to see a return for Judith Light to this final slice of The Assassination of Gianni Versace too. Along with Jon Jon Briones as Modesto Cunanan, Light – as Marilyn Miglin – came very close to stealing the entire series away from the main players of the piece. Almost, but not quite…

Whether he’s preppy and cocky, sad and alone, angry and gun-toting or shaven-headed and suicidal, Darren Criss, as Andrew Cunanan, utterly convinces at all times. Anyone hoping for a Gianni Versace biopic will have been disappointed by this series, but anyone hoping for a fascinating portrait of a social-climbing serial killer who’s equal parts sociopathic and vulnerable will have been elated. Criss runs away with the series and surely has Hollywood at his fingertips after this incredible performance.


So this last episode may have disappointed us a little. But that’s really only because of the high standard set by the rest of the series. All in all this follow-up to The People Vs O J Simpson was excellent. Gripping, intelligent, gorgeous looking, fantastically acted and subtle and mature in its subtexts and allegory, we’d be extremely surprised to see The Assassination of Gianni Versace not walk off with at least a few Emmys or Golden Globes come awards season.

The jewel in this anthology’s crown – and what we hope will lend it some real longevity as a television drama – is that it’s about more than just its story. Sure, we learned about the murder of Versace here – but we discovered more about the man responsible and his twisted motives. And even better? This was about more than Cunanan and his gun. It was about the 1990s. It was about the struggles of the gay community. It was about HIV. It was about conflict. Family. Parenting. The weight of parental expectation and how twisted the ‘American Dream’ can get.

It’s not often a TV crime drama ends and we immediately think about the next series – but with this, we can’t help ourselves. Which famous US crime can they use as a framework for the follow-up series…? We can’t wait to find out.

Jon Jon Briones ('Assassination of Gianni Versace') on 'dark sides' of serial killer's father

Jon Jon Briones ('The Assassination of Gianni Versace’) chats with Gold Derby’s Tony Ruiz about 'the dark sides’ of playing a serial killer’s 'delusional’ father. In “Versace” he portrays a family man obsessed with two things– success and his youngest son Andrew. Those obsessions drive Modesto inflate his own sense of self-worth while lavishing attention on Andrew at the expense of the rest of the family. | 25 April 2018

Awards Watch wrote:
2018 Emmy Predictions: Updated and Ranked

April 27, 2018


Outstanding Limited Series
1. The Looming Tower (Hulu)
2. American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace (FX)
3. Twin Peaks: The Return (Showtime)
4. Godless (Netflix)
5. Top of the Lake: China Girl (Sundance)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series/TV Movie

1. Kyle MacLachlan, Twin Peaks: The Return (Showtime)
2. Darren Criss, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)
3. Jeff Daniels, The Looming Tower (Hulu)
4. Al Pacino, Paterno (HBO)
5. Benedict Cumberbatch, Patrick Melrose (Showtime)
6. Evan Peters, American Horror Story: Cult (FX)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series/TV Movie

1. Edgar Ramirez, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)
2. Michael Shannon, Fahrenheit 451 (HBO)
3. Jeff Daniels, Godless (Netflix)
4. Peter Sarsgaard, The Looming Tower (Hulu)
5. Tahar Rahim, The Looming Tower (Hulu)
6. Bill Camp, The Looming Tower (Hulu)

OTHER CONTENDERS

Brandon Victor Dixon, Jesus Christ Superstar Live (NBC)
Cody Fern, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)
Russell Hornsby, Seven Seconds (Netflix)
Michael Stuhlbarg, The Looming Tower (Hulu)
Sam Waterston, Godless (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series/TV Movie

1. Laura Dern, Twin Peaks: The Return (Showtime)
2. Nicole Kidman, Top of the Lake: China Girl (Sundance)
3. Judith Light, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)
4. Penelope Cruz, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)
5. Angela Lansbury, Little Women (BBC)
6. Ellen Burstyn, The Tale (HBO)

Dead Good Books wrote:
The Assassination of Gianni Versace episode 8 review

April 18, 2018

There’s been a rather familiar pattern to this series and this week’s episode wasn’t keen to break the mould. Each episode seems to glimpse the famous Versace but cut away from him – leaving you wanting more. We’re then shown Andrew Cunanan, expertly and mesmerisingly played by Darren Criss. To top it off, every week, a new character is paraded and the actor behind them totally steals the show. This week that thief is John John Briones, who steals the show so brazenly and completely there should probably be a warrant out for the man’s arrest.

The Custard TV wrote:
Why The Assassination of Gianni Versace is the drama of the year so far.

April 19,2018

I'm not entirely sure why it's taken me so long to write a piece on The Assassination of Gianni Versace. I adore the show, Darren Criss as serial killer Andrew Cunanan delivers a performance that grabs you and doesn't let you go. Much like the real life Cunanan (yes I've watched documentaries on the real life story since) Criss is mesmerizing in the role as the fascinating serial killer who believes he's above most who he meets and that he is destined for better things. I struggled with the first series of American Crime Story. I could see Cuba Gooding Jr was doing a stellar job as Simpson but elements of the story were over sensationalised and spoilt the show as a whole for me.

The Hollywood Reporter wrote:
Feinberg Forecast: Emmy Standings As the Race Heads Into May

4/30/2018

The charts below reflect how THR’s awards columnist Scott Feinberg believes the Emmy standings would look if voting for the 2018 race ended today. (Eligible for consideration is work released between June 1, 2017 and May 31, 2018.) These projections are formulated using a combination of personal impressions (from sampling many programs), historical considerations (how other shows with similar pedigrees have resonated), precursor awards (some groups have historically correlated with the TV Academy more than others) and consultations with industry insiders (including voters, content creators, awards strategists and fellow members of the press).

Best Limited Series

FRONTRUNNERS

The Looming Tower (Hulu)
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)
Twin Peaks (Showtime)
Godless (Netflix)
Patrick Melrose (Showtime)

Best Actor in a Limited Series or a Television Movie

FRONTRUNNERS

Darren Criss (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
Al Pacino (Paterno)
John Legend (Jesus Christ Superstar)
Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks)
Jeff Daniels (The Looming Tower) — podcast
Antonio Banderas (Genius: Picasso)

Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Television Movie

FRONTRUNNERS

Edgar Ramirez (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
Michael Shannon (Fahrenheit 451) — podcast
Tahar Rahim (The Looming Tower)
Peter Sarsgaard (The Looming Tower)
Michael Stuhlbarg (The Looming Tower)
Bill Camp (The Looming Tower)

MAJOR THREATS
Brandon Victor Dixon (Jesus Christ Superstar)
Jeff Daniels (Godless) — podcast
Ricky Martin (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
Sam Waterston (Godless)
Robert Forster (Twin Peaks)
Beau Bridges (Mosaic)
Scoot McNairy (Godless)
Alex Rich (Genius: Picasso)

POSSIBILITIES

Hugo Weaving (Patrick Melrose)
Alice Cooper (Jesus Christ Superstar)
Dylan Baker (Little Women)
Luke Evans (The Alienist)
Josh Charles (Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders)
John Leguizamo (Waco)
Cody Fern (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
Jason Ritter (The Tale)

Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Television Movie

FRONTRUNNERS

Laura Dern (Twin Peaks)
Penelope Cruz (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
Nicole Kidman (Top of the Lake: China Girl) — podcast
Angela Lansbury (Little Women)
Judith Light (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
Merritt Wever (Godless)

Backstage Pass wrote:

Jon Jon Briones Talks about “American Crime Story: Assassination of Gianni Versace,” MISS SAIGON and Receiving the 2018 East West Players Visionary Award
April 30, 2018


Congrats to Jon Jon Briones who will be receiving the 2018 East West Players Visionary Award at the East West Players (EWP) Annual Visionary Awards Dinner & Silent Auction at the Hilton Universal City tonight.

East West Players (EWP), the nation’s longest-running professional theater of color and the largest producing organization of Asian Pacific American artistic work is celebrating THE COMPANY WE KEEP, its 52nd Anniversary season with the Annual Visionary Awards Gala Benefit.

Lily Mariye, Suzy Nakamura and Wendy Chang/Dwight Stuart Youth Fund will also be honored. Recognizing the achievements of individuals who have raised the visibility of the Asian Pacific American (APA) community through their craft, proceeds from the gala fundraiser  will benefit East West Players’ educational and artistic programs.

Actor Jon Jon Briones was born and raised in Quezon City, Philippines. At 9 years old he was sent to live at Santo Domingo convent as a boy soprano in the “Tiples of Santo Domingo” choir. This was to be his first formal training. In 1989, he joined the original London cast of Miss Saigon. Recently, he played the Engineer in the London 2014 revival (Olivier Award nominee, What’s One Stage Award winner) and its Broadway transfer (Drama Desk Award nominee, Theater Award winner). He has appeared in several other productions of Miss Saigon, among numerous additional stage credits. He has had the privilege of working with East West players in La Cage Aux Folles (Ovation Award nominee) and A Little Night Music. He was proudly involved in the pre-Broadway development of Allegiance at The Old Globe. Last month, Briones received raves for his chilling and brilliant portrayal as Modesto Cunanan on the television drama American Crime Story: Assassination of Gianni Versace.

Lia: Congratulations on your 2018 East West Players Visionary Award. What does receiving this award mean to you?

Jon Jon: It’s always nice when you get compliments for your work but to be honored is totally different and very humbling. It really means a lot. It’s the highest form of “You’re alright”.

Lia: What shows have you performed in at East West Players?

Jon Jon: My first show was A Little Night Music in 2012 and I played Fredrik Egerman. And then I did La Cage Aux Folles for them in 2016 and I played Georges.

Lia: How were you cast as Modesto Cunanan in “American Crime Story: Assassination of Gianni Versace.”

Jon Jon: Darren Criss told me that when they started filming at the beginning of 2017, he and head writer Tom Rob Smith were talking about the role of Modesto Cunanan and they thought that I might be right for the part (they both saw me in Miss Saigon in London). They then started talking about me to the producers of the show. My agent contacted me about an audition that I have to tape because the audition was in LA and I was in NYC doing Miss Saigon. I taped my audition, sent it and as they say the rest is history.

Lia: How did you develop the character?

Jon Jon: Research about Modesto on line did not yield a lot but reading Maureen Orth’s book and talking to her, discussing the character with writer Tom Rob Smith really helped me understand Modesto better. The two of them were a wealth of information.

Lia: How has your life or career changed since appearing on the show?

Jon Jon: It’s a little better, I have to admit. Hopefully this will lead to better and complex roles not just for me but for other actors of Asian descent.

Lia: You were in the ensemble in the original production of Miss Saigon. What did it mean for you to lead the show on Broadway after all these years?

Jon Jon: It meant so much to me. A couple of years ago I’ve accepted the fact that making my Broadway debut will not come into fruition because of my age and the lack of roles in shows for people like me. And I can’t seem to get cast in other Asian shows like The King and I. They probably think I’m not regal enough. I can’t blame them. I’m as blue collar looking as anyone out there. But when Cameron asked me if I wanted to do The Engineer on Broadway, I couldn’t believe it. The dream was not dead. And I made my Broadway debut at the age of 52.

[. . . ]

Lia: How did you balance the stage and TV shooting schedule?

Jon Jon: That was interesting and pretty cool. A few times I had to take the red eye after an evening performance in NYC, arrived in LA early morning, took a short nap and then get picked up for an early morning shoot. I filmed for a few days and then took a red eye back to New York after a late night shoot, arrived in my New York apartment to sleep for a few hours and then do 2 shows. And then repeat. I credit my agent for making it work.

Lia: Your entire family is in the business. Was “American Crime Story” the first time that you worked with your daughter, Isa Briones, on screen?

Jon Jon: That was the first time I worked with my daughter and it was pretty cool.

Lia: You must be so proud of her LA Ovation Award for Featured Actress in a Musical for East West Players’ production of Next to Normal, which garnered the top awards. How was she cast in Hamilton?

Jon Jon: We’re very proud of her! They really loved her even the first time she auditioned that they kept calling her back to work with her. Maybe it was a combination of her being a little young (18 at that time) or know where to put her but she finally booked the show after 7 months.

Lia: What’s next for you?

Jon Jon: I’m hoping to announce something good soon. We’ll see.

cdlatemc from averyfineday 01 on Vimeo.

Vulture wrote:
Ryan Murphy, Wendy Williams, Mindhunter, The Bold Type, and More Join Vulture Festival Lineup

May 1, 2018

SUNDAY, MAY 20

8 p.m. to 9 p.m.: RYAN MURPHY: IN CONVERSATION

Four-time Emmy-winning super-producer Ryan Murphy makes his Vulture Festival debut in a wide-ranging conversation with New York and Vulture Hollywood editor Stacey Wilson Hunt about his juggernaut TV career — he recently inked a history-making $300 million deal with Netflix — his provocative 2018 Emmy-contending limited series The Assassination of Gianni Versace and his Half Foundation initiative, which offers jobs, mentorships, and scholarships to women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ community. Murphy will also offer fans an exclusive look inside his groundbreaking forthcoming dance-musical drama Pose — set against New York’s 1980’s ballroom culture, it boasts the largest cast of transgender series regulars of any scripted series ever produced— which premieres June 3 on FX. Milk Studios (450 West 15th Street). Tickets $25 (includes complimentary access to the Vulture Lounge following the event).

twinstalktheatre: @jonjonbriones getting a visionary award at #ewpgala52 This guy is Amazing! An immigrant. A new American. A Broadway star! And the nicest guy backstage. Thank you! @eastwestplayers#twinstalktheatre

Los Angeles Times wrote:
Cody Fern plays the most involving victim in 'The Assassination of Gianni Versace'

May 01, 2018



Cody Fern, by most measures, was the least recognizable name attached to Ryan Murphy’s “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

The 30-year-old Australian actor had few credits to his name and prior to scooping up the role, had gone to London to work on a feature film that he was writing and directing as a means of taking control of his career.

“I really did not want to play the boy next door … it’s just not me,” Fern said when he stopped by the L.A. Times video studio this week.
Then came the audition that would put him in the company of Darren Criss, Edgar Ramirez, Penelope Cruz and Ricky Martin in a saga that explored the 1997 murder of the famed fashion designer — as well as the less-publicized murders that came before him — by serial killer Andrew Cunanan. For followers of the show, Fern would emerge with a noteworthy performance with his portrayal of little-known David Madson, Cunanan’s good friend who ultimately became one of his murder victims.

In keeping with the show’s reversed timeline narrative, viewers are introduced to Fern’s David with his harrowing last encounters with Cunanan, as explored in Episode 4, titled “House by the Lake.”

The episode opens with Madson bearing witness to the brutal murder of Jeff Trail, a friend Madson shared with Cunanan. As the episode progresses, Madson is essentially forced into fleeing the scene with Cunanan. At one point, they end up at a roadside bar and there’s a moment where Madson could try to escape from a bathroom window. But he doesn’t. And, ultimately, he ends up as Cunanan’s next victim. Much of the timeline is a theorization of events given that Madson and Cunanan did not live to tell the story.

“There is this element of stitching together what has happened in this time — that this man is murdered in [Madson’s] apartment and he’s seemingly involved in the police’s mind and then he ends up dead,” Fern said. “The core question, for me [as] David in this series, is ‘Why doesn’t he run when he smashes the window? Why doesn’t he go?’ … I will say this much: There is, throughout 'House by the Lake,’ the feeling of David looking back and assessing his life and all of the choices that he’s made, all of the hiding that he’s done, all of the repression he’s been through. … I think he’s starting to become aware of the fact that he’s spent a great deal of his life in hiding. Not being who he truly is. In that moment, David understands that even if he runs from this thing, where is he going to go?”

Ryan Murphy


Ryan Murphy is an Emmy, Golden Globe and Peabody Award-winning screenwriter, producer and director. He created the groundbreaking television drama Nip/Tuck, which won the Golden Globe for Best Television Series in 2005 and ran for six seasons. He also created the Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning series Glee, Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning anthology series American Horror Story and American Crime Story, Emmy-winning anthology series FEUD, Scream Queens and 9-1-1. His upcoming FX series Pose will make history by featuring the largest transgender series regular cast and the largest LGBTQ cast ever for a scripted series. On stage, he most recently teamed up with David Stone to produce the Broadway revival of The Boys in the Band, starring Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Matt Bomer and Andrew Rannells. Murphy wrote and directed the Golden Globe-nominated film Running with Scissors, starring Annette Bening and Gwyneth Paltrow, and the box office hit Eat, Pray, Love, starring Julia Roberts and Javier Bardem. In 2014, he directed the HBO movie The Normal Heart, which received Emmy and Golden Globe awards including the Emmy for Outstanding Television Movie.

styleandsociety: Variety Studio: Actors on Actors // Day 2 [camera emoji]
#VarietyStudio #ActorsOnActors #Day2 #RedCarpet #Celebration #Awards #JohnLegend #TiffanyHaddish #MandyMoore #DarrenCriss #JasonBateman #FrankieShaw #DebraMessing #SharonStone #DavidHarbour #KyleMaclachlan #SaraGilbert #StyleandSociety

Business Insider wrote:
The 8 best new TV shows of 2018 so far

May 2, 2018

Here are the best TV shows of 2018, ranked (along with their Rotten Tomatoes scores):

2.  "American Crime Story:  The Assassination of Gianni Versace" -- FX



Critic Score:  87%

Audience Score:  93%

The series, which is Ryan Murphy's best work to date, gives us a glimpse of Gianni Versace's life, impact, and death. But more than that, it's an examination of the men Versace's killer, Andrew Cunanan, murdered. It showcases the lives of gay men in the 90s, a time that's not so long ago, but was much different than today.

Vulture wrote:
The Best TV Shows of 2018 (So Far)

April 30, 2018

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)

Producer-director Ryan Murphy’s most uncompromising, mysterious, off-putting, ultimately devastating mini-series is the story of an assassin’s journey through misery and derangement that doubles as an expose of American homophobia in the 1990s. The most daring thing about it is its structure, which starts with the killing of Gianni Versace and works its way gradually backward through time, a gambit that cements a feeling of awful inevitability even as it explores cultural root causes. —Matt Zoller Seitz

The Killing Times wrote:
Sarah Hilary on The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

May 2, 2018

Award-winning crime novelist, Sarah Hilary, tells us why she was enthralled by The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story and why it’s the crime drama of the year so far.

I’d missed the first two episodes of The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story because I really didn’t think it was for me. I went out to lunch with Alison Graham (TV Editor of Radio Times) and she asked me if I had been watching it. I had to confess that I hadn’t but she urged me to see it, and boy was she right. Everyone I’ve spoken to about it has been blown away by it. I haven’t seen any negative comments about it on social media either, which is very unusual – normally you get one or two people who find something to say about it.

I was particularly impressed by it from a writing point of view, and how they unpacked the story. Structurally, they started with the assassination of Versace himself. Then they peeled it back and told Andrew Cunanan’s story, a murder at a time as it were. It was only really in the final episode where they brought it back to the police chase. What I particularly liked about it was that they cast a very good-looking young actor to play Cunanan (Darren Criss), the psychopath. In the back of my head there has always been this question that has been ticking away about all these true crime serial killer projects that are out there at the moment – Zac Efron has done a Ted Bundy film (Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile), there’s something about Manson that’s coming out, and there’s WACO, about David Koresh. I did enter into this series of American Crime Story quite warily and wondered whether this was just going to be just another a serial-killer-on-steroids depiction, with some catwalk glamour thrown in.

I was worried about whether it would lose sight of the obscene murders – the disgusting, repellent nature of what actually happened – but also the victims, which often happens in serial killer stories. I thought it might feature a very good-looking, sexy young psychopath taking off his preppy glasses and, like Wonder Woman, is transformed into something evil. Thankfully, it was much, much more than that and took the time to really explore the origin of Cunanan’s psychopathy, as well as treat his victims with respect.

[. . . ]

. . . But the writing and the structure of the series took you back – we saw the brutal hammering to death of his friend Jeffrey Trail, but we then spent the next two episodes finding out how Cunanan met him. They brought Jeffrey back to life, showed you his own torment and we followed his journey. We got to know him and admire him. If they had done it the other way – shown a young man conflicted about his sexuality, trying to escape the military, experimenting, trying to be brave, failing, trying to be brave, only to meet a terrible, awful, futile death, it wouldn’t have had the same impact if we had not been given this context. Jeffrey Trail had people who loved him. He had a life. He was brave.

It’s the same when Cunanan killed another young man later in the series. They were dancing in a club. They were both very beautiful. It was a spectacle. But by adding the humanity even though you’ve seen him die in the most horrible way, the brutality and callousness of Cunanan’s crime are given extra weight. For the victims you feel real sadness because we felt like we knew them.

When it comes out on DVD, I intend to watch it again but in reverse order, because that’s almost how it was structured. It was masterful. I’m pretty sure the whole pace of it deliberately slowed down as the series unfolded, which is very unusual. The first episode was very fast paced, but by the time we got to the middle of the series, when Cunanan has tip-toed over that edge into a habit he can’t stop and he’s interacting with his victims, those scenes are full of breathing space. Almost like screenwriter Tom Rob Smith’s previous work, London Spy. It’s very poetic. With its drawn-out moments, it really makes you think about Cunanan; about who he was and why he was doing what he was doing.

This nuanced, considered approach to exploring psychopathy made not only Cunanan a fully-rounded character, but also his prey real people, not martyrs or victims. Towards the end, there was a lovely line from a friend of Cunanan’s, a drug addict who more or less lived on Miami Beach, who said to the FBI when they questioned him: “You thought he was disgusting, long before he became disgusting.” Serial killers are often fetishised on television or in film, and to hear this line – an acknowledgement that serial killers are disgusting – is very rare.

Many serial killer series or films really focus on the chase and the cat-and-mouse element. With The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story the camera drew back and invested instead in the things we, as viewers, really value in a crime story: the compassion and the humanity, and the pity and the pathos. These things were layered delicately and slowly, and in a structural sense, it was a delight to watch. As a writer, I’m constantly fascinated at how screenwriters structure their stories, and Versace was an incredible example in peeling the layers back.

And unlike its predecessor (The People v. OJ Simpson), which often felt like a documentary, this really was a fully-formed drama and an original piece of work. It was so compelling and I can’t remember the last TV show I wanted to watch live as much as this, as opposed to catch-up. Tom Rob Smith has woven such an incredible story from such a sordid truth, one that has a mythic arc that includes all the themes I love to explore in my books: the legacy of childhood and the shadow it casts, and other people’s expectations. It’s going to take some serious beating.

Sarah Hilary is an award-winning crime author, whose fifth Marnie Rome book – Come And Find Me – is out to buy now, which The Observer said: “Hilary belts out a corker of a story, all wrapped up in her vivid, effortless prose. If you’re not reading this series of London-set police procedurals then you need to start right away.”

Movie Awards Buzz wrote:
American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace Review

May 1, 2018

The first we see of the murderous Andrew Cunanan, played brilliantly by Darren Criss, is of him preparing to murder, and then murdering fashion designer Gianni Versace, who is precisely portrayed by the excellent Edgar Ramirez. . .

In his portrayal of Cunanan, Darren Criss does an outstanding job in what is a complicated role. He completely runs the show, as he gets to be flamboyant, confident, yet slimy and creepy, helped by the dramatic irony that comes with the show as we see what Cunanan is capable of, and with this in mind stops the audience for having much sympathy for him. Criss’ dedication to the role is admirable, and with a lesser actor in the role, the show may completely collapse, that’s the level of intensity he brings to the table. . . 

Taking on a different challenge from the first season, with this being more of a character study and asking why, rather than a ‘whodunit’, FX has made American Crime Story to be a force to be reckoned with the way that it can seemlessly approach different kinds of crime, which bodes well for the upcoming seasons of the show. Does the series match the dizzy heights of The People vs. O.J. Simpson? Not quite, but it does manage to tell this story in the right way- honouring the victims of these crimes, it’s deeply reflective and portrays the real tragedy of the events, and does it in its own stylistic way that is fitting to the 21st century television audience.

The National Student wrote:
TV Review: American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace

May 2, 2018

Darren Criss is outstanding in his portrayal of Versace’s killer Andrew Cunanan. In a role that is the complete antithesis of his role as charming, openly gay high schooler Blaine Anderson on Glee, Criss shines as he portrays the closeted Cunanan as a charming, manipulative and deeply disturbed killer, whilst also delving into the crushing loneliness beneath. It’s an incredible and nuanced performance which somehow has you both feeling incredibly uneasy and disturbed and yet also feeling pity for Cunanan at the same time.

The back and forth of the timeline does feel incredibly confusing at times.. . . The ultimate payoff is good and I don’t think the story would have been as compelling had it been told in a traditional narrative structure, but it does mean you have to deal with some frustration as the narrative goes backwards and forwards in time.

The cinematography of the series cannot be overstated: the visuals are over the top and stunning and it is hard not to be dragged in to the lavish world of 1990’s Miami and juxtaposing this lavish background against the sheer horror of Cunanan’s actions, is very, very effective. Versace also boasts an impressive soundtrack, with each music choice perfectly fitted to the scene it accompanies.

By not solely devoting the series to Cunanan’s most famous victim, as the title of the series mistakenly suggests, we as viewers get to see and explore the lesser known victims of Cunanan’s murder spree, with earnest and endearing performances from both newcomer Cody Fern (who plays Cunanan’s lover and second victim, David Madson) and Finn Wittrock (who plays Jeffrey Traill, the first victim of Cunanan’s murder spree). It can be all too easy to forget in the glitz and glamour of the world of Versace, that most of Cunanan’s victims were ordinary, closeted gay men, who were it not for the notoriety of Cunanan’s last victim, would likely have remained completely unknown. For me, the stories of Lee Miglin, David Madson and Jeffrey Traill, were just as, if not more compelling than Versace’s.

[. . .]

The exploration of homophobia in the 90’s can seem a little heavy-handed at times, especially in the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” episode, but there’s no doubt that the show achieves what it sets out to here, showing how homophobia and 90’s society allowed Cunanan to get away with as many murders as he did.

Overall, Versace is a dark and disturbing look into Andrew Cunanan and the society that created a serial killer, . . .  Darren Criss’ career-defining performance, a stellar supporting cast and a combination of stunning visuals and audio make for disturbing, yet ultimately compelling viewing.

Innov8Tiv wrote:
Best TV Series, Seasons of 2018

April 30, 2018

The Assassination of Gianni Versace

FX’s American crime story has picked a real, high-profile murder, dramatize it, and nail it. Andrew Cunanan, a serial killer, pathological liar and creep show extraordinaire, is the leading player as the show leads to his three-month murder spree in United States. Cunanan’s role is played by Darren Criss who delivers an impressive performance by bringing humanity to the sociopathic character

The Hollywood Reporter wrote:
MTV Movie & TV Awards: 'Black Panther,' 'Stranger Things' Top Nominations

5/3/2018

Black Panther and Stranger Things top the list of nominees for th 2018 MTV Movie & TV Awards, announced Thursday.

[. . . ]

On the TV side, shows earning multiple noms include Riverdale and Game of Thrones with three apiece. Netflix leads all TV networks and streamers with 10 total noms.

For a second consecutive year, the categories will be gender-neutral, with both men and women competing alongside each other. For best TV performance, Brown is nominated alongside Darren Criss (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story),Katherine Langford (13 Reasons Why), Issa Rae (Insecure) and Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones). . .

[. . . ]

The awards are voted on by fans, with voting underway at MTVAwards.MTV.com.

The 2018 “MTV Movie & TV Awards will air Monday, June 18, at 9 p.m. ET/PT from the Barker Hangar in Los Angeles. Emmy winner Joel Gallen, who helped create the awards show and produced it for 14 years, will return as executive producer through his Tenth Planet Productions. MTV’s Amy Doyle, Garrett English and Wendy Plaut also will executive produce along with Rick Austin.

Best Performance in a Show

Millie Bobby Brown - Stranger Things

Darren Criss - The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Katherine Langford - 13 Reasons Why

Issa Rae - Insecure

Maisie Williams - Game of Thrones

TV Tonight wrote:
Airdate: The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

May 3, 2018

Ask and you shall receive….

Foxtel has now confirmed The Assassination of Gianni Versace, the second season of Ryan Murphy’s anthology American Crime Story will begin at 8:30pm on Thursday May 24.

The series stars Édgar Ramírez as Gianni Versace, Darren Criss as Andrew Cunanan, Ricky Martin as Antonio D’Amico and Penélope Cruz as Donatella Versace.

This aired in the US in January and moves to Foxtel following the end of TEN’s output deal with FOX.

Darren Criss Army wrote:Yes, Darren used the Kermit gif!!!

Showbiz Tonight: Jon Jon Briones receives Visionary Award by East West Players

After wowing audiences as The Engineer in Broadway’s Miss Saigon and gaining mainstream fans playing a Filipino character in the “AHS: The Assassination of Gianni Versace,” actor/singer Jon Jon Briones was awarded one of the most prestigious awards in the Asian American entertainment community. | 3 May 2018

Fil Am Creative wrote:

FilAm Creative To Host 4th Annual Hollywood Actors Panel; Saturday, June 9, 2018 at 2pm

SAVE-THE DATE:  June 9, 2018

The 4th Annual FilAm Creative Hollywood Actors Panel for Actors  

PURCHASE TICKETS:  TO BE ANNOUNCED

*** SEATING IS LIMITED ***

2018 INDUSTRY GUEST PANELISTS

Jon Jon Briones (just added)

Last seen as ‘Modesto Cunanan’ on FX’s American Horror Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace and played ‘The Engineer’ in the US, London, Philippines and German stage productions of Miss Saigon, of which he garnered prestigious award nominations and recognitions throughout his theater career. On television, he guest-starred on FOX’s Designated Survivor, CBS’ Criminal Minds, FOX’s Bones, CBS’ The Mentalist, NBC’s Southland, USA’s Monk, NBC’s Law & Order: LA and FX’s Sons of Anarchy.

Showbiz Tonight: Jon Jon Briones receives Visionary Award by East West Players

After wowing audiences as The Engineer in Broadway’s Miss Saigon and gaining mainstream fans playing a Filipino character in the “AHS: The Assassination of Gianni Versace,” actor/singer Jon Jon Briones was awarded one of the most prestigious awards in the Asian American entertainment community. | 3 May 2018