The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

WWD wrote:
Darren Criss, Eyeing an Emmy

August 14, 2018

The actor discusses “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story,” which racked up 18 Emmy nominations.
 
Earning his first Emmy nomination for acting hasn’t gone to Darren Criss’ head — even if he’s also the one to beat.

[ . . . ]

The 31-year-old actor shows up to the tropical-themed rooftop venue Good Behavior in pink shorts, a T-shirt bearing Giorgio Armani’s face — obtained through a gift bag from an event — and a drawstring gym bag emblazoned with the University of Michigan, his alma mater. He’s a “Glee” alum (his original song “This Time” earned him his first Emmy nomination in 2015), and his musical theater background is quickly apparent — he launches into a short rendition of “Love Me Do,” which he’s also been singing for his driver all morning. The easygoing class of 2009 grad is nominated for his portrayal of serial killer Andrew Cunanan in “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.” He’s favored to win in the limited series category, in which he’s the second actor of Asian descent to be nominated; like Cunanan, Criss is half Filipino.

As a whole, the show picked up 18 nominations across categories, including for best limited series. When asked about his individual nomination, Criss, a true team player, expresses his gratitude before passing the ball back to his team.

“I feel like the nomination is this absurdly generous bonus to something that I’ve already been excited by for quite some time now,” he says. “My general attitude toward life is I hope for everything but expect nothing. But when you’re playing for the Warriors, there’s a good chance you’ll make it to the championships. And I’m not saying I’m Steph Curry, but when you’re on [showrunner] Ryan Murphy’s team, it seems more palpable than ever,” he continues. (Criss previously starred on “Glee,” another Murphy creation, although they didn’t directly work together.) “I feel like I’ve already won the lottery.”

Criss has been riding the wave with his “American Crime Story” cohorts, which includes Penélope Cruz, Ricky Martin and Édgar Ramírez; all three are also nominated, for best supporting roles.

[ . . . ]

In telling Cunanan’s story, Criss hopes that the show brought to light into an otherwise dark chapter. “We’re trying to spark a discussion, that there’s something much bigger going on than those specific tragedies,” he said, adding that he hopes the show is able to “bring justice” for those impacted.

“That to me is what is so great about ‘American Crime Story’ — obviously, we’re framing it around a famous series of crimes, but we’re also talking about the distinctly American crimes that allowed these things to happen. In our case, it’s homophobia in the Nineties,” Criss says, recounting Cunanan’s victims. “How homophobia affects not only a world-famous successful fashion design, but also a deeply closeted successful real estate developer in Chicago, and a young man in the military in San Diego.” Also, Cunanan. “How it affects a bright, talented, good-looking, charismatic kid from one of the poorest neighborhoods in San Diego, born into a family wrought with mental illness. How its tentacles connects and affects all these people and shapes all their lives in a really unfortunate way.

[ . . .]


While Criss has a few projects in the works, which he’s unable to discuss, he does note some of his other upcoming ventures: working on another EP with his brother for their band Computer Games, writing another score for a musical, the New York-based Elsie Fest that he coproduces. He and his fiancé, Mia Swier, just opened a bar, Tramp Stamp Granny’s, in Los Angeles. (“I’m quite literally just the piano player,” he says.)

Oh, and he also has the Emmy Awards ceremony on Sept. 17.

“As far as the acting thing is concerned, I don’t know,” Criss adds. “I’m waiting around for the fates to let me know what’s next. I’m looking out on the edge of the precipice looking down, and seeing who has the funnest net to jump into.”

Jeremy wrote:I guess (and hope) he's unable to talk about it because it's something big.

Jeremy wrote:In terms of upcoming projects, I think he should focus on doing things for himself, as long as he's healthy enough and good-looking enough to be under the spotlight. I think he should play characters who are twenty something (because, in a few years, these roles are gonna be more difficult to get) and keep "shadow projects" (like writing for a musical in which he won't appear) for the future.

Los Angeles Times wrote:
Emmy predictions: 'Versace' and 'The Tale' stand out in the limited series, movie races

August 15, 2018

LEAD ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES / TV MOVIE

Antonio Banderas, “Genius: Picasso” Darren Criss, “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” Benedict Cumberbatch, “Patrick Melrose” John Legend, “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert” Jesse Plemons, “USS Callister” (“Black Mirror”)

Winner: Criss

Analysis: It’s probably either Criss or Cumberbatch, two dazzling performances in difficult-to-watch projects. I lean toward Criss as more voters probably saw his creepy, chilling, all-in work playing killer Andrew Cunanan. And though Cumberbatch owns six nominations, television academy members have given him just one Emmy over the years. That reluctance is a mystery that would puzzle even the best detective.

Awards Daily wrote:
Ryan Murphy and the ‘Assassination of Gianni Versace’ on Bringing the Complexities of the Andrew Cunanan Story to TV

Aug. 16, 2018

Wednesday evening hundreds of fans and Emmy voters packed The LACMA Bing Theater in Los Angeles for an FYC event celebrating the second installment of FX's critically acclaimed anthology series American Crime Story:  The Assassination of Gianni Versace.

Ryan Murphy moderated the Q&A panel featuring the Emmy nominated ensemble including Darren Criss, Finn Wittrock, and Edgar Ramirez as well as a couple of surprise Skype visits from Judith Light and Ricky Martin. Ryan Murphy and the ensemble were joined by executive producers Alexis Martin Woodall and Brad Simpson as well as executive producer/writer Tom Rob Smith. The cast and creative team Spike with Ryan Murphy on a range of topics from the unusual structure to the story to bringing an equal weight to all of the victim’s stories to just how prevalent the themes of the story are 20 years later.

. . . Immediately following the success of the first season Ryan Murphy knew he wanted to take the second season in a vastly different direction and that the story of Andrew Cunanan was the story to tell. “At it’s very best American Crime Story tackles social issues and is about so much more than a simple crime.” The themes at the core of the Andrew Cunanan/Gianni Versace story including internalized and institutional homophobia had haunted Murphy since he first learned of the story in the 90s and they had stuck with him ever since.

Executive Producer Alexis Martin Woodall touched on what initially inspired the creative team heading into the second season and what type of story they were hoping to tell with The Assassination of Gianni Versace. “Versace was a more personal story, especially to Ryan. With Versace, we moved to a massive crime in America that hardly anyone knew about, a crime that is more specific and less universal. Our goal was to show just how universal the story actually is by discussing homophobia (similar to what we did with racism) and this exclusion of other.”

The rest of the producing team, including executive producer Brad Simpson, . . . were immediately hooked by Ryan Murphy’s enthusiasm for the project. “We didn’t really know the depth of the story. . . It wasn’t just about Versace. It was about a young man, someone I would have been friends with in high school… He was unstable but he wasn’t destined to be a killer. He was a child that grew up in a world of hate and was made to be a killer by society and by his parents.”

[ . . . ]

Woodall highlighted how the unusual structure in the story was able to highlight all of these men in a way that showed how they were affected by homophobia and prevented them from becoming a footnote in their own story. “One of the natural aspects of the structure was that the first victims  (Jeff Trail, David Madson, and Lee Miglin) weren’t just stepping stones in a story leading up to the murder of an icon. Instead it emphasized their importance and gave them equal weight. When we completely figured out the structure it all clicked in a way that honored everyone.”

As dark as Andrew Cunanan’s story became Emmy nominee Darren Criss was absolutely fearless about portraying such a troubling and complicated life. As Criss put it himself he “had been working towards this moment my entire life and wanted to approach the role with the same gravitas” he gave to his other roles. In the end that fearlessness really paid off. “I was really pleased when people came up to me to tell me how conflicted they were about Andrew. One of my favorite things about storytelling is twisting the audience’s considerations. That was the mountain to climb with portraying Andrew. I continuously referred back to an early conversation with Ryan that was so important to understanding Andrew and that was about how no one is born a monster.”

The Hollywood Reporter wrote:
Sterling K. Brown, Antonio Banderas, More Leading Actors on Slipping Into Character, Unexpected Responses From Fans

8/16/2018

  . . . Now, 15 nominated lead actors speak with THR about their proudest moments, favorite scenes and Emmy-night hopes.

[ . . . ]

What moment from the show do you feel is the best representation of Andrew Cunanan?

Andrew didn’t really creep me out as much as he broke my heart. He had so much potential, but somehow went from being a bright, promising young man to a murderer. One line that sticks out is when he was stealing the suit of his friend’s husband and she goes, “Why didn’t you ask me for the suit?” And he looks at her and says, “I have nothing.” He felt like he was nothing and had nothing in the world. I think that moment in the show is very telling of the emptiness that he felt in life.

How would you decompress after filming heavy scenes?

I’m such a prankster on set. I take my job very seriously, but I don’t take myself seriously. I thought it was important to keep the spirits up and lift everyone out of this really dark place we’re in for hours at a time. There is at least an hour’s worth of a gag reel. If there was a staircase to fall down, I definitely fell down. If there was a door to walk into, if there was a prop to drop — things that were just so silly, I’d do it all.

Which member of your cast is best suited to run for office?

Edgar Ramirez. He’s had the most fascinating life. He’s lived everywhere, he speaks about five languages and he’s incredibly cultured. He’s a very outspoken, moving, charming guy.

Variety wrote:
‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace’: How Darren Criss Stayed Sane While Playing Serial Killer Andrew Cunanan

August 16, 2018


Darren Criss wasn’t nervous at all to move on from “Glee” to the darker role of serial killer Andrew Cunanan in FX’s “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story”

At least, that’s what he told uber-producer Ryan Murphy during a For Your Consideration event at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. “I’d been waiting and working for this moment my entire life…You really are just waiting for someone to pass you the ball,” Criss told Murphy.

It wasn’t just Criss who’d taken the ball and scored — the acclaimed FX series dramatizing the murder of the iconic fashion designer Versace at Cunanan’s hands and the harrowing path that led there scored 18 total Emmy nods in the limited series or movie category, and several of the show’s nominees were on hand for a panel discussion led by Murphy, himself nominated for outstanding directing. Joining them onstage were the series sole writer Tom Rob Smith (outstanding writing nominee), Edgar Ramirez and Finn Wittrock (both outstanding supporting actor nominees), and producers Brad Simpson and Alexis Martin Woodall (outstanding limited series), as well as surprise video callers Ricky Martin (outstanding supporting actor) and Judith Light (outstanding supporting actress).

On the red carpet before the panel, Criss told Variety that he felt his Emmy nomination was the culmination of a big-picture approach to his career, as well as a considerable team effort.

“I’ve always been a long-game guy, and I recognize that opportunities don’t come instantaneously,” he explained. “So while it’s been a very exciting year and exciting time, I think it’s the amalgam of a lot of time put in — years — and other things that people may not be as familiar with. And to make it a lot less about myself, because it really is more about the people around me, it’s the investment in those people and the mutual belief we have in each other. When you have acknowledgement at this level it’s validating for the whole team, I think, because show business is not a one-man army.”

Criss also recalled making a specific effort to shake off any lingering darkness from playing the troubled Cunanan as quickly as he could, as much for the sake of his fellow cast and crew members as for himself.

“I’m a very goofy person,” he admitted. “I don’t take myself very seriously, and so I took it upon myself to be as light and goofy as I possibly could on set; basically to help not only myself, but everybody on set that’s been working for hours and hours, for weeks and months at a time on really grim material, to have a reason to put a smile on our faces…I think that’s almost a self-preservation method of getting out of Andrew’s skin and his mind, but to me, it lives and dies between ‘action’ and ‘cut.’ I guess I’m lucky in that sense, that it never really followed me home.”

[. . . ]

[Writer Tom Rob] Smith praised Murphy’s always enviable ensemble of actors for their ability to elevate some of the series’ trickier sequences. “It’s unusual to give characters three-page scenes, which are essentially just two-handers,” he told Variety. “Those actors can hold that scene…TV now can take what’s the best of theater, I think, and give it this great visual spectacle as well, and I think that was the real takeaway: when you have the cast, you can really, in some ways, just let them do their thing for those three-page moments, and that’s certainly some of my favorite moments in the series.”

Producer Martin Woodall revealed that while development on a third installment of “American Crime Story” based on Hurricane Katrina remains in development, the team is currently focused on enjoying the post-“Versace” accolades. “We are really excited about the Emmy run, because we all worked really hard on this show, and we’re grateful that it was sort of a quiet response initially that sort of turned into a roar,” she said.

She’s also been enjoying watching Murphy in his current moment, developing new series for Netflix in the wake of his reported $300 million deal with the streaming giant. As a fixture of Murphy’s behind-the-scenes team since she started out with him as a production assistant, “I know him intimately and I respect him immensely, and my favorite thing about what changed: nothing,” she said. “It’s always about do the work and do the work well with him, and I really respect that. Of course we all joke about the new zeroes added to his name, but really and truly he is the same person. He works really hard, he really quests for something more when it comes to both entertainment and education.”

Deadline wrote:
How ‘The Assassination Of Gianni Versace’ Still Resonates Today: Ryan Murphy, EPs & Cast At Deadline’s Emmy FYC Event

August 16, 2018

“It’s a contemporary period piece, but it feels so modern to me, the things we were grappling with then, we’re still grappling with,” said Murphy at Deadline’s Emmy FYC event at the LACMA Wednesday night.

[ . . . ]

“American Crime Story at its best is something that tackles social issues and explores them, it’s not just really about a crime, it’s about something more societal at its best.” added the four-time Emmy winner of Glee, The Normal Heart and The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.

“It was extraordinary to have this experience and to shine a light on this older man and younger man and people from Minneapolis and Chicago, whose lives I knew nothing about who had struggled to find their existence in America despite being gay,” said Tom Rob Smith, who is Emmy-nominated in the limited series writing category, about Cunanan’s victims, former U.S. Navy officer Jeffrey Trail and 72-year-old real estate developer Lee Miglin.

[ . . . ]

Darren Criss had the bold opportunity to portray Cunanan, a role which Murphy always knew the former Glee actor had the dramatic chops to pull off.

Criss, who is nominated in the lead actor limited category, savored the role’s complexity, especially in how it illustrated the sensitive nerves and inner-workings of a broken young man:  “The story is a coming-of-age tragedy. We are looking for so many reasons to like this person, even though we have every reason not to.”

“We spoke about that, you and I,” Murphy told Criss last night, “No one is born a monster. Monsters are created. I thought that was an important part of the show.”

[ . . . ]

“I know this conversation (tonight) will make an impact for a lot of people who are struggling, who are dealing right now with the level of injustice, not just in America. But I just came back from Dubai and people were asking me what it was like to play Antonio,” said [Ricky] Martin, “And for me, Dubai, such a conservative country, that they were open to talking about this –man, Ryan– we made a difference. This is something to celebrate.”

Link

AdrienneFord: Darren Criss on being an actor #ACSVersace #Fox21 #FX

AdrienneFord: Ryan Murphy on directing Darren Criss #ACSVersace #Fox21 #FX

Darren Criss and Mia Swier attend the panel and photo call for FX’s ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story’ at Los Angeles County Museum of Art on August 15, 2018 in Los Angeles, California.

Darren Criss, Tom Rob Smith, Finn Wittrock and Edgar Ramirez attend the panel for FX’s ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story’ at Los Angeles County Museum of Art on August 15, 2018 in Los Angeles, California.

The Hollywood Reporter wrote:
Feinberg Forecast: Where Things Stand as Final Emmy Voting Gets Underway

8/15/2018

Best Limited Series

PROJECTED ORDER OF FINISH

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)
Godless (Netflix)
Patrick Melrose (Showtime)
Genius: Picasso (National Geographic)
The Alienist (TNT)


Best Actor in a Limited Series or a Television Movie

PROJECTED ORDER OF FINISH

Darren Criss (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
John Legend (Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert)
Antonio Banderas (Genius: Picasso)
Benedict Cumberbatch (Patrick Melrose) — podcast
Jeff Daniels (The Looming Tower) — podcast
Jesse Plemons (Black Mirror: USS Callister) — podcast


Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Television Movie

PROJECTED ORDER OF FINISH

Jeff Daniels (Godless) — podcast
Edgar Ramirez (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
Brandon Victor Dixon (Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert)
Ricky Martin (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
Finn Wittrock (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
John Leguizamo (Waco)
Michael Stuhlbarg (The Looming Tower)


Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Television Movie

PROJECTED ORDER OF FINISH

Merritt Wever (Godless)
Penelope Cruz (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
Judith Light (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
Sara Bareilles (Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert)
Letitia Wright (Black Mirror: Black Museum)
Adina Porter (American Horror Story: Cult)


Best Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special

PROJECTED ORDER OF FINISH

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story — “The Man Who Would Be Vogue” (Ryan Murphy) — podcast
Godless (Scott Frank)
The Looming Tower — “9/11” (Craig Zisk)
Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert (David Leveaux and Alex Rudzinski)
Twin Peaks (David Lynch)
Paterno (Barry Levinson)
Patrick Melrose (Edward Berger)


Best Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special

PROJECTED ORDER OF FINISH

Godless (Scott Frank)
Black Mirror: USS Callister (Charlie Brooker and William Bridges)
Twin Peaks (Mark Frost and David Lynch)
Patrick Melrose (David Nicholls)
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story — “House by the Lake” (Tom Rob Smith)
American Vandal — “Clean Up” (Matthew McManus and Kevin McManus)

The Hollywood Reporter wrote:
Emmys: Breaking Down the Odds in the Limited Series and TV Movie Races

8/17/2018

'The Assassination of Gianni Versace:  American Crime Story'
FX


Ryan Murphy's nine-
part second installment of the American Crime Story anthology series comes two years after his first, The People v. 
O.J. Simpson, was chosen as the top limited series. This one 
earned strong reviews and ratings; the Critics' Choice Award 
for movies, miniseries and specials; and 18 Emmy noms (including directing, writing and an unequaled six acting noms), the most in the field.

On the other hand... Andrew Cunanan's serial killing spree has less of 
a hold on the public's imagination than the O.J. case did.

'Patrick Melrose'
Showtime


Adapted from Edward St. Aubyn's novels, this five-parter centers on a Brit who — after the death of the father who abused him — strives 
to overcome the fallout of that abuse. The TV Academy loves Benedict Cumberbatch (this is his sixth nomination, and he 
won for lead actor in a miniseries in 2014 for Sherlock) and nominated him as well as the show's directing and writing — a trifecta only Versace and Godless can also claim.

On the other hand... No nominee in this category offers fewer installments (two offer twice as many), which may make Melrose seem slight in comparison.

Darren Criss / The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)
Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie

“The whole show is about the haves and the have-nots, and how they affect each other. Andrew Cunanan was definitely a have-not who found a couple of routes to make him feel like he had something more than he did.”

Darren Criss Army wrote:Darren appears at 0:44 and 1:12 of the VF video

Darren Criss Army wrote:His part starts at 12:36.

Darren Criss and Edgar Ramirez arrive to the Television Academy’s Performers Peer Group Celebration held at NeueHouse Hollywood on August 20, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. | X X

Entertainment Tonight wrote:
How to Watch the 2018 Emmy-Nominated Shows You May Have Missed

August 21, 2018

Here’s ET’s viewing guide to some of the must-watch Emmy-nominated shows:

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Emmy Nominations: 18 including Outstanding Limited Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series - Darren Criss, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series - Ricky Martin

Key Episodes: “The Man Who Would Be Vogue,” “A Random Killing” and “House by the Lake”
Where to Watch: Buy on Amazon/iTunes; coming soon to Netflix

Following the success of The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, a courtroom drama about the 1995 murder trial of the former footballer that earned Sarah Paulson her first Emmy for portraying prosecutor Marcia Clark, the second installment of ACS steers far away from the law and order of the first. Instead, The Assassination of Gianni Versace takes audiences on a dark journey about Andrew Cunanan (Darren Criss at his best), a troubled gay man who murdered five men, including designer Gianni Versace (Edgar Ramirez). Told in reverse order, the show kicks off with the killing of Versace and then traces Cunanan’s journey back through the four prior murders -- with notable appearances by Finn Wittrock and Cody Fern, on the cusp of a breakout with upcoming roles in American Horror Story and House of Cards, and Judith Light as the widow of one of Cunanan’s victims -- and his strained relationship with his father in an attempt to explain Cunanan’s psyche and what drove him to seek fame, notoriety and bloodshed. --S.L.

“First a viral hit in a college “Harry Potter” parody musical, then a breakout triple threat on “Glee” and Broadway, and now Emmy-nominated for playing an assassin, Darren Criss is one of today’s most charismatic and versatile storytellers.”

(Source: SoundCloud / In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast)

Backstage wrote:
‘In the Envelope’ Podcast: Emmy Nominee Darren Criss Is ‘Such a Fan of the Human Race’

August 23, 2018

First a viral hit in a college “Harry Potter” parody musical, then a breakout triple threat on “Glee” and Broadway, and now Emmy-nominated for playing an assassin, Darren Criss is one of today’s most versatile storytellers. It’s also no surprising to anyone familiar with his work that he gives an exceedingly charming podcast interview.

“I am such a fan of the human race,” he tells Backstage. “Despite all our dumb bullshit, I love human beings. Despite all of it, I really believe in our resilience and in our beauty and all the things that we’re capable of.... I like to highlight as many different parts of the infinite palette of colors that make us up, that make the human experience up. So if my paintbrush can illustrate and use as many of those as possible to help people find as many common denominators not only between the story they’re watching, but with each other, that’s my plight.”

Playing the lead role of Andrew Cunanan in “The Assassination of Gianni Versace,” the second season of Ryan Murphy’s anthologized FX hit “American Crime Story,” Darren dug deep into the darkest parts of his own psyche—and managed to find, as he always does, that common humanity. Cunanan, a gay man who went on a killing spree in the 1990s that included fashion mogul Gianni Versace, is the role of a lifetime and Criss’ most challenging to date. The performance is nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie at the upcoming 70th Primetime Emmy Awards, alongside those of supporting actors Edgar Ramírez, Ricky Martin, Finn Wittrock, Penélope Cruz, and Judith Light; the limited series is up for a whopping 18 Emmys total (its first season, “The People v. O. J. Simpson,” won nine).

In the final “In the Envelope” episode of this Emmys season, Criss talks about channeling the Greek tragedy-esque gravitas of Murphy’s work, his musical theater company StarKid Productions, and the trick to creating the material that can give you your big break.

Vulture wrote:
What TV Execs Really Think About This Year’s Emmy-Nominated Actors

August 23, 2018

Trying to predict the winners of any given awards show is an inexact science, and that’s particularly true of the Emmys. While slightly more than 7,000 people decided this year’s Oscar winners, the TV Academy’s membership rolls have swollen to more than 23,000 potential voting members, up sharply from an estimated 16,000 to 19,000 just two years ago. There are also no fewer than 30 different “peer groups” which help determine various races, ranging from actors and animators to PR people and, yes, even TV executives. The same folks who determine which shows live or die also get a say in choosing Emmy winners and losers. So Vulture decided to find out what they’re thinking about this year’s key races, and how their opinions compare with the conventional wisdom of this year’s TV awards season. Their responses may not help you win your office Emmy pool, but they do offer a fascinating peek inside the minds of TV’s creative gatekeepers.

[ . . . ]

Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie

The nominees: Antonio Banderas (Genius: Picasso), John Legend (Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert), Benedict Cumberbatch (Patrick Melrose), Darren Criss (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story), Jeff Daniels (The Looming Tower), Jesse Plemons (Black Mirror)

Emmy prognosticators seem to think this category will come down to a battle between Versace’s Darren Criss and Patrick Melrose’s Benedict Cumberbatch, and both actors have support from our exec panel. “It was a total breakout performance for Darren Criss,” one voter said. “The Aimee Mann scene in the bar, and what happened after, really stuck with me for a few days.” Another exec said that while she thinks Criss will win, she’s voting for Cumberbatch: “Benedict took on a role that could be so easily botched and he did a superb job.” But our voters were also equally enthusiastic about the job Jesse Plemons did in his Black Mirror episode, “USS Callister,” even if they acknowledge the Emmy odds are stacked against him. “I don’t think he has a shot of winning, but his portrait of an unexpected tech mouse turned starship tyrant was both incredibly watchable and kept revealing layer after layer,” one voter said.

Michigan Avenue wrote:
Darren Criss Dishes on His Emmy Nom for 'American Crime Story,' Why He Loves Chicago Theater & the Best Acting Advice He's Ever Received

August 23, 2018

Interview by Benj Pasek. Photography by Michael Muller |  August 23, 2018 | People Feature

With a just-wrapped concert tour, new music in the works and an Emmy nod for The Assassination of Gianni Versace, multitalented University of Michigan grad Darren Criss just might be one of the most versatile performers of his generation—and he’s just getting started.

To television viewers used to seeing Darren Criss belting out pop tunes on Glee, his unsettling, riveting performance as serial killer Andrew Cunanan in Ryan Murphy’s blockbuster series American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace was completely unexpected. One person who wasn’t surprised? Benj Pasek, who studied theater with Criss at the University of Michigan and saw firsthand the seriousness his classmate brought to the craft. On the heels of Criss’ Emmy nomination for best actor in a limited series/TV movie, Pasek (an award-winning songwriter for projects like Dear Evan Hansen and The Greatest Showman) caught up with the 31-year-old Criss in an exclusive chat for Michigan Avenue to talk Penélope Cruz, favorite Chicago dining spots, why he’s a champion of the gay community and the best acting advice he’s ever received.

[ . . . ]

BP: Versace received 18 nominations, which is extraordinary. Did you have a sense when you were filming that it was going to catch fire?
DC: My mantra is, ‘One hopes for everything but expects nothing.’ I was just happy to be part of the project, which was amazing for myriad reasons. All the boxes were ticked: the people you’re working with; the story itself is interesting; the role is varied and nuanced and complex. This is a role I’ve worked and waited for my entire life. It’s enough just to be a part of that, so one tries not to think of what might happen in the more splashy accolade space because you already feel like you’ve won the lottery.

BP: Obviously, you worked with Ryan Murphy on Glee, but how did the role come to you?
DC: You and I have talked about this at length—we both admire versatility and range, not only in other people’s work, but in having the opportunity to use different colors on the proverbial artist’s palette. So if you do a project that’s green, you look forward to the next thing that can be blue, and the next one that can be red, and others that mix the two. You want to bring to life different forms and personalities that you have within yourself. And that’s something I am deeply indebted to Ryan for. I think he recognizes that I’ve studied acting as a craft and I take storytelling seriously, and I’m glad, because actors—unless you’re writing and producing your own stuff—are only as good as the moments they’re given from other people. When the opportunity arose, I’m grateful that Coach Ryan was like, “All right kid, you made it to varsity, get in there.” And I was ready.

[ . . . ]

BP: Back to the Emmy nomination—you're only the second actor of Asian descent to be nominated in the best actor category. What does that mean to you?
DC: I feel fortunate to be part of that history. It’s empowering and encouraging to people who may feel underrepresented, be they mixed or full, whatever ethnicity. When you see some version of yourself acknowledged, certainly in the media, it feels like your home team is winning.

BP: What’s the best piece of advice you ever got about being an actor?
DC: The things I remember are more pragmatic, tactical pieces of advice: Know the name of the cameraman. Know your crew. Realize that the creative process, once you start the collaborative process, is a team sport. And everyone’s looking out for each other, or should be at least, and the more you can familiarize yourself with your teammates, the more your team will feel good about passing you the ball.

BP: You have been such a champion of the LGBTQ+ community. How did your involvement in that cause come about?
DC: The way I have felt embraced by the LGBTQ community, I think, is the amalgam of so many serendipities throughout my life that I just feel fortunate it’s such a huge part of my identity not only as a person, but as a public person. I consider it sheer providence that a kid from San Francisco who grew up in a very troubled and ultimately resilient time for the gay community, and being raised by—not at home but backstage in theaters when I was a kid—these young men and women who were part of that, always gave me a respect and understanding for the gay community in whatever way I could understand it as a young cisgender straight person.

BP: Last question: What’s next for you?
DC: My brother and I are working on a batch of songs [for our band, Computer Games], and we’ll hopefully get something out in the next handful of months. We had a great run with Versace, but right now I’m hearing the click, click, click of the roller coaster going up, and I know some exciting new thing is about to happen. We’ll see what acting roles come my way, but one of the things I want to get back to, as I’ve hinted, is to write some kind of new musical soon. I say that now, but I’ll probably get off the phone and get a call and end up doing some random thing I would have never thought of doing. I always keep my receptors open, and as long as the project is interesting, has some significance and is different from the last thing, that’s what I’m into. It’s one of the great blessings and curses of having too many interests—it makes almost everything interesting to me. So, I’m as curious as the next guy.

The Hollywood Reporter wrote:
'Awards Chatter' Podcast — Darren Criss ('The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)

August 26, 2018


LISTEN: You can hear the entire interview below [starting at 12], following a conversation between host Scott Feinberg and Lacey Rose, THR's executive editor of TV coverage, about Jim Carrey's upcoming return to the spotlight in the Showtime series Kidding. 



Criss, who is Filipino-American, was born and raised in the Bay Area. He says that his biracial heritage is "one of my favorite things about myself," but he also noted that he has spent his life "passing" as white. He has previously been quoted as saying that he considers himself "lucky" to not appear to be Asian, but wanted to clarify the intention of his remarks during our conversation. "There are so many men and women that have faced a significant amount of obstacles — professionally or personally, perhaps — that they've had to get over in order to stake a claim in certain areas of life," he says. "So for me to say that I have also felt those, and I have faced these hardships, is a fucking lie, and is disrespectful to those people and unfair ... capitalizing on someone else's struggle that I really didn't have to go through by way of the way that I look. And in that regard, I have been 'lucky.'"

[ . . . ]

Glee ended in the spring of 2015, and it wasn't long after that when Murphy first broached the idea of his playing serial killer Andrew Cunanan, another Filipino-American, on the second season of American Crime Story. (The first, which was being made at the time, was The People v. O.J. Simpson, and it became a critical, ratings and awards phenomenon.) Murphy has described Criss as his "first and only choice" for the part, which would subvert Criss' genial screen persona, catching audience members who knew him from Glee off guard. Criss enthusiastically signed on, and embarked on an eight-month shoot, most of it in and around Miami in the same places where Cunanan himself had once traveled — or, in the case of the Versace mansion itself (now a hotel), tried to. The goal of everyone on the production was to humanize, but never to glamorize, Cunanan. As for the challenges and rewards of playing him? "Andrew was an actor himself," Criss asserts. "He played several different parts in the course of his life with different people to varying degrees. And that was really fun for me as an actor."

As Criss looks ahead to a future with more possibilities than ever before, thanks to the acclaim with which his Versace performance was greeted, he has been forced to ponder a question that much of the industry is currently weighing. Should heterosexual actors play LGBTQ characters, as he did in Glee, as a replacement in a Broadway revival of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and, of course, in Versace? "It is tricky," he admits. "Look, cisgender straight male playing these gay characters — that hasn't been a conscious, 'Oh, I must only play gay characters.' That's been just an honest-to-God coincidence. They're such different people that their homosexuality is sort of the least of the things that make them interesting; it's certainly part of their story, but not the central part of their narrative. But I do think about that now, you know, if roles come by that are LGBT-leaning, you know, I go, 'Gosh, guys [addressing his reps], I really think it would be insensitive to the gay community if I was to take another role. I think they'd have my head, you know? And I would totally understand that.' So I'm totally cognizant of that."

darrencriss: That time I had to buzz my head on camera but still had weeks of shooting left where my hair was supposed to be longer. Getting this thang on and off was always funny, slash, super impressive to watch. Movie Magic! 11/18/17 1:02pm

Jeremy wrote:I agree with Darren on the LGBT comment.  For example, Andrew Cunanan is mostly about jealousy, his sexual orientation is quite a detail. In ACS Versace, LGBT issues were mostly adressed with another characters like Jeff.

GQ wrote:
In The Assassination of Gianni Versace, Darren Criss Finally Found His Killer Performance

January 22, 2018

 . . . Cunanan, [was] a young man warped by the circumstances of his upbringing and his own unique pathology, coupled with a culture of homophobia that kept him from ever finding the level of acceptance that he sought.

.  .  .
If there's a running thread, it's how homophobia didn't just afflict Cunanan and help spur his crimes, it also shielded him and kept him from capture. Cunanan's story is one of shared cultural shame, chronicling how attitudes widely held twenty years ago—attitudes that are, frankly, still present—let a killer evade justice.  

[ . . . ] 

Criss also sees homophobia as an internal driving force in Cunanan's story, referring to "his hatred of that which made him different" as an aspect of his character that goes lockstep with '90s mainstream culture's indifference to and ignorance of the gay community.

Paste wrote:
Faggots, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Versace

January 16, 2018

I still wince when I hear it: “faggot" . . . It’s a slur, a seduction, a laugh line, a life raft; an acknowledgement, a dismissal, a provocation, a shield.

In one flashback in the season premiere, directed by Ryan Murphy and written by Tom Rob Smith (London Spy), Cunanan regales his friend Elizabeth Cote (Annaleigh Ashford) with the embroidered details of an encounter with Versace at a San Francisco nightclub, and the scene cycles through the complications of the term with remarkable alacrity. “I know the score,” Cunanan snipes, puffing himself up. “He’s a lecherous fag on the prowl”:

“Hey, faggot is not a nice word,” Cote scolds.

“Not nice when it’s said by the wrong person,” he counters. “But what are we supposed to call them? Homosexuals? Sounds so scientific. Anyway, I don’t have a problem with it. It doesn’t bother me. At all.”

We hear, see, feel the word “faggot” more in the eight episodes of Versace made available to critics than in all the other TV I’ve watched in my career, but the decision is most notable for the lengths to which the series goes to suggest faggot’s full complement of possibilities; in the space of a minute, in Cote’s pristine kitchen, it’s cast as an aspersion, called out as such, repurposed, weaponized—that insidious “them”—and finally brushed off, though of course the “problem,” for Andrew, the “bother,” is not that Versace’s a faggot. It’s that Cunanan’s a faggot himself.

Or is he? Versace, thrillingly thorny, refuses to settle on a single definition, application, approach to the word; at minimum, it so closely mimics my own tangled feelings about it, and its cultural signifiers, . . .  In its attempt to understand Cunanan and his crimes, Versace comes perilously close, in stretches, to mistaking personal for cultural pathologies, though to my mind it’s this willingness to court such slippages that renders it so compelling. It confronts us—scratch that, it confronted me—with a startling implication: That in the suburban upbringing, the shame, the dissembling, the desperate desire not to be a faggot, I might resemble the murderer more than I do the object of his obsession.

Daily Break wrote:
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story" Episode 5: The Cloud Hanging Over Everyone

Feb. 15, 2018

Then there’s Cunanan. Does he have an internal shame he’s not outwardly expressing? Is his self-hate the true reason for his murder spree? It’s still not clear if his anger stems from insecurities about his own sexuality, jealousy over the success of others or his rejection by both Trail and Madson. The man is such an enigma I feel like we still may never know his heart -- or lack thereof.

The Hollywood Reporter wrote:
Emmys 2018: Who Will Win, Who Should Win

8/28/2018 by Daniel Fienberg and Scott Feinberg


In a Feinberg vs. Fienberg showdown, THR's awards analyst crunches the stats to reveal the shows and actors most likely to take home trophies while a chief TV critic makes his final winner wishes.

Best Limited Series


Jeff Daly/FX

WILL WIN: The Assassination of Gianni Versace (FX)

Scott Frank's Western Godless, which could bring Netflix its first limited series win, and Showtime's literary adaptation Patrick Melrose, which stars voter favorite Benedict Cumberbatch, each have writing, directing and acting noms. So does Ryan Murphy's follow-up to The People v. O.J. Simpson — among a field-leading 18 noms.

SHOULD WIN: The Assassination of Gianni Versace (FX)

Ryan Murphy's second American Crime Story chapter committed 
the minor sin of not being as much fun as the O.J. Simpson installment. 
Still, with its narrative-in-reverse structure, it deftly crafted a 
uniquely American tragedy of wealth, racial identity and homophobia.


Best Actor in a Limited Series or a Television Movie


Courtesy of FX

WILL WIN: Darren Criss, The Assassination of Gianni Versace (FX)


One of Versace's six acting nominees will leave a winner, and Criss, playing against type as its twisted villain, seems likeliest. He'll have to fend off Melrose's Cumberbatch, Genius: Picasso's Antonio Banderas, The Looming Tower's Jeff Daniels, USS Callister's Jesse Plemons and Jesus himself, Jesus Christ Superstar's John Legend.

SHOULD WIN: Benedict Cumberbatch, Patrick Melrose (Showtime)

The cycles of addiction and depression in Patrick Melrose become 
repetitive, but it isn't the fault of Cumberbatch's varied performance, which evokes larger-than-life shades of misery in a grounded way. (Darren Criss 
in Versace and Jeff Daniels in The Looming Tower are also tremendous.)

On Monday, September 17th starting at 6pm ET/3PT, Emmys nominees will be answering YOUR questions. 
Send us your Q now at televisionacad.tumblr.com/ask

And watch the Emmys live, Sept 17 at 8pm ET/5PT on NBC.

Awards Daily wrote:
Who Are The Frontrunners in Limited Series/TV Movie Lead Acting Categories?

Sept 9, 2018

Now that voting has been opened up to the entire actors branch one of the biggest indicators in the limited series acting categories is which ensembles were well-received across the board. This year The Assassination of Gianni Versace is by far the most popular show among the actors with six total acting nominations making Darren Criss the early frontrunner. His performance as Andrew Cunnanan was by far the most terrifying performance of 2018 and simultaneously one of the most eye-opening.

Working against Criss is just how unlikable Andrew Cunanan is as a character even if the anthology series showed his circumstances in a different light. Some voters will be put off by the endless amount of horrific acts he commits and instead vote for someone else. He’s also fairly young compared to the average winner in this category but it didn’t stop them from rewarding Riz Ahmed last year.

Patrick Melrose has been a polarizing limited series for audiences with some extremely turned off by the style of the show while others have celebrated it as one of the year’s best. The one element everyone seems to agree on is just how powerful Benedict Cumberbatch’s lead performance is. Critics and audiences are celebrating it as the best work of his career. The material is also awards-friendly directly dealing including substance abuse. Cumberbatch would easily win under the old voting system but now that the winner is determined by a popular vote he might have a harder time if enough voters haven’t seen the series.

Both  John Legend (Jesus Christ Superstar Live) and Jesse Plemons (USS Callister) are well-liked performers from shows that are likely to win the top program awards whether it be for variety special or TV movie. Unfortunately neither of them have the momentum to pull off an upset. A group of actors probably won’t vote for a musician in the lead actor race. This is Plemons’ second nomination but the cast of Black Mirror might have a hard time actually winning against actors on multi-episode arcs.

Then there is Jeff Daniels (The Looming Tower) and Antonio Banderas (Genius: Picasso) – two well-liked actors who seemingly earned nominations off of recognition as opposed to voters actually liking the limited series.

Frontrunner – Darren Criss, American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace

“Ryan Murphy’s Versace series nabbed four wins over the weekend, including the important casting award for a limited series, often considered a harbinger of the acting prize.” https://t.co/wxTBGgcNFf
— acsversacenews (@acsversacenews) September 10, 2018

The New York Post wrote:
These are the frontrunners to win big at the Emmys

September 10, 2018

The Creative Arts Emmy Awards were held this past weekend in Los Angeles to honor TV’s behind-the-scenes achievements. In addition, the wins could pave the way for five productions in particular to clean up at Monday’s 70th annual Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by Michael Che and Colin Jost on NBC.

NBC’s “Jesus Christ Superstar Live,” staged at the Marcy Avenue Armory in Brooklyn, was among the night’s major winners. The musical picked up five Creative Arts trophies, including one for Outstanding Variety Special (Live), along with honors for production design, sound mixing, technical direction and lighting design.

Co-executive producer John Legend became the newest member of the EGOT club, adding a winged Emmy statuette to his Grammys, Oscar and Tony. Next week he’ll go up against Darren Criss (“The Assassination of Gianni Versace”) and Jeff Daniels (“The Looming Tower”) in the Primetime Emmys’ Lead Actor category for a limited series/TV movie for his title-role performance.

Ryan Murphy’s Versace series nabbed four wins over the weekend, including the important casting award for a limited series, often considered a harbinger of the acting prize.

Meanwhile, Murphy’s frequent collaborator Lou Eyrich picked up an Emmy for Outstanding Contemporary Costumes.

Film Inquiry wrote:
Staff Inquiry: Favorite 2018 Emmy Acting Nominees (Comedy & Limited Series)

September 10, 2018

After revealing our top picks in the Outstanding Lead Actor and Actress in a Drama Series categories for the forthcoming Emmy Awards (17th September, people!), Film Inquiry have rallied to fend for our favourite nominees in the Limited Series/Movie and Comedy Lead Performance categories.

See below who each of us are throwing our support behind and be sure to let us know your pick too!

[ . . . ]

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

Darren Criss surprised the world with his sensational, well-rendered performance as infamous serial killer Andrew Cunanan on FX’s The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story earlier this year. As someone mostly recognised for his work on a series as innocuous as Glee, it was a welcome surprise to witness a star being born, sinking his teeth into a far meatier role that has allowed him to demonstrate his true range and versatility as an actor. More so than any other nominee, it felt like a watershed moment for Criss, a career-redefining turn that proved him as an actor worth taking seriously: when he’s delivering a performance as fantastically-observed and detailed as the one showcased here, how could we not?

Throughout all nine episodes of the Ryan Murphy-helmed Assassination of Gianni Versace, Criss so meticulously-measures the brilliantly unsettling Cunanan with a steady poise and composure that he slowly let slip as the narrative deepened and the suspense upended as it drew to its enthralling close. From start to end, he compels with a disconcerting charisma stirred with a psychotically murderous streak that crafts an intricate portrait of Cunanan’s mind and agency: in less assured hands, the whole thing could fall to pieces – but Criss brazenly injects a tinge of sympathy, making it a far more nuanced interpretation. His every move and expression is part of the charade and persona Cunanan cultivated, considered in every instance and so exacting in the execution. Even surrounded by more veteran actors in more attention-grabbing, physically transformative turns, it was always Criss who slipped into the role with the most fascinating ease. If the performance didn’t feel so terrifically, appropriately calculated, I’d be concerned.

Criss impresses, amazes and captivates as Andrew Cunanan, relishing in his most substantial role to date. Emotionally complex and visceral, Darren Criss’ best performance also happens to be one of the year’s very best (in any medium) and he is more than deserving of the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie he is favoured to pick up on September 17th.

Star Tribune wrote:
Emmy predictions: 'Game of Thrones' or 'Handmaid's Tale'?

LIMITED SERIES

ELBER:

Should win: "Patrick Melrose." Actor-producer Benedict Cumberbatch's passion project (based on Edward St Aubyn's semi-autobiographical novels) is a flawlessly executed exploration of a tormented man and his past.

Will win: "The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story." Producer Ryan Murphy knows how to work the big canvas, as he proved with Emmy-lavished "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story."

KENNEDY:
Should win: "The Looming Tower." Mixing fact and fiction to trace the messy U.S. response to the rise of al-Qaida and Osama bin Laden, the series bites off a lot but delivers deftly.

Will win: "Gianni Versace." The "American Crime Story" franchise, like Murphy's horror anthology series, is just too hard to beat, being equal parts

TV Insider wrote:
Ask Matt: Darren Criss and 'Bojack' at the Emmys, Sinful Language on Cable, 'Making It' and More

September 11, 2018

Rewarding a Killer Performance


Question: I think Darren Criss’s portrayal of Andrew Cunanan in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story was brilliant. And Ryan Murphy has a reputation for big, splashy shows and performances. But Criss doesn’t have the clout of the stars of the previous season’s The People vs. O.J. Simpson. His chance of winning is not as guaranteed as Sarah Paulson or Sterling K. Brown. What do you think are the chances that Darren Criss will actually win? – Jen, Sacramento

Matt Roush: Actually, pretty high. The Versace series did well in the Creative Arts categories presented over the weekend, taking home four, including for casting, and Darren Criss’s personal career-defining triumph was a big part of that. His competition is certainly fierce, including Benedict Cumberbatch tackling a dynamic dream role as Patrick Melrose, John Legend’s tour de force as Jesus Christ Superstar, and Antonio Banderas as Genius: Picasso has high marquee value as well. But Criss is heavily favored by the prognosticators on the Gold Derby site (of which I am one), because this is the sort of breakthrough performance that’s hard to ignore. It may not a slam dunk, but it’s a pretty good bet.

What Culture wrote:
Emmys 2018: Who Should Win Every Award (And Who Actually Will)

9.  Lead Actor in a Limited Series Or Movie

Nominees: Antonio Banderas, Genius: Picasso; Darren Criss, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story; Benedict Cumberbatch, Patrick Melrose; Jeff Daniels, The Looming Tower; John Legend, Jesus Christ Superstar; Jesse Plemons, Black Mirror: USS Callister

Should Win: Darren Criss

He may not be the name in the title, but Darren Criss completely owns The Assassination of Gianni Versace. As serial killer Andrew Cunanan he is the story, and Criss plays against-type to deliver a performance that flits between his natural charm and charisma, to terrifying monster, to a tragic figure created by society.

Will Win: Darren Criss

American Crime Story is once again set for a lot of Emmys love and Criss, as its star, is in pole position to claim this award. It's not only the best work of his (still young) career to date, but a riveting, captivating turn that practically screams for awards recognition without ever being too baity.

70TH EMMY NOMINEES: OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE (September 11th, 2018)

The Nominees for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie are Antonio Banderas, Darren Criss, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jeff Daniels, John Legend & Jesse Plemons