Versace, Versace, Versace.
It’s the name on everyone’s lips… from Donatella’s emotional fashion week tribute to her brother Gianni to the up and coming TV show about his tragic death in 1997.
So with the anticipation and controversy surrounding crime drama The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story reaching peak levels, FQ has pulled together all the details you need to know about the series, pre-binge.
Who?
If you’re unfamiliar with the history of Gianni Versace, here’s a quick round up. The designer launched his namesake label Versace in 1989 after working in the fashion industry for many years. He quickly became one of the most prevalent designers of the 90s and a favourite of supermodels and celebrities such as Princess Diana and Naomi Campbell.
The TV series sees Edgar Ramirez playing the role of Gianni Versace, Ricky Martin as Versace’s boyfriend Antonio D’Amico and Penelope Cruz as Gianni’s sister, Donatella.
What?
On 15 July 1997, Gianni Versace was tragically killed on the steps of his Miami mansion by Versace-obsessed spree-killer Andrew Cunanan. The second season in the American Crime Story drama series, it analyses Gianni’s murder and delves into the background and differences between the lives of both the designer and Cunanan. Also woven into the series is the relationship between Gianni and his sister Donatella, who is left to pick up the pieces of the Versace fashion empire following his death.
When & where?
The first episode will air on Thursday 18 January at 9:30pm on Sky’s Soho channel.
Controversy
In more recent weeks the series has faced scrutiny from the media following a statement released by the Versace family. Calling the series “a work of fiction”, the family say they did not authorise or have any involvement in the writing of the drama. According to E News however, the drama is less about Gianni and more about analysing Cunanan, with the story of the Versace family interwoven into the series.
Despite the controversy, we’re looking forward to watching the drama and more than anything can’t wait to see Penelope Cruz embody the iconic style of Donatella Versace – a role which the actress said in a chat with Interview magazine was “delicate…because I’m playing someone who is alive, someone who lost her brother in horrible way, and someone who still misses him very much 20 years later”.
The show hopes to be an insight (though some aspects are potentially fictional) into an important aspect in fashion history, profiling the tragic death of Gianni Versace and the rise of his sister Donatella.
Watch Penelope Cruz as Donatella Versace in the trailer of The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
