Family members of the late Gianni Versace are distancing themselves from an upcoming television series starring former Glee star, Darren Criss.
In a statement shared Monday, his family went on the record to say they had neither authorized nor been involved in the show’s production.
Because Mr. Versace’s family members did not authorize the book; a publication in which the screenplay was partially drawn – the series itself should be considered – “a work of fiction,” according to the statement.
Gianni Versace was an Italian fashion designer and founder of the famous Versace brand. He was also openly gay. In 1997, he was shot outside of his Miami Beach home at the age of 50 years old.
His murderer was Andrew Cunanan; a serial killer who took the lives of five people over a three-month period in 1997. During the final years of his life, Mr. Cunanan was unemployed and reportedly befriended older, wealthy men to sustain himself.
The television series, called: The Assassination of Gianni Versace, as part of FX’s American Crime Story, is set to air on January 17.
The show is partly based on Maureen Orth's book, Vulgar Favors: Andrew Cunanan, Gianni Versace, and the Largest Failed Manhunt in U. S. History.
Many well-known stars will appear in the nine-episode anthology, including Cuba Gooding, Jr., Matthew Broderick, John Travolta and Annette Bening.
Edgar Ramírez will play the part of Mr. Versace.
The eighth episode of the series was directed by openly gay actor Matt Bomer, per a report in TV Line.
In the runup to the series release, there’s been a great deal of buzz about what to expect.
Actor Darren Criss shared with Entertainment Weekly, “I did as much research as humanly possible But, there’s not a whole lot of preparation you can do. The only thing you can really do is being available to all emotions at all times. At any point, he’s ready to fire off in any direction.”
Main Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
