The Versace themed ‘American Crime Story’ is coming to the BBC
By Ross Semple
The BBC has confirmed that they will broadcast the next season of American Crime Story early next year.
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story – the follow-up to the BAFTA winning The People Vs O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, which aired on BBC Two last year – will be shown by the channel in 2018.
The ten-episode miniseries will retell the shocking July 1997 assassination of Gianni Versace on the steps of his Miami Beach mansion by killer Andrew Cunanan.
Penelope Cruz will play Donatella Versace in the Ryan Murphy-produced series. Edgar Ramirez will star as Gianni Versace, with Darren Criss as Cunanan, and Ricky Martin as Versace’s longtime partner Antonio D’Amico.
D’Amico has spoken out about the show, saying that is “not a trace of reality” in its depiction of Versace’s final days.
Patrick Holland, Controller of BBC Two, says: “I am thrilled that another season of American Crime Story is coming to BBC Two. Ryan Murphy and his team created something truly special with The People vs O.J Simpson, winning a much merited BAFTA amongst a host of other awards. With British writer Tom Rob Smith, one of the most exciting talents in television drama, across season two, The Assassination of Gianni Versace promises to be captivating viewing”.
Ricky Martin recently revealed what it was like to shoot his first gay sex scene for his role on the show. “I thought I was going to be more uncomfortable,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “The exhibitionism kicked in for a moment and all of a sudden I was naked in bed in front of 20 people from the crew and another actor I met that same day.
“I was not nervous at all. On the contrary, I was ready to do what needed to be done.”
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