Will the new season of American Crime Story receive the same level of critical acclaim as the Emmy-winning The People V. O.J. Simpson? Only time will tell, but these new cast photos from The Assassination Of Gianni Versace certainly bode well for the next installment of the TV franchise. Thanks to Entertainment Weekly, we now have a better picture of the stars who will be bringing the story of Gianni Versace's murder to the small screen — and just how well they will embody their real-life counterparts.
You can see a slideshow of the exclusive cast photos over at EW, which depict Penelope Cruz, Edgar Ramirez, Darren Criss, and Ricky Martin completely in character. It's proof that the new show will be just as much about luxury as it is crime — though that's par for the course when the founder of the international house of Versace is the one whose murder will be the focus of the season.
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While we previously saw photos of Cruz looking full-on Donatella Versace, it's hard not to be impressed by the Vicky Cristina Barcelona actress' Versace makeover. In the first photo, Cruz-as-Donatella dons a magenta evening gown and stares wistfully into the distance, despite standing in what appears to be a luxurious mansion — likely the mansion which Gianni was outside of when he was shot by serial killer Andrew Cunanan. Meanwhile, Ramirez looks troubled as he channels Gianni Versace, who, in EW's photos, is lounging in a lavish sitting room.
It's hard not to make comparisons to the gods of Mount Olympus (Versace has long been inspired by Greece), especially when it comes to Martin as Gianni's longtime partner Antonio D'Amico. Martin, wearing nothing but a robe and underwear (with matching Greek keys) does his best to look statuesque as he stands by the pool.
And then there's the one character who doesn't quite fit: Andrew Cunanan, portrayed by Criss. Here, Criss' character wears a simple blue polo and khakis, completing the look with wire-framed glasses. It's about as far-removed as you can get from the high-fashion looks that Donatella, Gianni and Antonio wear — and that's, perhaps, the point.
The new season of American Crime Story hits FX in early 2018.