How The Cast Of American Crime Story: Versace Compares To Their Real Life Counterparts

American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace, which premieres on FX January 17, depicts what it says it will in the title: The senseless murder of the fashion designer Gianni Versace at the hands of serial killer Andrew Cunanan. But the sprawling, almost operatic show does so much more than that. Ryan Murphy's nine-part creation examines the repercussions of homophobia in all manner of environments, from the military to police investigations to the workplace.

In the weeks leading up to its premiere, Versace was publicly criticized by its subjects for being eons away from reality. The entire Versace family released a statement in Page Six claiming the show is a "work of fiction." Antonio D'Amico, Versace's partner of 15 years, said there hasn't been a "trace of reality" in any coverage of Versace's murder, including the show.

But there's one respect in which ACS cannot be critiqued: The casting. Each actor bears an uncanny resemblance to their subject. And since chunks of the show are filmed in Versace's mansion, you could almost, just almost, think what you were watching was a complete reenactment. Here's how each actor compares to his or her counterpart.