‘American Crime Story’: Penelope Cruz to Play Donatella Versace in Ryan Murphy’s FX Anthology Series
Penelope Cruz has signed on to star in the third installment of the FX anthology series “American Crime Story,” as reported by Variety. The Spanish actress will play Donatella Versace in the Ryan Murphy-directed series, titled “Versace: American Crime Story.” The series will mark Cruz’s regular TV debut.
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“Versace” follows the 1997 assassination of iconic fashion designer Gianni Versace. The screenplay will be based on the book “Vulgar Favors” by Vanity Fair writer Maureen Orth. Cruz joins Edgar Ramirez and Darren Criss, who topline the production. The “Hands of Stone” star will play Versace, while the “Glee” alum will star as his killer, Andrew Cunanan.
Previously, it had been rumored that singer Lady Gaga — who appeared in Murphy’s “American Horror Story” — would be playing Donatella in the series. However, the director denied these reports back in January.
“When you’re going to do a show like Versace, it’s a five-month commitment, it’s a very big show, we’re shooting it all over the world. So I just don’t think with her schedule, I knew that it would never had worked. But I would love to work with her on something in the future,” he told Variety.
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Production of “Versace” will begin next month. The 10-episode season will follow the second installment of the series, “Katrina,” which will air in 2018. Annette Bening stars as Kathleen Blanco, the governor of Louisiana during and after hurricane Katrina. Matthew Broderick will also star in the series, alongside Courtney B. Vance, Sarah Paulson and Cuba Gooding Jr., from season one’s “The People v. O.J. Simpson.”
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