“The Assassination of Gianni Versace” is achingly good. The first season of “American Crime Story,” “The People vs. O.J. Simpson,” proved that the anthology series could take on serious fodder and give actors the space to play big, award worthy roles. Unsurprisingly, “Gianni Versace” does the same. Not only is the second season is well written, but it is strikingly beautiful.Versace’s gilded house is as breathtaking as the shot of Andrew vomiting in a dirty, graffiti filled bathroom, somehow.
It certainly doesn’t hurt that the series introduces familiar characters and a familiar story, loaded with mini surprises along the way. Who’d have thought that Penelope Cruz as Donatella Versace stepping off of a plane would give this writer straight up chills?
Here are our favorite, most iconic moments from last night’s premiere.
Um, Gianni Versace look good AF.
The real life Gianni Versace was 50-years-old at the time of his death. In the FX series, though, he’s played by 40-year-old Edgar Ramirez, fitted in a wig gently sewn to imitate male pattern baldness. We can say, with confidence, that we’ve never seen the likes of such a lacefront carried with such aplomb. Ramirez as Gianni is fine AF. It’s a shame he has a hole in his head for half the episode.
Ricky Martin, great actor?
We fondly remember Ricky Martin primarily as the guy from the “Livin La Vida Loca” video we watched while home sick in sixth grade. But as Versace’s partner, Antonio D’Amico, Martin is, very, very good. He lends his scenes an impressive weight of glamour and grief. Ricky Martin, I see you.
Penelope Cruz is pulling off the blonde, man
That actors play impossibly attractive and far better coiffed versions of their real life counterparts is well known. But Cruz as Donatella Versace honestly should be banned. She looks so great! And she almost has Donatella’s low, deadpan down too.
Darren Criss’ yellow ensemble
For real: if “The Assassination of Gianni Versace” isn’t a huge break for Criss, well, there’s just no justice in the world. He is both sympathetic and utterly terrifying as Andrew Cunanan, a cute pathological liar on a murdering spree. But the yellow on yellow on yellow on yellow outfit he wears in the episode’s closing scenes is chef’s kiss worthy.
