Although many have high hopes that Lady Gaga would take the role, producer Ryan Murphy gave the role of Donatella Versace in “Versace: american crime story” to Penélope Cruz. The 10-episode series on FX will be Cruz’s first television appearance. The Spanish actor joins Edgar Ramirez, Darren Criss, Andrew Cunanan, in a story exploring the assassination of Gianni Versace, the founder of a luxury Italian fashion brand Versace.
Cruz as Donatella Versace
Donatella is the sister of Gianni; she takes over her brother’s role after his assassination in 1997.
The story, which is expected to be on air by 2018, largely focuses on the period before her reign. According to the Hollywood Reporter, “Versace” is produced by Fox 21 and FX Productions, working on the story as it appeared on “Vulgar Favors” by Vanity Fair’s Maureen Orth and screenwriter Tom Rob Smith. Donatella began managing the fashion house in the wake of her brother’s death.
Cruz is represented by CAA, Untitled Entertainment, and Katrina Bayonas. She has landed prominent roles in movies, including “Woman on Top” (2000), American biographical crime film “Blow” (2001), sci-fi thriller “Vanilla Sky” (2001), “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” (2011), and romantic comedy “Vicky Christina Barcelona” (2009), for which Cruz won an Oscar for best-supporting actress award.
According to Vogue, Cruz has been known to wear Versace. She was a friend of the Versace house, frequently spotted in the brand’s bold wares at press tours and awards shows over the past two decades.
The Versace case
“Versace” cast members include Edgar Ramirez as Gianni Versace and Darren Criss as his killer Andrew Cunanan, captured after five serial murders.
London Spy’s Tom Rob Smith has been chosen to write several episodes of the FX series. The filming of the series is scheduled to begin this April. Tabloids were speculating that Lady Gaga would be playing the role of Donatella, but this was not the case with the Ryan Murphy anthology. Both Donatella and Lady Gaga does have strikingly platinum hair, very light skin, and impeccable taste in fashion, but Murphy had told the press in January that Lady Gaga won't be playing Donatella on TV.
