‘American Crime Story’ Stirs Stern Versace Response Over ‘Vulgar Favors’
American Crime Story showrunners have revealed the new case which is to be tackled in Season 3 of the series, and the details are already turning heads. To begin, it seems FX is so impressed with the latest concept that the network has already cleared American Crime Story for a third season, suggesting fans have a compelling story to look forward to for the next two installments. Not everyone, however, is responding positively to the news that American Crime Story will tackle the murder of Gianni Versace in its third installment. The Versace company, which is based out of Milan, is already issuing statements in the hopes of distancing the company and its founder from the Ryan Murphy-run series.
Versace Urges Public Not To Take American Crime Story Seriously
Season 3 of American Crime Story will again feature a 10-episode look at a highly publicized murder case, this time exploring the killing of Gianni Versace. Upon learning that the series was looking to tell the story of the company’s founder, Versace issued a statement in which it urges viewers not to take the upcoming story, which is to be based on the Maureen Orth book, Vulgar Favors, as fact. The company further insists that, as the Orth book is, in itself, not an authorized project, the entire retelling of that story on American Crime Story should be viewed as fiction.
“[The Versace company has] neither authorized nor had any involvement whatsoever in the forthcoming series about Versace. The series should only be seen as a work of fiction,” was the official response given by the company.
There have been a number of film and television projects and, as is the case with American Crime Story, the company has released statements distancing itself from the stories being told. The 2013 airing of The House of Versace on Lifetime prompted a similar response from Versace. That movie was based on House of Versace: The Untold Story of Genius, Murder and Survival, written by Deborah Ball and published in 2010.
“Since Versace did not authorize the book on which it is based, the movie should only be seen as a work of fiction,” said a statement released by the company at the time that book was released.
Gina Gershon took on the role of Donatella Versace for that Lifetime movie.
Vulgar Favors Tells The Unauthorized Story Of The Gianni Versace Murder
As American Crime Story is set to use Vulgar Favors as its source material, it can be expected that the story told in the show’s third season will focus on the murder of Gianni Versace and the suicide death of his murderer, Andrew Cunanan. The Maureen Orth book tells of Cunanan’s suicide death eight days after the 1997 murder, aboard his houseboat.
From there, Vulgar Favors goes on to detail the aftermath of the murder, placing focus on Gianni’s sister, Donatella, and how she stepped up to manage the fashion house at the time of her brother’s death.
Gianni Versace was murdered on the steps of his Miami mansion in 1997 by Cunanan, who had previously taken four other lives. Eight days after committing the Versace murder, Andrew Cunanan was surrounded by Miami-Dade police officers, which in turn prompted his suicide.
Filming for season 3 of American Crime Story is scheduled to begin a 2017 spring shooting schedule on location in both Los Angeles and Miami, though actors have yet to be selected for the starring roles. While names haven’t yet been revealed, American Crime Story bosses are reportedly in negotiations to cast an A-list actress in the role of Donatella Versace.
Season 2 of American Crime Story, which is to tell the story of Hurricane Katrina, is set to air later in 2017.
[Featured Image by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images]
