Penélope Cruz Is Donatella Versace for American Crime Story - Vanity Fair

Not content to build shows around Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Susan Sarandon, and Annette Bening, the busiest man in television, Ryan Murphy, has landed yet another Oscar winning actress. Penélope Cruz will take the lead role in Versace: American Crime Story, dashing the hopes of the Lady Gaga faithful that the Golden Globe-winning American Horror Story actress would nab the part. In her first TV role ever, Cruz will transform into the platinum-haired, orange-skinned, plump-lipped Donatella Versace.

The Hollywood Reporter broke the news that Cruz will join Edgar Ramirez as Donatella’s brother, Gianni Versace, and Darren Criss as (spoiler alert for history) his killer, Andrew Cunanan, who committed suicide eight days after the Versace murder. The 10-episode series will explore the murder, the aftermath, and the efforts of the Miami Dade police to capture Cunanan after he had committed at least five murders. In the wake of her brother’s death, Donatella assumed control of the famed Versace fashion house. The series will be based on Vulgar Favors by Vanity Fair writer Maureen Orth, with London Spy’sTom Rob Smith set to write several episodes.

Ramirez teased the upcoming series to Vanity Fair in February, saying that in researching Versace, “I have discovered not only was he known for glamour, festivity, sexuality, hedonism, and pleasure—he was also very family-oriented. He was way more modest and focused than people would ever imagine.” Presumably that “family-oriented” angle will provide plenty of emotional fodder for Cruz to play off of.

But as tantalizing a prospect as Cruz’s first TV role may be, fans of fashion, murder, and the Florida justice system will have to wait a little while to see it. Versace: American Crime Story will premiere in 2018, after the Annette Bening-starring Katrina: American Crime Story. Murphy also has the upcoming election-themed season of American Horror Story in the works, the Charles and Diana season of Feud, the (as of now) ongoing Scream Queens, a new 1980s New York series called Pose, and the fourth season of American Crime Storycentered on Monica Lewinsky to prep for. In other words, no—we don’t know when Murphy plans to sleep in the near future.

That mind-bogglingly busy slate aside, Murphy plans to have Versace: American Crime Story premiere hot on the heels of Katrina in 2018. In other words, Cruz may want to start bleaching her hair now.

Joanna RobinsonJoanna Robinson is a Hollywood writer covering TV and film for VanityFair.com.

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