With the premiere for the next installment of American Crime Story: The Assassination Of Gianni Versace in little over a week, the Versace family wants viewers to know that they had nothing to do with the upcoming FX miniseries.
“The Versace family has neither authorized nor had any involvement whatsoever in the forthcoming TV series about the death of Mr. Gianni Versace,” they said statement Monday. “Since Versace did not authorize the book on which it is partly based nor has it taken part in the writing of the screenplay, this TV series should only be considered as a work of fiction.”
RELATED: Penelope Cruz Completely Embodies Donatella Versace in New Crime Story Teaser
While the family was not consulted, the show did pull from a book for its inspiration and research. The upcoming series will use Vanity Fair writer Maureen Orth’s book, Vulgar Favors: Andrew Cunanan, Gianni Versace, and the Largest Failed Manhunt in U.S. History, as source material.
In response to the Versace family’s statement, FX and produces from FX 21 released one of its own, standing by the show and its facts.
RELATED: The Official First Look at Penelope Cruz as Donatella Versace Is Here
“Like the original American Crime Story series The People vs. OJ Simpson, which was based on Jeffrey Toobin’s nonfiction bestseller The Run of His Life, FX’s follow-up The Assassination Of Gianni Versace is based on Maureen Orth’s heavily researched and authenticated nonfiction best-seller Vulgar Favors, which examined the true life crime spree of Andrew Cunanan. We stand by the meticulous reporting of Ms. Orth.”
American Crime Story: The Assassination Of Gianni Versace, which premieres Jan. 17, stars Penelope Cruz as Donatella Versace, Edgar Ramirez as Gianni, Ricky Martin as the late designer’s longtime partner TK, and Darren Criss as Andrew Cunanan.