Darren Criss, the star of America Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace, has responded to criticism from the Versace family for the show's portrayal of the fashion mogul's murder. Speaking about the family's response to the show to the press, the former Glee actor explained: "If any of these things had happened to somebody that I loved, I would be equally as vocal about it. If I had the public platform that they have, then I would say the exact same thing. I think they have every right and every reason to feel the way they do. Who doesn't understand that?"
© Photo: Getty ImagesDarren opened up about the show
He continued: "There's a larger story at play here, one that isn't necessarily about this one horrible thing, which is the Versace murder. It's an investigation and exploration of the time, and of course, the other victims that, until now, haven't really had a whole lot of voice – at least in popular culture. I think it's important, talking about them.
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The Versace family spoke out against the series ahead of its premiere back in January. In a statement via The Hollywood Reporter, a spokesperson said: "Since Versace did not authorise 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." The creator of the show, Ryan Murphy, also responded to their statement, stating: "The Versace family has said it's a work of fiction — it is not a work of fiction. [The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story] was based on a non-fiction book by Jeffrey Toobin. Versace is based on a non-fiction book by Maureen Orth that has been discussed and dissected and vetted for close to 20 years.
