American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace has released two new shots of Ricky Martin slinking out of a mosaic-tiled pool in a white (Versace, no doubt) swimsuit in the upcoming TV series.
RELATED: Versace's Lover Calls Ryan Murphy's ‘American Crime Story' ‘Ridiculous'
Martin's role as Versace's longtime partner Antonio D'Amico is his first gay role and the series features his first gay sex scene.
Ricky Martin is Antonio D'Amico. FOLLOW to preview The Assassination of Gianni Versace. pic.twitter.com/mQqB1nGzEd
— American Crime Story FX (@ACSFX) November 15, 2017
FX's award-winning limited series returns. See the story inside the tragedy when #ACSVersace premieres January 17. pic.twitter.com/e2enCSEGmw
— American Crime Story FX (@ACSFX) November 22, 2017
“We're going to go mainstream with a story that talks about homophobia, that talks about hate, that talks about indifference. I feel humbled. It's so raw and honest and so dramatic and sad. But at the same time you show the love of Gianni and Antonio and 15 years of struggling, fighting. It's something that I really wanted to be loud about.”
The real-life D'Amico has criticized the series and also expressed reservations about a scene, described by Martin, in which Versace refuses to hold hands with his longtime lover in front of the paparazzi; he says that Versace had always lived openly with him.
While D'Amico will not be watching the series — “so much has been fictionalised [and] unfortunately Gianni died, unfortunately this guy killed him, unfortunately it happened: but now, let it drop” — he expressed that he was open to being contacted by Martin for insights into portraying him in the role. He started a new relationship only nearly a decade after the tragedy, which haunted him still, but his affection for Versace remains:
“Sincerely, after two decades, I will always be connected to Gianni as a person I loved for more than 15 years,” D'Amico said. “But today, I am a different person … the world continues to go around … You can look back at the past until a certain point, [but] then you need to look ahead to the future.”
The full trailer for ACS: Versace arrived last week.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrXL4URRbTc
The 10-episode series, which explores the 1997 murder of the fashion designer at his Miami Beach home, will premiere in January and features Édgar Ramirez, Ricky Martin, Penélope Cruz and Darren Criss, who stars as Versace's killer Andrew Cunanan.
And Deadline reports:
FX+ subscribers will have early access to the first episode... It will be available beginning Friday, January 12, 2018, five days before the series' official premiere on FX. The second installment of the award-winning limited series will premiere on FX on Wednesday, January 17, at 10 PM ET/PT.
