‘American Crime Story’ Star Darren Criss Explains What It’s Like Going From ‘Glee’ To FX Series

“Glee” alum Darren Criss was recently cast to star in Ryan Murphy’s murder mystery, “American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace.”

While speaking with Entertainment Weekly, the actor shared what it’s like to go from playing the role of a choir member and student in “Glee” to giving life to the character of Andrew Cunanan, the person responsible for killing designer Gianni Versace.

Read: Finn Wittrock cast in “American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace”

According to him, he doesn’t feel nervous about playing such an important character because he saw his casting as a great opportunity. “Actors are only as good as the parts they get. You can only be as good as those moments you get. This is one of those ship-coming-in moments where Ryan has really given me this massive opportunity, and I’d like to think I am up for the challenge,” he said.

Despite Blaine Anderson and Cunanan’s very different personalities and physical appearances, Criss said that he wants to treat both roles with equal intensity. But even if this is the case, the 30-year-old actor-singer also explained his “Glee” character’s differences from the one he’s about to play in the FX show.

“I don’t like quantifying one role is harder or easier or funnier or more significant than other characters. Blaine, by comparison, could be put into a cartoonish box. The very patter of ‘Glee’ exists in a different world than the one’s we’re dealing with. But all the same, I treat that silly hairdo and the clothes he wore and the way that he spoke and the things he believed in with the same currency I treat someone like Andrew, who was a real person and had real friends and family,” he explained.

“The Assassination of Gianni Versace” is slated for release on FX sometime next year. Earlier this month, Deadline reported that the premiere for “Katrina” has been moved to 2019. Originally, the hurricane-centered series was supposed to be released before “Versace.” However, due to scheduling conflicts, the network and the people behind “American Crime Story” have decided to prioritize the story of the designer’s assassination. Additionally, the filming for “Katrina” has also been moved to next year.