Announcment by Edwin A. Santos
Monday, March 12, 2018
: @Edwin_A_Santos | 
: Edwin A. Santos
Filipino American actors Jon Jon Briones, Carlin James, Isa Briones, Ruben Madera and Zedrick Restauro join fellow FilAm Darren Criss in a new episode of FX’s The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story this Wednesday, March 14 at 10:00pm.
Jon Jon Briones (Miss Saigon) will play Andrew’s father, ‘Modesto Cunanan’ while Carlin James (How to Get Away with Murder, This Is Us, Dear White People) will play Andrew’s brother, ‘Christopher,’ Isa Briones (who was just announced today to play ‘Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds’ in the first national tour of Hamilton) will play his sister, ‘Elena’ and Ruben Madera (Enough, ER, Crossing Jordan) will play Andrew’s uncle. They will also appear in next week’s episode on March 21.
Andrew Cunanan’s murder of fashion designer Gianni Versace put him on the map in the Summer of 1997 — even after killing at least five people including Chicago tycoon Lee Miglin.
Filipinos seem to praise their own whenever anyone hits mainstream celebrity status, but they did not with Cunanan. Many never spoke his name at the office water cooler gossip while others watched the televised manhunt, in secret. It’s as if we all felt a great disturbance…
When it was announced that the Andrew Cunanan story will be the 2018 series focus for American Crime Story, I was hesitant to even promote it. But, it was until a colleague friend mentioned to me that the show “tells struggles of a Fil-Am family seldom seen on TV.”
She’s right.
Cunanan developed a reputation as a prolific liar given to telling fantastic tales about his family and personal life. He was also adept at changing his appearance according to what he felt was most attractive at a given moment. When he was 19, his father deserted his family to avoid arrest for embezzlement. That same year, his mother learned that Cunanan was gay. During an ensuing argument, he threw her against a wall, dislocating her shoulder. Later examination of his behavior from reports indicate that he may have suffered from antisocial personality disorder, a personality disorder characterized by an abnormal lack of empathy (earlier known as psychopathy).
Tune in this Wednesday night’s episode, Creator / Destroyer of FX’s The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story starting at 10:00pm.
Photos by Sthanlee B. Mirador
FilAm Creative 