Penelope Cruz Fills Lady Gaga's Shoes

While many thought that Lady Gaga was the perfect choice to play Donatella Versace in the forthcoming Versace: American Crime Story, her reported replacement is no consolation prize. According to The Cut, Oscar winner Penelope Cruz has been lined up by director Ryan Murphy to play the Italian designer.

The third series of American Crime Story (which first came to our attention last year with the story of the 1995 OJ Simpson murder trial) is set to focus on the 1997 murder of Versace's brother, Gianni, and has already signed up Edgar Ramirez to play the late designer, as well as Darren Criss, who will play his murderer, Andrew Cunanan. The news that Cruz will be playing the dynamic Donatella, not only adds serious star power to the plotline, but also marks the Spanish actress's first regular TV role.

Creator Murphy has enjoyed considerable success with the franchise to date - so much so that season four is already in initial planning stages, and is said to concentrate on the Monica Lewinsky and Bill Clinton scandal. The second season will focus on Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath of its devastation in New Orleans.