Penelope Cruz felt a "responsibility" playing Donatella Versace in 'The Assassination of Gianni Versace'.
Penelope Cruz
The Academy Award-winning actress stars as the Italian fashion designer in the Ryan Murphy TV series, and she's admitted to harbouring nerves about playing the icon.
Penelope said: "You feel much more responsibility [playing a real person].
"When Ryan called me ... I said 'I need to make [a] phone call and talk to Donatella about this' before taking the job."
And Penelope admitted she only felt comfortable accepting the role on the show - which explores the murder of designer Gianni Versace, Donatella's brother - after she'd spoken to her.
During an appearance on 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show', Penelope shared: "She told me if somebody was going to do it, she was really happy that it was me, because she I think she knows what I feel for her and Gianni."
The Spanish beauty was also keen to stress how significant the role is to her.
She explained: "They're the most kind people. It's important to me that when she sees what I've done she can feel the love and respect that I have put there [and] how I feel for her."
However, Donatella - who serves as the artistic director and vice-president of the world-famous fashion house - previously described the show as a "work of fiction".
She revealed, too, that it "still hurts" to see Gianni - who was murdered in Florida in 1997 - depicted in an inaccurate way.
Donatella said earlier this month: "I haven't seen (the series) nor will I see it, because after all this time it still hurts to see Gianni represented untruthfully."
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