Darren Criss Says He's Playing Versace's Killer as a Person, Not a Murderer

Darren Criss gave us a peek into the serial killer he's playing in tonight's premiere of 'Gianni Versace: American Crime Story' ... and it sounds like he gave his murderous character some humanity.

Darren was leaving the AOL building in New York City Tuesday, when our photog asked about his portrayal of Andrew Cunanan, who murdered 5 people including Versace before committing suicide.

The actor gave us a hint as to how he's playing him, which probably will not sit well with the members of the Versace family, who have vowed to boycott the series. The family has called the show a "work of fiction."

Fact is ... there's a huge buzz over Ryan Murphy's latest series, which premieres Wednesday on FX.