Ryan Murphy's 'American Love Story' finds its JFK Jr., Carolyn Bessette: See photos
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Erik Menendez slams Ryan Murphy show for 'caricature' of his brother
'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story' has drawn ire from one of its subjects.
Ryan Murphy's "American Love Story" will follow one of the country's most famous — and tragic — romances: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy.
In Instagram photographs posted by Murphy's production company June 13, actors Sarah Pidgeon and Paul Kelly are pictured in full glam and costume as the son of 35th American president John F. Kennedy and the fashion publicist, who married in 1996 and both died in a plane crash in 1999.
Their romance will be the subject the Hollywood heavyweight's latest buzzy anthology series for FX.
Murphy's production company captioned the photo carousel, "FIRST LOOK! 📸 Here are some stills from our LOVE STORY camera test. We started shooting this week in New York City and can't wait until you see the romantic and tragic love story between America's prince, JFK Jr., and fashion icon Carolyn Bessette—out Valentine's Day week of 2026."
The caption continued: "I am thrilled to introduce you to Sarah Pidgeon as Carolyn and Paul Kelly as John F. Kennedy Jr. Over a thousand actors auditioned for each of these roles, and we absolutely found the perfect choices."
Two-time Oscar nominee Naomi Watts − who worked with Pidgeon before in 2024 film "The Friend" film − is set to play Jacqueline "Jackie" Kennedy Onassis in the series.
Murphy also congratulated Pidgeon and Kelly on their roles in the post, which received a more tepid response from JFK Jr.'s nephew Jack Schlossberg, the son of Caroline Kennedy.
In his comment, Schlossberg wrote "HEY RYAN — admiration for John is great but maybe consider DONATING PROFITS TO THE KENNEDY LIBRARY thanks" in reference to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston. Murphy replied, "I absolutely will."
Other commenters were unimpressed, specifically with Bessette's portrayal: "Why is her hair platinum though? Lol." Another Instagram user said that Bessette "would never wear this" in response to the brown trench coat Pidgeon sported in the photos. A fan account @allforcarolyn which posts archival content of Bessette commented "take out the earrings" that Pidgeon wore.
Actor and producer Mindy Kaling, seemingly impressed by the casting, simply commented "Wow."
The first "Love Story" installment will follow in the footsteps of Murphy's other FX anthologies "American Crime Story," "American Sports Story" and "American Horror Story."
The end of the Kennedys' love story shocked the world when they died in a plane crash alongside Bessette-Kennedy's sister, Lauren Bessette. The former first son was piloting the aircraft when it crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near Martha's Vineyard in 1999.
The couple became tabloid fodder when the publisher and Calvin Klein publicist met at his fitting for the brand in 1992. In recent years, Bessette's fashion has found a new following — particularly on TikTok — as a new generation fawns over her simple but chic wardrobe.
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