When the FX and Hulu series "Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette" premiered on February 12, 2026, it reignited fascination—and controversy—around one of America’s most mythologized couples. The show, a nine-episode anthology created by Connor Hines and executive produced by Ryan Murphy, promises an intimate look at the romance and tragedy of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, whose lives ended abruptly in a 1999 plane crash off the Atlantic coast. But as with so many retellings of the Kennedy family saga, the project has stirred strong reactions, both for its artistic choices and its ethical implications.
The series opens on the fateful day—July 16, 1999—when Kennedy, Bessette, and her sister Lauren boarded the small plane that would ultimately crash. Rather than dramatizing the crash itself, "Love Story" quickly rewinds, tracing the couple’s beginnings: John as the reluctant heir to a political dynasty and America’s most eligible bachelor, Carolyn as a self-assured Calvin Klein publicist determined to chart her own path. The chemistry between the two is palpable, but so too is the shadow of the Kennedy legacy and the relentless glare of the 1990s tabloid press.
Paul Anthony Kelly, in his first major acting role, steps into the shoes of JFK Jr. Kelly, a newcomer to Hollywood whose previous credits include a brief stint as a model on "Body Language" in 2010 and years of theater work in Los Angeles, brings what Mashable described as a "nervy charm" to the role. Sarah Pidgeon, known for her work in "I Know What You Did Last Summer," grounds the story as Carolyn Bessette, portraying her with a pragmatic coolness that evolves as the series progresses. Naomi Watts rounds out the principal cast, taking on the formidable task of playing Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
In its portrayal of John and Carolyn, "Love Story" aims to avoid the sensationalism that often plagues dramatizations of real-life tragedy. The show’s creator, Connor Hines, emphasized the exhaustive research that went into the project, telling The Associated Press, "We obviously had Elizabeth’s book, but I read every single newspaper article that was written about them, every tell-all. Obviously, all of that material has to be taken with a grain of salt, and you have to be very judicious in terms of how you extract some of this information, because people have their own memories, people have their own slights, but we were exhaustive and diligent in how we approached this and I think that will ring true when people watch it." The series is based on Elizabeth Beller’s book, "Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy."
Still, the show has not escaped criticism. Jack Schlossberg, JFK Jr.’s nephew and a current congressional candidate in New York, accused executive producer Ryan Murphy of "profiting off his family in a grotesque way," according to AP coverage. Murphy, for his part, pushed back on California Governor Gavin Newsom’s podcast, questioning the legitimacy of Schlossberg’s outrage, saying it was an "odd choice to be mad about your relative that you really don’t remember." The creative team, however, has been vocal about their intent to handle the story with care. Executive producer Brad Simpson acknowledged, "I’m not going to pretend like on some level we’re not making an entertainment product out of it, but we’ve tried to be ethical and we’ve tried to be incredibly sincere."
The actors themselves have weighed in on the controversy. Sarah Pidgeon told AP, "I don’t know what it’s like to have a TV show or a movie or a book written about my family, and I understand his sensitivities, and I fully support him speaking his mind." Paul Anthony Kelly added, "We tried to have as much integrity and love going into this and retelling that I hope that people see that." Pidgeon also admitted she initially feared the project would be more salacious than sincere, but said, "That could not be, in my experience, further from the truth."
"Love Story" is not the first attempt to dramatize the Kennedy family’s private lives, nor is it the first to draw backlash. In 2011, The History Channel famously dropped a miniseries starring Greg Kinnear and Katie Holmes as John and Jackie Kennedy after complaints about script inaccuracies from Kennedy associates. That project eventually found a home on the Reelz Channel. Netflix, too, is preparing to enter the fray with "Kennedy," a series about the family’s political origins, starring Michael Fassbender as Joe Kennedy Sr.
What sets "Love Story" apart, according to Mashable, is its willingness to critique the very media frenzy it reenacts. The show turns the paparazzi into a "zombie-like horde," dramatizing the suffocating attention that plagued the couple. Carolyn’s struggles with the press are depicted as a central and heartbreaking element, with the series highlighting her efforts to define herself beyond her famous husband and John’s attempts to step out from his father’s shadow. The show even uses a mix of fictionalized scenes and archival footage, blurring the line between reality and dramatization—a choice that invites viewers to question where the truth ends and storytelling begins.
Notably, the Kennedy family was not consulted about the series, a fact that has fueled some of the criticism but also speaks to the challenges of dramatizing recent history. The show’s creators insist that their approach is empathetic, rejecting "salaciousness in favor of glossy romance" and striving for a "well-rounded portrait of the couple." Yet, as Mashable’s review points out, "as much as Love Story highlights the strain all this press attention put on Carolyn, it still occupies a similar space to that same media circus, just 30 years later." In other words, the series both critiques and participates in the ongoing fascination with the Kennedys.
For viewers, "Love Story" is now available to stream, with new episodes premiering Thursdays on FX and Hulu. Hulu offers a 30-day free trial for new subscribers, with plans starting at $10.99 per month for the basic tier and $18.99 for ad-free viewing. Disney+ bundles that include Hulu start at $12.99 per month. Paul Anthony Kelly, who announced his casting in early 2025 and has since promoted the show through interviews and social media, is poised to become a breakout star. His performance, alongside Pidgeon’s and Watts’, anchors a series that is as much about the myth of Camelot as it is about the real people who lived—and died—beneath its shadow.
As "Love Story" continues to spark debate, it serves as a reminder of the enduring fascination with the Kennedys and the delicate balance between honoring history and entertaining audiences. The series may not settle the question of where that line should be drawn, but it certainly ensures that the conversation will continue.