More than 25 years have passed since John F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, died in a horrific 1999 plane crash – just one of many instances of the supposed Kennedy curse.
But in the decades since, the tragic couple’s allure has not dimmed. Which is why there is so much interest – and controversy – surrounding an upcoming Hollywood miniseries about their relationship.
American Love Story, the new anthology series from Glee creator Ryan Murphy, will, according to an official press release, explore JFK Jr. and Carolyn’s “sweeping true love story”.
But while fans of the couple, who were just 38 and 33 when they died alongside Carolyn’s older sister Lauren Bessette, have praised the casting of newcomer Paul Kelly as JFK Jr. (or ‘John John’ as he was also known), no-one is happy, it seems, with actress Sarah Pidgeon portraying Carolyn.
“Whoever styled her needs to be fired,” blasted one critic online, after pictures emerged of Sarah as Carolyn on set – wearing Converse sneakers! “This is fashion murder,” sniped another.
Carolyn’s own hairdresser, Brad Johns, even weighed in on the drama, describing Sarah’s makeover for the role as being “too 2024”.
The complaints became so intense that Ryan was forced to defend American Love Story, calling the “inflammatory” backlash “not fair”.
The TV powerhouse added that some photos of Paul and Sarah in character were actually from pre-production, and that neither was wearing outfits that would feature in American Love Story.
Who is starring in American Love Story?
Along with Sarah and Paul, the American Love Story cast includes Naomi Watts as Jackie Kennedy, Meryl Streep’s daughter Grace Gummer as JFK Jr.’s sister Caroline Kennedy, Sydney Lemmon as Lauren Bessette and Alessandra Nivola as fashion designer Calvin Klein.
Ryan further explained that the looks had been “thrown together for lighting and colour tests”. But he did concede that releasing the pictures, before everything had been perfected, was “a mistake”.
However, fans aren’t the only ones expressing concern about the series. JFK Jr.’s nephew Jack Schlossberg has slammed Ryan for not consulting with the wider Kennedy clan about American Love Story.
In a video posted to Instagram, Jack, whose mother is Caroline Kennedy, said: “I think admiration for my Uncle John is great. What I don’t think is great is profiting off of it in a grotesque way.”
Where and when can I watch American Love Story in Australia?
American Love Story was first announced way back in 2021. It is currently underway in New York City, and is expected to continue for several months.
The series is slated for release during the week of Valentine’s Day 2026. It will air on FX in the United States.
While no Australian streaming service has been announced as yet, American Love Story could be available to watch on Disney+, given they currently air several other FX properties. They are also streaming Ryan’s incoming legal drama, All’s Fair, which stars Naomi Watts, Kim Kardashian and Glenn Close.
Another possibility is Foxtel or Binge, as they also have several FX shows in their streaming library. Watch this space!
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