'Love Story' team says Kennedy show criticism 'made us work harder'
- - 'Love Story' team says Kennedy show criticism 'made us work harder'
Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY February 4, 2026 at 10:24 PM
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premiere of FX's "Love Story." The show is director Ryan Murphy's first installment of an anthology based on the whirlwind romance between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. Scroll to see stars on the red carpet, beginning with Paul Anthony Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon. Pidgeon and Kelly star as Kennedy and Bessette.
" style=padding-bottom:56%>A who's who of celebrities stepped out Feb. 3, 2026, for the premiere of FX's "Love Story." The show is director Ryan Murphy's first installment of an anthology based on the whirlwind romance between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. Scroll to see stars on the red carpet, beginning with Paul Anthony Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon. Pidgeon and Kelly star as Kennedy and Bessette.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/kULDocB3CZGWSF7hp.CtEQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/96f5e15f141f42917692333201596305 class=caas-img data-headline="Stars step out for Ryan Murphy's 'Love Story' premere: See photos" data-caption="
A who's who of celebrities stepped out Feb. 3, 2026, for the premiere of FX's "Love Story." The show is director Ryan Murphy's first installment of an anthology based on the whirlwind romance between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. Scroll to see stars on the red carpet, beginning with Paul Anthony Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon. Pidgeon and Kelly star as Kennedy and Bessette.
">A who's who of celebrities stepped out Feb. 3, 2026, for the premiere of FX's "Love Story." The show is director Ryan Murphy's first installment of an anthology based on the whirlwind romance between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. Scroll to see stars on the red carpet, beginning with Paul Anthony Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon. Pidgeon and Kelly star as Kennedy and Bessette.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/kULDocB3CZGWSF7hp.CtEQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/96f5e15f141f42917692333201596305 class=caas-img>Naomi Watts attends the premiere at Carnegie Hall on Feb. 3, 2026 in New York City.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/wU7Q7K7p7.u3zA7xJpecqg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/725e62edc95caeffdba9df56eda52572 class=caas-img data-headline="Stars step out for Ryan Murphy's 'Love Story' premere: See photos" data-caption="
Naomi Watts attends the premiere at Carnegie Hall on Feb. 3, 2026 in New York City.
">Naomi Watts attends the premiere at Carnegie Hall on Feb. 3, 2026 in New York City.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/wU7Q7K7p7.u3zA7xJpecqg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/725e62edc95caeffdba9df56eda52572 class=caas-img>Francesca Farago and Jesse Sullivan
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/4xsbxZc5uyI.0onNtTMeNg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/b412209b2ced77cc0016fc1a19f5be81 class=caas-img data-headline="Stars step out for Ryan Murphy's 'Love Story' premere: See photos" data-caption="
Francesca Farago and Jesse Sullivan
">Francesca Farago and Jesse Sullivan
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/4xsbxZc5uyI.0onNtTMeNg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/b412209b2ced77cc0016fc1a19f5be81 class=caas-img>Sarah Pidgeon, Grace Gummer, Paul Anthony Kelly and Naomi Watts
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/lew4SMgI1ZfLrGYXnEaFSg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04NjU-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/91b0f623a24f95d9b21df28c0514449c class=caas-img data-headline="Stars step out for Ryan Murphy's 'Love Story' premere: See photos" data-caption="
Sarah Pidgeon, Grace Gummer, Paul Anthony Kelly and Naomi Watts
">Sarah Pidgeon, Grace Gummer, Paul Anthony Kelly and Naomi Watts
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/lew4SMgI1ZfLrGYXnEaFSg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04NjU-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/91b0f623a24f95d9b21df28c0514449c class=caas-img>Ashley Iaconetti
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/LX0lqMzuHLauh0hIfUbf.A--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/be2f0984902737ed5d82c36639dc25d3 class=caas-img data-headline="Stars step out for Ryan Murphy's 'Love Story' premere: See photos" data-caption="
Ashley Iaconetti
">Ashley Iaconetti
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/LX0lqMzuHLauh0hIfUbf.A--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/be2f0984902737ed5d82c36639dc25d3 class=caas-img>Elizabeth Sulcer
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/r45D8ygahjDm9lmXbBegfQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/93ab80fefdd3b21b8cf671e2832fc97c class=caas-img data-headline="Stars step out for Ryan Murphy's 'Love Story' premere: See photos" data-caption="
Elizabeth Sulcer
">Elizabeth Sulcer
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/r45D8ygahjDm9lmXbBegfQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/93ab80fefdd3b21b8cf671e2832fc97c class=caas-img>Alessandro Nivola
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/2toyTMmRkegKz.zKoJXQgw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/737bea92425ffa3265b1bbafdd8ac583 class=caas-img data-headline="Stars step out for Ryan Murphy's 'Love Story' premere: See photos" data-caption="
Alessandro Nivola
">Alessandro Nivola
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/2toyTMmRkegKz.zKoJXQgw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/737bea92425ffa3265b1bbafdd8ac583 class=caas-img>Noah Fearnley
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/fKjhYOubsLSpl.Pxr6w7tA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/6aaf959327326cfc9ef7322755b3ecf3 class=caas-img data-headline="Stars step out for Ryan Murphy's 'Love Story' premere: See photos" data-caption="
Noah Fearnley
">Noah Fearnley
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/fKjhYOubsLSpl.Pxr6w7tA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/6aaf959327326cfc9ef7322755b3ecf3 class=caas-img>Jordan Roth
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/PfPsZ9by5fUz2TaSWMM9JQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/ec5aa6abf0728f9d0645c07a5eaabb7f class=caas-img data-headline="Stars step out for Ryan Murphy's 'Love Story' premere: See photos" data-caption="
Jordan Roth
">Jordan Roth
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/PfPsZ9by5fUz2TaSWMM9JQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/ec5aa6abf0728f9d0645c07a5eaabb7f class=caas-img> Benito Skinner
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/jxPFjkzuTKU7qb_Pt1qVTA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/24645d7e1b412e438ef42e4e858ad0e3 class=caas-img data-headline="Stars step out for Ryan Murphy's 'Love Story' premere: See photos" data-caption="
Benito Skinner
"> Benito Skinner
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/jxPFjkzuTKU7qb_Pt1qVTA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/24645d7e1b412e438ef42e4e858ad0e3 class=caas-img>Dree Hemingway
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/xusjFweNsGjsK2E0JSbdNA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/d7a745d5b8a535faa4d44c8e79b9e231 class=caas-img data-headline="Stars step out for Ryan Murphy's 'Love Story' premere: See photos" data-caption="
Dree Hemingway
">Dree Hemingway
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/xusjFweNsGjsK2E0JSbdNA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/d7a745d5b8a535faa4d44c8e79b9e231 class=caas-img>Kim Rosenstock
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/FonY4jKfatStk1tVA6802A--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/a6ec683df2f32fa7d79d1d8071cb7205 class=caas-img data-headline="Stars step out for Ryan Murphy's 'Love Story' premere: See photos" data-caption="
Kim Rosenstock
">Kim Rosenstock
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/FonY4jKfatStk1tVA6802A--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/a6ec683df2f32fa7d79d1d8071cb7205 class=caas-img>Constance Zimmer
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Wqc8a7JhP91QeYZfARjOng--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/931647a82e2361d66648b95285e5d22d class=caas-img data-headline="Stars step out for Ryan Murphy's 'Love Story' premere: See photos" data-caption="
Constance Zimmer
">Constance Zimmer
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Wqc8a7JhP91QeYZfARjOng--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/931647a82e2361d66648b95285e5d22d class=caas-img>Omari K. Chancellor
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/se8k1biuNOFNG60CbKw84Q--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/a630ec6e5806180e045845dadd3c917e class=caas-img data-headline="Stars step out for Ryan Murphy's 'Love Story' premere: See photos" data-caption="
Omari K. Chancellor
">Omari K. Chancellor
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/se8k1biuNOFNG60CbKw84Q--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/a630ec6e5806180e045845dadd3c917e class=caas-img>
1 / 14Stars step out for Ryan Murphy's 'Love Story' premere: See photos
A who's who of celebrities stepped out Feb. 3, 2026, for the premiere of FX's "Love Story." The show is director Ryan Murphy's first installment of an anthology based on the whirlwind romance between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. Scroll to see stars on the red carpet, beginning with Paul Anthony Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon. Pidgeon and Kelly star as Kennedy and Bessette.
For "Love Story," some early criticism may have been a blessing in disguise.
Sarah Pidgeon, Paul Anthony Kelly and more stars stepped out at Carnegie Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 3, for the New York premiere of Ryan Murphy's latest series "Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette." The show, set to debut just before Valentine's Day, dramatizes the relationship between John F. Kennedy Jr., the son of President John F. Kennedy, and Carolyn Bessette, who became a tabloid obsession up until they both died in a plane crash in 1999.
On the red carpet, the team behind the show opened up about some of the initial criticism they received, as fans scrutinized the costumes and hairstyling in test photos.
"It really made us work harder," Kelly, who plays John F. Kennedy Jr., tells USA TODAY. "It gave more fuel to the fire of creating this. We had to dive deeper. We got clothes on point. It really just finely tuned what we were trying to do."
Sarah Pidgeon attends the premiere of "Love Story" at Carnegie Hall on Feb. 3, 2026, in New York City.
In June, Murphy released what were described as "stills from our 'LOVE STORY' camera test" showing Pidgeon and Kelly in the lead roles – and not everyone was impressed. In The Cut, fashion writer Danya Issawi argued the costumes were not up to snuff, saying "these garments look too much like modern-day replicas of their '90s counterparts" and the hair isn't "quite right," either. Murphy quickly clarified to Variety that the images were simply test photos for lighting and color purposes and wouldn't necessarily reflect the costumes in the final show.
"That is not the wig we're using, that is not the purse we're using," he told Puck. "Those are just things we had to show the studio. It was a work in progress, but I released it, because sometimes you put things out and the paparazzi backs off, so your actors don't feel attacked."
What to know about series on JFK Jr., Carolyn Bessette's romance
Still, series creator Connor Hines tells USA TODAY that some of the negative early feedback occurred when there was still time to "course correct or make any necessary adjustments."
John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette became tabloid fodder when the publisher son of President John F. Kennedy, described as the "closest thing to American royalty," and the Calvin Klein publicist, "a star in her own right," met in 1992 while at his fitting for the clothing brand. 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. After they were married, Bessette was known as Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. 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. Now, director Ryan Murphy is releasing the first installment of his "Love Story" anthology based on the whirlwind romance between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. See their relationship in photos, beginning here at the U.S. Customs House in New York City on May 19, 1999, for the Newman's Own/George Awards.
" style=padding-bottom:56%>John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette became tabloid fodder when the publisher son of President John F. Kennedy, described as the "closest thing to American royalty," and the Calvin Klein publicist, "a star in her own right," met in 1992 while at his fitting for the clothing brand. 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. After they were married, Bessette was known as Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. 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. Now, director Ryan Murphy is releasing the first installment of his "Love Story" anthology based on the whirlwind romance between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. See their relationship in photos, beginning here at the U.S. Customs House in New York City on May 19, 1999, for the Newman's Own/George Awards.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Uwc4BI3G_rgU6MF01R_Ybw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xOTAy/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/12a289f9f10545367c04c967774f3b16 class=caas-img data-headline="See John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette's whirlwind romance" data-caption="
John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette became tabloid fodder when the publisher son of President John F. Kennedy, described as the "closest thing to American royalty," and the Calvin Klein publicist, "a star in her own right," met in 1992 while at his fitting for the clothing brand. 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. After they were married, Bessette was known as Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. 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. Now, director Ryan Murphy is releasing the first installment of his "Love Story" anthology based on the whirlwind romance between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. See their relationship in photos, beginning here at the U.S. Customs House in New York City on May 19, 1999, for the Newman's Own/George Awards.
">John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette became tabloid fodder when the publisher son of President John F. Kennedy, described as the "closest thing to American royalty," and the Calvin Klein publicist, "a star in her own right," met in 1992 while at his fitting for the clothing brand. 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. After they were married, Bessette was known as Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. 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. Now, director Ryan Murphy is releasing the first installment of his "Love Story" anthology based on the whirlwind romance between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. See their relationship in photos, beginning here at the U.S. Customs House in New York City on May 19, 1999, for the Newman's Own/George Awards.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Uwc4BI3G_rgU6MF01R_Ybw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xOTAy/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/12a289f9f10545367c04c967774f3b16 class=caas-img>Bessette arrive at Bright Night Whitney, a retrospective celebration of a century of American art at the Whitney Museum in New York City March 9, 1999. Kennedy was the publisher of George magazine. The pair married in 1996 on Cumberland Island, Georgia.
" style=padding-bottom:56%>John Kennedy Jr. with wife Carolyn Bessette arrive at Bright Night Whitney, a retrospective celebration of a century of American art at the Whitney Museum in New York City March 9, 1999. Kennedy was the publisher of George magazine. The pair married in 1996 on Cumberland Island, Georgia.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/c7I.Zhf0RzZniX2SGUs63Q--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNzAx/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/08cc106fbe63565f7efaf20b31dc8594 class=caas-img data-headline="See John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette's whirlwind romance" data-caption="
John Kennedy Jr. with wife Carolyn Bessette arrive at Bright Night Whitney, a retrospective celebration of a century of American art at the Whitney Museum in New York City March 9, 1999. Kennedy was the publisher of George magazine. The pair married in 1996 on Cumberland Island, Georgia.
">John Kennedy Jr. with wife Carolyn Bessette arrive at Bright Night Whitney, a retrospective celebration of a century of American art at the Whitney Museum in New York City March 9, 1999. Kennedy was the publisher of George magazine. The pair married in 1996 on Cumberland Island, Georgia.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/c7I.Zhf0RzZniX2SGUs63Q--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNzAx/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/08cc106fbe63565f7efaf20b31dc8594 class=caas-img>John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy leave the funeral of Michael Kennedy at Our Lady of Victory Parish in Centerville, Massachusetts, after services, Jan. 3, 1998.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Ej8xH46Jp4Ra0.ssRlhJxw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTE4OTA-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/9a781eeb396986f022ae8eda82830a82 class=caas-img data-headline="See John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette's whirlwind romance" data-caption="
John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy leave the funeral of Michael Kennedy at Our Lady of Victory Parish in Centerville, Massachusetts, after services, Jan. 3, 1998.
">John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy leave the funeral of Michael Kennedy at Our Lady of Victory Parish in Centerville, Massachusetts, after services, Jan. 3, 1998.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Ej8xH46Jp4Ra0.ssRlhJxw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTE4OTA-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/9a781eeb396986f022ae8eda82830a82 class=caas-img>John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette stop for photographers after Kennedy presented actor Robert De Niro with the Municipal Art Society of New York's Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Medal at a gala dinner in New York, March 4, 1997.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/3xp0L5objvftuQEWjlZeGw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD05Mzk-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/3e3b3a66d858771c969b098dba9de9b4 class=caas-img data-headline="See John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette's whirlwind romance" data-caption="
John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette stop for photographers after Kennedy presented actor Robert De Niro with the Municipal Art Society of New York's Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Medal at a gala dinner in New York, March 4, 1997.
">John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette stop for photographers after Kennedy presented actor Robert De Niro with the Municipal Art Society of New York's Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Medal at a gala dinner in New York, March 4, 1997.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/3xp0L5objvftuQEWjlZeGw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD05Mzk-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/3e3b3a66d858771c969b098dba9de9b4 class=caas-img>John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy leave at the end of the White House Correspondent's annual dinner in Washington, D.C., May 1, 1999.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/YdPDR4ANM.aduZycDHREXQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xMzQ4/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/100ff60423269db83a33de909149369a class=caas-img data-headline="See John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette's whirlwind romance" data-caption="
John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy leave at the end of the White House Correspondent's annual dinner in Washington, D.C., May 1, 1999.
">John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy leave at the end of the White House Correspondent's annual dinner in Washington, D.C., May 1, 1999.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/YdPDR4ANM.aduZycDHREXQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xMzQ4/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/100ff60423269db83a33de909149369a class=caas-img>John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy arrive at a gala to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Whitney Museum's Madison Avenue building in New York City.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/K092IlKM3mI2nsyhDBNKvg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNjgy/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/e53059f386514232d6f4da4003a90163 class=caas-img data-headline="See John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette's whirlwind romance" data-caption="
John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy arrive at a gala to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Whitney Museum's Madison Avenue building in New York City.
">John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy arrive at a gala to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Whitney Museum's Madison Avenue building in New York City.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/K092IlKM3mI2nsyhDBNKvg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNjgy/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/e53059f386514232d6f4da4003a90163 class=caas-img>John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy arrive at the White House for a state dinner in honor of British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/OQZIPIBS_YCig_3klvW3vQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xOTQy/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/1030428cc0eef1bd752c034a3f6dacce class=caas-img data-headline="See John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette's whirlwind romance" data-caption="
John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy arrive at the White House for a state dinner in honor of British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
">John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy arrive at the White House for a state dinner in honor of British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/OQZIPIBS_YCig_3klvW3vQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xOTQy/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/1030428cc0eef1bd752c034a3f6dacce class=caas-img>The July 18, 1999, edition of the Cape Cod Times featured the news that John F. Kennedy Jr.'s plane went down off Martha's Vineyard on July 16, 1999.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/5zpzQQvjo8geMsD7Zxz5Mw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0yMDE2/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/2e55d4f34de3603c854189f565668206 class=caas-img data-headline="See John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette's whirlwind romance" data-caption="
The July 18, 1999, edition of the Cape Cod Times featured the news that John F. Kennedy Jr.'s plane went down off Martha's Vineyard on July 16, 1999.
">The July 18, 1999, edition of the Cape Cod Times featured the news that John F. Kennedy Jr.'s plane went down off Martha's Vineyard on July 16, 1999.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/5zpzQQvjo8geMsD7Zxz5Mw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0yMDE2/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/2e55d4f34de3603c854189f565668206 class=caas-img>Robert F. Kennedy Jr., left, Max Kennedy and Victoria Kennedy gather with family on the beach at Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, to await word of John F. Kennedy Jr., whose plane went missing off Martha's Vineyard, July 17, 1999.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/6MDKn.w6ZtQcNxDu4_ds1g--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xMDQ0/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/aea61d224c5ed30a3e60d8beeee7b90d class=caas-img data-headline="See John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette's whirlwind romance" data-caption="
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., left, Max Kennedy and Victoria Kennedy gather with family on the beach at Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, to await word of John F. Kennedy Jr., whose plane went missing off Martha's Vineyard, July 17, 1999.
">Robert F. Kennedy Jr., left, Max Kennedy and Victoria Kennedy gather with family on the beach at Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, to await word of John F. Kennedy Jr., whose plane went missing off Martha's Vineyard, July 17, 1999.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/6MDKn.w6ZtQcNxDu4_ds1g--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xMDQ0/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/aea61d224c5ed30a3e60d8beeee7b90d class=caas-img>Victoria Reggie Kennedy consoles Sen. Ted Kennedy after the Coast Guard transports John F. Kennedy Jr., Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and Lauren Bessette's bodies after they were recovered from the plane.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/yPGB6MwiIAzFS8BJ0fk6ng--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD03Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/81b3b386c071b92de5f90e9aac92c374 class=caas-img data-headline="See John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette's whirlwind romance" data-caption="
Victoria Reggie Kennedy consoles Sen. Ted Kennedy after the Coast Guard transports John F. Kennedy Jr., Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and Lauren Bessette's bodies after they were recovered from the plane.
">Victoria Reggie Kennedy consoles Sen. Ted Kennedy after the Coast Guard transports John F. Kennedy Jr., Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and Lauren Bessette's bodies after they were recovered from the plane.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/yPGB6MwiIAzFS8BJ0fk6ng--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD03Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/81b3b386c071b92de5f90e9aac92c374 class=caas-img>Members of the Kennedy family head out to sea aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Sanibel which took them to the USS Briscoe for a burial at sea on July 22, 1999.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/s4KMEDNVXTl_nhs7WJc3DQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD01Nzg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/6017a455588f7ec58f3bb0dfade5d280 class=caas-img data-headline="See John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette's whirlwind romance" data-caption="
Members of the Kennedy family head out to sea aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Sanibel which took them to the USS Briscoe for a burial at sea on July 22, 1999.
">Members of the Kennedy family head out to sea aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Sanibel which took them to the USS Briscoe for a burial at sea on July 22, 1999.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/s4KMEDNVXTl_nhs7WJc3DQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD01Nzg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/6017a455588f7ec58f3bb0dfade5d280 class=caas-img>A makeshift memorial for John Kennedy Jr., Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and her sister Lauren Bessette, at sunset on Moshup Beach, Martha's Vineyard.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/5rMMrEva3lY388N31gvXnw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD03MDY-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/2bfa17c4974d2ece27bb0c2d7610d2ba class=caas-img data-headline="See John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette's whirlwind romance" data-caption="
A makeshift memorial for John Kennedy Jr., Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and her sister Lauren Bessette, at sunset on Moshup Beach, Martha's Vineyard.
">A makeshift memorial for John Kennedy Jr., Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and her sister Lauren Bessette, at sunset on Moshup Beach, Martha's Vineyard.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/5rMMrEva3lY388N31gvXnw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD03MDY-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/2bfa17c4974d2ece27bb0c2d7610d2ba class=caas-img>A photograph of John Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette sits among flowers and other items at a makeshift shrine outside the couple's apartment building in New York. Kennedy, his wife and her sister, Lauren Bessette, died when the plane he was flying crashed off Martha's Vineyard on July 16, 1999.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/GZ.fgqCRTvkCIv7KpMZzfg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNzQ3/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/252c973143c654e70e76f6fa3642c82e class=caas-img data-headline="See John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette's whirlwind romance" data-caption="
A photograph of John Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette sits among flowers and other items at a makeshift shrine outside the couple's apartment building in New York. Kennedy, his wife and her sister, Lauren Bessette, died when the plane he was flying crashed off Martha's Vineyard on July 16, 1999.
">A photograph of John Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette sits among flowers and other items at a makeshift shrine outside the couple's apartment building in New York. Kennedy, his wife and her sister, Lauren Bessette, died when the plane he was flying crashed off Martha's Vineyard on July 16, 1999.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/GZ.fgqCRTvkCIv7KpMZzfg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNzQ3/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/252c973143c654e70e76f6fa3642c82e class=caas-img>Hundreds of flowers and letters to John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and sister-in-law Lauren Bessette were placed on the hedges and the ground at the John F. Kennedy Memorial in Hyannis, Massachusetts.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/wRvU0tO1nvV94SplC24NFQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04MzY-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/0f3b45b773b5c700e27905bd95c7e622 class=caas-img data-headline="See John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette's whirlwind romance" data-caption="
Hundreds of flowers and letters to John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and sister-in-law Lauren Bessette were placed on the hedges and the ground at the John F. Kennedy Memorial in Hyannis, Massachusetts.
">Hundreds of flowers and letters to John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and sister-in-law Lauren Bessette were placed on the hedges and the ground at the John F. Kennedy Memorial in Hyannis, Massachusetts.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/wRvU0tO1nvV94SplC24NFQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04MzY-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/0f3b45b773b5c700e27905bd95c7e622 class=caas-img>
1 / 14See John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette's whirlwind romance
John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette became tabloid fodder when the publisher son of President John F. Kennedy, described as the "closest thing to American royalty," and the Calvin Klein publicist, "a star in her own right," met in 1992 while at his fitting for the clothing brand. 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. After they were married, Bessette was known as Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. 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. Now, director Ryan Murphy is releasing the first installment of his "Love Story" anthology based on the whirlwind romance between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. See their relationship in photos, beginning here at the U.S. Customs House in New York City on May 19, 1999, for the Newman's Own/George Awards.
For instance, Murphy previously said on the "This is Gavin Newsom" podcast that after seeing criticism of Pidgeon's hair in initial photos, he decided she would need to dye her hair rather than wear a wig. The show also replaced its original costume designer weeks into production, according to Vanity Fair.
Ryan Murphy's American Love Story' finds its JFK Jr., Carolyn Bessette: See photos
"Once we had it all figured out, we were like, 'Oh, this was ultimately a blessing and for the best,'" Hines says. "And everybody ended up looking so fantastic."
The "passionate" reactions from fans were heartening, as they reinforced how invested the public still is in the story, Hines adds.
"I, more than anything, was sort of moved by how strongly people still felt about them," he tells USA TODAY, noting he initially thought "we weren't going to have a sense of the public's relationship or interest in John and Carolyn 25 years later until the show came out."
Sarah Pidgeon, Grace Gummer, Paul Anthony Kelly and Naomi Watts attend the premiere of "Love Story" at Carnegie Hall on Feb. 3, 2026 in New York City.
Pidgeon says dealing with the criticism "was a new experience" for her, but she stressed that fans will be happy with where things landed.
"It was really important, not only to me but to the creatives and the whole team, to get her physically right," Pidgeon says. "She's so well-known through these photos. She is an icon of fashion. And I think if you watch it, you'll see that we really got it right."
'Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette' cast
"Love Story," which also stars Grace Gummer, Alessandro Nivola, Leila George, Sydney Lemmon, Constance Zimmer and Naomi Watts, will premiere its first three episodes on Thursday, Feb. 12, on FX and Hulu at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
Contributing: Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Love Story' show premiere – Stars talk costume backlash
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
