FX’s Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette has gripped viewers all over the U.S., but not everyone is pleased with the show. Although we no longer have the real-life John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette — both of whom died in a 1999 plane crash — others who were connected to the couple have spoken out about the Ryan Murphy-produced series.
Read how several public figures connected to the Kennedys have reacted to Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessett.
Daryl Hannah
Daryl Hannah, who dated JFK. Jr. on and off from the late 1980s to 1994, wrote a scathing essay blasting the series for its portrayal of her and her past relationship with the late attorney.
“The character ‘Daryl Hannah’ portrayed in the series is not even a remotely accurate representation of my life, my conduct or my relationship with John,” the Splash alum wrote in her New York Times essay. “The actions and behaviors attributed to me are untrue. I have never used cocaine in my life or hosted cocaine-fueled parties. I have never pressured anyone into marriage. I have never desecrated any family heirloom or intruded upon anyone’s private memorial. I have never planted any story in the press. I never compared Jacqueline Onassis’ death to a dog’s. It’s appalling to me that I even have to defend myself against a television show. These are not creative embellishments of personality. They are assertions about conduct — and they are false.”
Daryl Hannah has thoughts about her depiction in the new show LOVE STORY: pic.twitter.com/1ZAZXENgUC
— James Pethokoukis ⏩️⤴️ (@JimPethokoukis) March 6, 2026
Daryl further pointed out that “storytelling requires tension. It often requires an obstacle. But a real, living person is not a narrative device. There is also a gendered dimension to this thinking.”
“Popular culture has long elevated certain women by portraying others as rivals, obstacles or villains. Isn’t it textbook misogyny to tear down one woman in order to build up another?” Daryl asked.
Jack Schlossberg
Jack Schlossberg, the nephew of JFK Jr., briefly spoke about the show during a CBS Sunday Morning interview, and he made a dig at Ryan, who executive produced Love Story.
Jack Schlossberg sharply criticizes Ryan Murphy’s series “Love Story,” about his uncle John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, calling it “a capital F for fiction” and accusing Murphy of profiting off a “grotesque display” of his family’s life.@JBKSchlossberg suggests… pic.twitter.com/J0VRF3WBzn
— CBS Sunday Morning 🌞 (@CBSSunday) March 3, 2026
“Well, if you want to know someone who’s never met anyone in my family, knows nothing about us, talk to Ryan Murphy,” Jack said. “I would just want people who do watch the show to watch it with one letter in mind, and that’s a capital F for fiction. The guy knows nothing about what he’s talking about, and he’s making a ton of money on a grotesque display of someone else’s life.”
Douglas Kennedy
Douglas Kennedy , John F. Kennedy Jr.’s cousin, publicly defended Daryl following her criticism of the series. While speaking with Page Six, he said Daryl had been “very sweet” and genuinely cared about JFK Jr. during their relationship. Douglas added that the show’s depiction of her did not reflect the reality of their relationship and described the portrayal as an unfortunate misrepresentation.
“Everybody around Carolyn loved Carolyn,” he said.
“It’s difficult to capture the intricacies of people’s lives in movies or television,” Douglas continued. “If you know people, these types of things often fail in capturing the essence of who people were.”
“John was the leader of my generation,” he added. “He was irreplaceable.”
Rosanna Arquette
Rosanna Arquette, a longtime friend of Daryl, publicly defended the actress and criticized the FX series Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette over its portrayal of Daryl’s relationship with JFK Jr. Rosanna spoke out after Daryl slammed the show, arguing that the depiction of her friend was inaccurate.
In a social media post, Rosanna wrote, “I love Daryl Hannah. She’s a great woman ,a great actor, writer, director and activist for the environment for years ! She is also an animal whisperer. Her work in the world has been epic. The portrayal of her on the streaming thing is bullshit. Her love with John F Kennedy Jr was real and some of the happiest times John F Kennedy Jr. had – Just ask his family. But no one did.”