Actor and activist Daryl Hannah has spoken out against her portrayal in Ryan Murphy’s new FX series Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette. The show dramatizes the romance and tragic deaths of JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette in 1999. Hannah, who dated Kennedy on and off for five years until 1994, has remained private about the relationship for decades.
In a guest essay for The New York Times, Hannah criticized Murphy’s depiction of her, calling it “not even a remotely accurate representation of my life, my conduct or my relationship with John.” She accused the series of using her as a narrative device, describing the approach as “textbook misogyny” and branding the project “tragedy-exploiting.”
Refuting Allegations
Hannah strongly denied several claims made in the series. She stated:
- She has never used cocaine or hosted drug-fueled parties.
- She never pressured anyone into marriage.
- She never desecrated family heirlooms or intruded on private memorials.
- She never planted stories in the press or compared Jacqueline Onassis’ death to a dog’s.
“These are not creative embellishments of personality. They are assertions about conduct — and they are false,” Hannah wrote.
Consequences of the Show
The actress revealed that the series has led to “hostile” and “threatening” messages from viewers who believed the portrayal. She emphasized that “real names are not fictional tools. They belong to real lives,” highlighting the harm caused when dramatizations blur fact and fiction.
Wider Criticism of Love Story
Hannah is not alone in her criticism. JFK Jr.’s nephew, Jack Schlossberg, also condemned the series, saying the Kennedy family was not consulted and accusing Murphy of “profiting off tragedy in a grotesque way.”
Murphy responded to Schlossberg’s remarks by dismissing them as “an odd choice to be mad about your relative that you really don’t remember.”
The series stars Paul Anthony Kelly as JFK Jr., Sarah Pidgeon as Carolyn Bessette, Grace Gummer as Caroline Kennedy, and Naomi Watts as Jackie Kennedy Onassis. Despite its star-studded cast, Love Story has faced backlash for glamorizing tragedy and misrepresenting real people.
Hannah’s Perspective Today
Married to musician Neil Young since 2018, Hannah has largely avoided public discussion of her past relationship with JFK Jr. Her essay marks a rare and forceful intervention, underscoring her frustration at being misrepresented decades later. Her words add to the growing debate about the ethics of dramatizing real-life tragedies, especially when living individuals are depicted without consent.
