Paul Anthony Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon star as John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy.

See the cast of Love Story side-by-side with the real Kennedys and Bessettes

Paul Anthony Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon star as John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy.

By Allison DeGrushe

Allison DeGrushe

Allison DeGrushe is a timely SEO writer at **. She has been working at * *since 2025. Her work has previously appeared on Distractify.

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February 12, 2026 8:00 a.m. ET

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Paul Anthony Kelly as John F. Kennedy Jr on 'Love Story'; John F. Kennedy Jr. at the "Brite Nite Whitney" fundraising gala on March 9, 1999, in New York City. Credit:

FX; Evan Agostini/Liaison via Getty

- *Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette *chronicles the couple's high-profile romance.

- Paul Anthony Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon star as JFK Jr. and Carolyn, with Naomi Watts as Jackie Kennedy and Alessandro Nivola as Calvin Klein.

- The first three episodes debut Thursday, Feb. 12 at 9 p.m. ET.

Ryan Murphy's ever-expanding *American Story* universe — comprised of *American Horror Story, American Crime Story*, and more — is getting a new entry with *Love Story*, an FX and Hulu series about the real-life romance between John F. Kennedy Jr. (Paul Anthony Kelly) and Carolyn Bessette (Sarah Pidgeon).

The couple tied the knot in 1996 after two years of dating, during which they became an object of fascination in the media, paparazzi trailing them everywhere. In July 1999, JFK. Jr, Carolyn, and her older sister Lauren died in a plane crash.

Read on to learn more about the *Love Story *cast and the real people they're portraying onscreen.

Sarah Pidgeon as Carolyn Bessette

Sarah Pidgeon as Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy on 'Love Story'; Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy at the annual JFK Library Foundation dinner on Sunday, May 23, 1999, at the Kennedy Library.

FX; Justin Ide/Getty

Sarah Pidgeon earned a Tony nomination for her role as Diana in the Broadway hit *Stereophonic *(2023–2024). Fans might also recognize her from the psychological survival drama *The Wilds *(2020–2022) or as Stevie Ward in the 2025 slasher *I Know What You Did Last Summer*.

Here, Pidgeon plays the late Carolyn Bessette, the Calvin Klein executive who married JFK Jr. in 1996.

Ahead of the premiere, Pidgeon told *Vogue *that she hopes audiences come away feeling "a little closer to knowing the woman behind the clothes." She added, "She is known as this minimalist fashion icon, but I learned that she was also vivacious, funny, and had a wildness about her."

Paul Anthony Kelly as John F. Kennedy Jr.

Paul Anthony Kelly as John F. Kennedy Jr on 'Love Story'; John F. Kennedy Jr. at the Jackie Robinson Foundation awards dinner.

FX; Lawrence Schwartzwald/Sygma via Getty

Canadian model Paul Anthony Kelly is relatively new to acting. He had a role on the Starz drama *The Venery of Samantha Bird*, but it was canceled before it aired. *Love Story* is his first major acting role, and he landed it after auditioning alongside more than a thousand actors.

Ryan Murphy reacts to Kennedy family firestorm over his new JFK Jr. show

See Naomi Watts' striking transformation into Jackie Kennedy in new 'American Love Story' photos

At the premiere, Kelly told PEOPLE that one of the perks of playing JFK Jr. was replicating his "amazing" hair. "I mean, the hair is … John hair," he said. "He's the guy with the hair, it was awesome."

Naomi Watts as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Naomi Watts as Jackie Kennedy Onassis on 'Love Story'; Jackie Kennedy Onassis.

Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images; Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty

Two-time Oscar nominee Naomi Watts inspired some of the best filmmakers of the past 50 years, including David Lynch (*Mulholland Drive*), Alejandro González Iñárritu (*21 Grams, Birdman*), David Cronenberg (*Eastern Promises*), Michael Haneke (*Funny Games*), and Peter Jackson (*King Kong*).

She's also a frequent collaborator of Murphy's, having worked with the powerhouse creator on shows like *The Watcher* (2022–present), *Feud: Capote vs. The Swans* (2024), and *All's Fair *(2025–present).

Watts costars as the late Jackie Kennedy, JFK Jr.'s mother and the widow of President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963. She died at age 64 from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma on May 19, 1994.

Watts shared on *Today *that preparing for the role gave her a deeper appreciation for the former first lady. "We remember her as the bloodstained widow, which was a tragic moment, but how she dealt with grief was extraordinary," she explained. "But also her incredible mind — very, very smart woman."

Grace Gummer as Caroline Kennedy

Grace Gummer as Caroline Kennedy on 'Love Story'; Caroline Kennedy circa 1993 in New York City.

Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images; Robin Platzer/IMAGES/Getty

Grace Gummer, a daughter of film icon Meryl Streep, is a familiar face in the Murphy stable, having previously starred on three seasons of *American Horror Story *(2013–2024). She's also well-known for playing Dominique DiPierro on *Mr. Robot *(2016–2019), and for her supporting turn in *Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere* (2025).

Gummer returns to the Murphy-verse on *Love Story*, stepping into the role of JFK Jr.'s older sister, Caroline Kennedy. Caroline, the only surviving child of JFK and Jackie, is a former U.S. ambassador to Japan and Australia, as well as the editor of several best-selling poetry and essay collections.

She's been married to Edwin Schlossberg since 1986, and they raised three children: Rose, Tatiana, and Jack, the latter of whom is an aspiring politician.

Sydney Lemmon as Lauren Bessette

Sydney Lemmon at the Broadway opening night of 'Bug' on Jan. 08, 2026; Lauren Bessette.

Michael Loccisano/Getty; Mario Magnani/Getty

Sydney Lemmon, granddaughter of Hollywood icon Jack Lemmon, appeared in the films *Firestarter* and *Tár* (both released in 2022) and led the short-lived Marvel series *Helstrom* (2020).

On *Love Story*, Lemmon portrays the late Lauren Bessette, Carolyn's older sister. According to the *Cape Cod Times*, she worked as a financial executive at Morgan Stanley Dean Witter before her death in 1999.

Constance Zimmer as Ann Messina Freeman

Constance Zimmer at the premiere of 'Love Story' on Feb. 3, 2026, in New York City; Ann Freeman in July 1999.

Dominik Bindl/WireImage; Globe Photos/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

Emmy nominee Constance Zimmer has spent years bringing bold characters to life. She's best known for playing movie exec Dana Gordon on *Entourage *(2005–2011), a role she reprised in the 2015 film, but you may know her as reporter Janine Skorsky on *House of Cards *(2013–2018) and cutthroat producer Quinn King on *UnReal* (2015–2018). More recently, she appeared on Freeform's *Good Trouble* (2021–2022) and Netflix's *The Lincoln Lawyer *(2026).

Here, Zimmer is playing Carolyn's mother, Ann Messina Freeman. When her casting was announced in November 2025, the actress shared on Instagram that the role was "the most emotionally gratifying" and "heart-wrenching" of her career. "This project moved me in so many ways, I’m so beyond grateful to be a part of it!" she wrote.

Leila George as Kelly Klein

Leila George as Kelly Klein on 'Love Story'; Kelly Klein in 1995.

FX; Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty

Leila George, the daughter of actors Greta Scacchi and Vincent D'Onofrio, is known for her recurring roles on series like *Animal Kingdom *(2019–2022) and *The Beast in Me *(2025). The actress is currently set to star opposite Jake Gyllenhaal in the upcoming *Road House 2*.

On *Love Story*, George plays Kelly Klein, a friend of Carolyn's and the then-wife of fashion designer Calvin Klein. Kelly started out in the fashion industry, then moved into photography and published several books of her work.

Alessandro Nivola as Calvin Klein

Alessandro Nivola as Calvin Klein on 'Love Story'; Calvin Klein during the first Annual Hazelden Fundraiser for the Fellowship Club in New York City.

FX; Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty

Early in his career, Alessandro Nivola starred in blockbusters like *Face/Off *(1997) and *Jurassic Park III *(2001). He went on to work with acclaimed filmmakers like David O. Russell (*American Hustle, Amsterdam*), Atom Egoyan (*Devil's Knot*), Ava DuVernay (*Selma*), and Pedro Almodóvar (*The Room Next Door*), and appeared opposite Adrien Brody in the Oscar-winning *The Brutalist* (2025).

On *Love Story*, Nivola plays Calvin Klein, the trailblazing designer behind one of the world's most recognizable fashion houses.

Dree Hemingway as Daryl Hannah

Dree Hemingway at the premiere of 'Love Story' on Feb. 03, 2026 in New York City; Daryl Hannah during HBO's TCA 1993 in Pasadena, Calif.

Adela Loconte/Variety via Getty; Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Dree Hemingway got her start as a model, but pivoted to acting with attention-grabbing roles in Sean Baker's *Starlet *(2012), Alex Ross Perry's *Listen Up Philip* (2014), and Noah Baumbach's *While We're Young *(2014).

Now, Hemingway portrays Daryl Hannah, the *Blade Runner *and *Kill Bill *star who dated JFK Jr. for years prior to his relationship with Carolyn.

Omari K. Chancellor as Gordon Henderson

Omari K. Chancellor at the premiere of 'Love Story' on Feb. 3, 2026 in New York City; Gordon Henderson during New York Fashion Week circa 1990.

Adela Loconte/Variety via Getty; PL Gould/Images/Getty

After nabbing supporting roles in *The Greatest Beer Run Ever *(2022) and the CBS series *Elsbeth* (2024), Omari K. Chancellor landed the role of Gordon Henderson on *Love Story*.

A fashion designer, Henderson worked under Calvin Klein and became one of Carolyn's best friends. He even helped plan her wedding to JFK Jr. In a 2025 interview with *Town & Country*, he called her an "ordinary girl who was also dynamic and confident."

Erich Bergen as Anthony Radziwiłł

Erich Bergen as Anthony Radziwiłł on 'Love Story'; Anthony Radziwiłł.

BG048/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images; Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty

Erich Bergen cut his teeth playing Bob Gaudio in the stage musical *Jersey Boys *(2008), a role he'd later reprise for Clint Eastwood's 2014 film adaptation. His Broadway credits include *Waitress *(2019–2021) and *Chicago* (2022–2023), and he also starred as Blake Moran on the CBS series *Madame Secretary *(2014–2019).

Bergen joins *Love Story *as the late Anthony Radziwiłł, JFK Jr.'s cousin and best friend who died from cancer just weeks after JFK Jr.'s death.

Addressing criticism around the show, Bergen recently said he is aware of it but "can't really listen to any" of it. "We had such an incredible team who honored this story and expanded on it, and just exploded it," he explained. "We're not making a documentary, we're making television. This is a scripted series, and the people that made this show are the masters of it."

Michael Nathanson as Michael Berman

Michael Nathanson at the premiere of 'Love Story' on Feb. 3, 2026 ,in New York City; Michael Berman in 1995.

Dominik Bindl/WireImage; Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty

Over the years, Michael Nathanson has appeared in movies like *Young Adult *(2011) and *The Wolf of Wall Street *(2013). You might also remember him as Dr. Levi Zinberg on *The Knick *(2014-2015) or as a special agent on *The Punisher *(2017).

Nathanson plays Michael Berman, a co-founder of *George *magazine alongside JFK Jr. At the premiere, the actor stressed that *Love Story *isn't an "exploitative" project. "This was done with love and care for these people," he said. "I hope we serve them well in their memory."

Where can I watch Love Story?**

The first three episodes of *Love Story* premiere Thursday, Feb. 12 at 9 p.m. ET on FX and Hulu. New episodes drop weekly on Thursdays.

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