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It's been over 25 years sinceJohn F. Kennedy Jr.andCarolyn Bessette Kennedy's romance ended in tragedy.
The couple captured the attention of the nationwhen they started datingin 1994. They met two years earlier in the VIP fitting room at Calvin Klein, where Carolyn worked as the brand's publicist. By 1995, Carolyn and JFK Jr. — son of PresidentJohn F. Kennedyand first ladyJackie Kennedy— were engaged and later married inan intimate ceremonyon Georgia's Cumberland Island.
On July 16, 1999, JFK Jr.piloted a planeto Martha's Vineyard with his wife and her sister Lauren Bessette on board. All three passengers died when the plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean about 7.5 miles from their destination.
The first installment ofRyan Murphy'sLove Storyanthology chronicles JFK Jr. (Paul Anthony Kelly) and Carolyn's (Sarah Pidgeon) whirlwind romanceover the course of nine episodes. The series — which premiered on Feb. 12 — is inspired by Elizabeth Beller's bookOnce Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy.
Here are the stars ofLove Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessetteside-by-side with their real-life counterparts.
Paul Anthony Kelly as John F. Kennedy Jr.
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Paul Anthony Kelly plays John F. Kennedy Jr., the son of President John F. Kennedy and first lady Jackie Kennedy.
In December 2025, Kelly opened up toInterview Magazineabout how he prepared to play the late magazine editor in his first major acting role.
"Read several biographies, including Rosemarie Terenzio's book," he said. "I watched everything I could. YouTube is great. I also listened to Jr. read his father's bookProfiles in Courageevery day before work to get into his cadence and vocal style. He was a very well-documented individual. There's just so much to take in, so once I got this, I was just a sponge."
Sarah Pidgeon as Carolyn Bessette Kennedy
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Sarah Pidgeon portrays Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, JFK Jr.'s wife, who worked as a fashion publicist at Calvin Klein.
After receiving backlash about her portrayal, Pidgeon toldVarietyin July 2025 thatplaying Carolynhas been a "fulfilling and incredibly special" experience.
"I know how special Carolyn is to me and I understand how widely beloved she is, so this role comes with a lot of responsibility — and I'm not surprised that people have strong opinions about it," she said. "That's what makes her such an interesting person."
Pidgeon added, "I mean, not only how she dressed, but the woman who worked at Calvin Klein and the person that JFK Jr. fell in love with. She's a human being beyond just these pictures. She really resonates with a lot of people, and she certainly does with me."
Naomi Watts as Jackie Kennedy Onassis
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Naomi Watts plays Jackie Kennedy Onassis, the former first lady and JFK Jr.'s mother. Carolynnever met Jackiebefore she died in May 1994.
At the premiere of the show in February 2026, Watts spoke toEntertainment Tonightabout the "daunting" task of portraying Jackie on screen.
"A lot of pressure. Very daunting indeed, but it helps when you've got Ryan Murphy leading it, and you've worked together multiple times before and had a successful experience," she said. "You know, despite my fear and self-doubt, him saying, 'You can do this, you've got this,' does alleviate a lot of that and makes you feel like you could probably pull it off."
Grace Gummer as Caroline Kennedy
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Grace Gummer plays JFK Jr.'s older sisterCaroline Kennedy. Caroline had a close relationship with her late brother, but has rarely spoken about him publicly.
Presidential historian Steven M. Gillon told PEOPLE in January 2026 that JFK Jr. was one of the only peoplewho understoodthe personal tragedies Caroline faced.
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"It's this contrast between this incredibly private person and this very public tragedy that is striking," he said. "Caroline suffered the same losses that John suffered, except that she also suffered the loss of her brother."
Gummer is the daughter ofMeryl Streep, and her acting credits includeMr. Robot,American Horror StoryandSpringsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere.
Alessandro Nivola as Calvin Klein
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Alessandro Nivola portrays renowned American fashion designer Calvin Klein.
In February 2026, Nivola spoke toMEA WorldWideabout using Calvin's Bronx background to inform his portrayal of the designer.
"At this time that I was playing him, he still had a kind of a bit of Bronx in his voice, but there was also this kind of like lilting sound of somebody who'd spent time around Paris fashion shows," he said. "So, that was important to me to have that both in the voice and for it to like infect every part of my behavior and emotional psychology as well."
Leila George as Kelly Klein
Eric Liebowitz/FX; Steve Eichner/WireImage
Leila George plays Kelly Klein, a photographer and the ex-wife of Calvin Klein. Kellybecame friendswith Carolyn when she started working for the iconic fashion brand in the '90s.
George is known for her roles inAnimal Kingdom,DisclaimerandThe Beast in Me.
Dree Hemingway as Daryl Hannah
Eric Liebowitz/FX; J. Vespa/WireImage
Dree Hemingway playsKill BillactressDaryl Hannah, who dated JFK Jr. for five years in the early '90s.
Hannah first met JFK Jr. in the early 1980s, before reconnecting again at the 1988 wedding of his aunt Lee Radziwill to director Herb Ross. They broke up in 1994.
Hemingway is an actress, model and fashion designer and the great-granddaughter of author Ernest Hemingway.
Sydney Lemmon as Lauren Bessette
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Sydney Lemmon portrays Lauren Bessette, Carolyn's sister, who was also killed in the 1999 plane crash.
Lemmon previously starred inSuccession,FirestarterandHelstrom.
Constance Zimmer as Ann Messina
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Constance Zimmer plays Carolyn's mother, Ann Messina.
Speaking with PEOPLE in February 2026, Zimmer opened up about her emotional role as Carolyn's mom.
"At the core,love and grief is universal, so whether you are a mother or aren't a mother, it's like, we all can relate to falling in love and the struggles that come with it, and the part of it that is the hardest is the other side of this story," she said. "I think for me, as a mom, it's even more devastating, but I think it's just devastating across the board."
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