The stars of FX’s Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette have responded to criticism from a prominent Kennedy descendant.
The newly released show sheds light on the passionate and ultimately tragic romance between JFK Jr. and his wife, Carolyn Bessette. The roles of the iconic ’90s couple are respectively played by Paul Anthony Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon.
Prior to the series release, Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of John F. Kennedy who is currently running for Congress in New York, slammed the show, saying in a video posted to Instagram, “For those wondering whether his family was ever consulted, or has anything to do with the new show being made about him, the answer is no.”
“For the record, I think admiration for my uncle John is great. What I don’t think is great is profiting off of it in a grotesque way,” Schlossberg, 32, continued.
In news interviews, cast members acknowledged the criticism they faced and said they intended to bring empathy to retelling this chapter of the Kennedys’ lives.
“I don’t know what it’s like to have a TV show or a book or movie written about my family, and I understand the sensitivities,” Pidgeon told The Hollywood Reporter.
“He has every right to share how he feels about it,” she continued. “We were approaching this with integrity and respect, and I think we were successful in that, but we were also understanding that these weren’t just real people, but they also have family and friends still with us today, and that their legacy reverberates and lives on through them as well. That was always part of my consciousness. I hope that if they do watch it, they feel that we led with respect and honor for John and Carolyn. That’s my hope.”
Kelly, similarly, told Entertainment Tonight that the show’s intention was to reflect “truth and integrity to their story in this dramatic recreation.”
Pidgeon also acknowledged criticism of the costumes she donned while playing Basette-Kennedy. Last summer, publications such as Vogue and The Cut covered the aesthetics of Pidgeon’s character, scrutinizing choices evident in early camera-test images. The actress said Bessette-Kennedy’s look was “very important” to get right, for both herself and the production team.
“I think it just goes to show how dearly beloved Carolyn and JFK were and are,” Pidgeon said, saying people are “very protective” over them.
Neither Pidgeon nor Kelly spoke to members of the Kennedy clan before or after filming the series, they told the Hollywood Reporter.
When asked by the publication about Schlossberg’s criticisms of the show, executive producer Brad Simpson said he hopes people will see they approached the story with “love.”
“What I hope is that when people watch the show, they will see our sincerity. They will see that we’ve approached this with love, and that we were trying to celebrate the life of Carolyn Bessette and JFK Jr.,” he said, adding, “I can understand why somebody could have a reaction before they see it, but I would say, ‘watch the show,’ because I think they’re going to be surprised at how sincere it is.”
Love Story creator and Emmy-winning director Ryan Murphy previously hit back at the Kennedy scion’s critiques, telling California Gov. Gavin Newsom on his podcast, “I thought it was an odd choice to be mad about your relative that you really don’t remember.”
