Historical Romance
‘American Love Story’: First Photos of Paul Kelly & Sarah Pidgeon as JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette
American Love Story has found its John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. Newcomer Paul Kelly will be taking on the role of the iconic American figure, and Sarah Pidgeon will play Bessette-Kennedy. On June 13, the first photos of the pair as their famous characters were released.
The FX series was first announced in 2021 but was put on the back burner in recent years. American Love Story is the latest in Ryan Murphy‘s growing universe of American anthology series, including American Horror Story, American Crime Story, and American Sports Story.
Over the last year, there has been renewed interest in the fascinating and often complicated romance between the eldest son of President John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy Onassis and the beautiful and mysterious Calvin Klein publicist. Their relationship garnered relentless media attention, and Bessette-Kennedy became a fashion icon of the 1990s.
American Love Story will explore the early days of their relationship, their eventual marriage, the highs and lows in between, and the tragedy that shocked the world. Scroll down for the latest updates on American Love Story.
When is American Love Story coming out?
American Love Story will premiere during “Valentine’s Day week 2026,” according to Ryan Murphy Productions. The show began filming in New York City in June 2025.
George De Sota / Liaison
In September 2024, executive producers Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson gave an exciting update about the status of the show. “We’re very much intending to [tell that story],” Jacobson told Variety. Simpson added, “We have great scripts on that. We’re trying to figure out when it’ll land. It is a story that really resonates right now. It’s amazing. A lot of younger women are looking to her as sort of a representational icon of a certain period of time that’s really fascinating, and hopefully, we’ll be able to bring that to the screen soon.”
Who is playing Carolyn Bessette in American Love Story?
Sarah Pidgeon has been cast as Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy in American Love Story, according to Variety. Pidgeon rose to fame in the Prime Video series The Wilds and garnered critical acclaim for her performance in Tiny Beautiful Things. She recently made her Broadway debut in Stereophonic, and also stars in the upcoming I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel.
View this post on Instagram
The first photos of Pidgeon in character were released via Murphy’s production company on June 13. “We started shooting this week in New York City and can’t wait until you see the romantic and tragic love story between America’s prince, JFK Jr., and fashion icon Carolyn Bessette—out Valentine’s Day week of 2026,” the post said.
Who is playing John F. Kennedy Jr. in American Love Story?
The role of John F. Kennedy Jr. in American Love Story will be played by Paul Kelly. This will be his first major role. He previously modeled for companies like Marine Layer and appeared in two plays for The Group Repertory Theatre. His casting was first reported by Evan Ross Katz.
“Murphy and team read close to one thousand actors over the course of six months – which reminded me immediately, of course, of the search for Scarlett O’Hara. In the end, they cast newcomer Paul Kelly for the star-making role,” Katz wrote on Instagram.
View this post on Instagram
JFK Jr.’s mother, Jackie, will be played by Oscar nominee Naomi Watts. Watts has worked on several Ryan Murphy projects, including Feud: Capote vs. The Swans and the upcoming All’s Fair. She notably played Princess Diana in the 2013 film Diana.
What happened to JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette?
The couple struggled with the intense media scrutiny surrounding their relationship. They were photographed constantly by paparazzi, including times when they were having arguments in New York City. Kennedy and Bessette-Kennedy made their final public appearance together at a John F. Kennedy Presidential Library event in May 1999.
The couple and Bessette-Kennedy’s sister, Lauren, were killed on July 16, 1999, in a plane JFK Jr. was flying to Martha’s Vineyard for a wedding at the Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. The plane wreckage was discovered after a five-day search. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded that crash was caused by Kennedy’s spatial disorientation while descending over water at night.
American Love Story, Series Premiere, February 2026, FX
