In 2021, Ryan Murphy’s team announced plans to branch out their “American” anthology franchises. They already do American Crime Story, American Horror Story, etc. The new one was supposed to be American Love Story. Murphy has wanted to tell the story of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette for the first American Love Story. For several years, the project kind of stalled out, or Murphy was busy on other projects. But then it was kicked up to the front of the line last fall, with Murphy’s team doing a wide casting call for John-John and Carolyn. We had casting thoughts, as did everyone else. Well, after a wide search, they’ve cast John and Carolyn. Tony-nominee Sarah Pidgeon will play Carolyn, and model/newcomer actor Paul Kelly will play John.
Excited to exclusively report that Ryan Murphy and co. have found their Jackie, John Jr. and Carolyn in Naomi Watts, Paul Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon! The trio will be at the center of FX’s AMERICAN LOVE STORY, the first in the newest franchise, this outing focusing on the couple whose whirlwind romance dominated the media landscape throughout the 90’s.
John first met Carolyn in 1992 when she was called upon to oversee a VIP Calvin Klein fitting for the former first son.
“Calvin decided it should be [Carolyn], the most effervescent person on the sales floor, who would show John the selection of clothing,” author Elizabeth Beller wrote in her 2024 book, ONCE UPON A TIME: THE CAPTIVATING LIFE OF CAROLYN BESSETTE-KENNEDY. According to reports, she gave him her phone number on the spot. Days later, he called. After a whirlwind courtship, they wed in 1996 (their first dance was to Prince’s “Forever in My Life”).
The series will explore their marriage and their tragic deaths just three years after they wed — and everything in between. Watts, the two-time Academy Award-nominee, who’s worked with Murphy on THE WATCHER, THE SWANS and the upcoming ALL’S FAIR, needs no introduction.
Pidgeon is a Tony-nominated actress for her work in STEREOPHONIC on Broadway and will appear in the upcoming I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER reboot. For the much-coveted part of John Jr., 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. Consider me pre-seated.
Just looking through the photos, I’m interested and intrigued. Sarah Pidgeon has that je ne sais quoi to play Carolyn – an aristocratic look, elegant, mysterious. I think she’ll look amazing as a blonde too. Paul Kelly hasn’t done much acting, which might work well for JFK. I hope Ryan Murphy gets him an acting coach and some body makeup to cover up those tattoos. But he definitely looks the part. As for Naomi Watts as Jackie… Naomi isn’t old enough, damn! But Naomi will do a good job.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images and Paul Kelly’s IG.
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- Hulu’s ‘Tiny Beautiful Things’ FYC Event at DGA Theatre Complex. Featuring: Sarah Pidgeon Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 07 Jun 2023 Credit: Faye’s Vision/Cover Images
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- Arrivals Attend 49th Toronto International Film Festival – ‘The Friend’ Premiere Featuring: Sarah Pidgeon Where: Toronto, Ontario, Canada When: 10 Sep 2024 Credit: Captive Camera/Cover Images
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- Celebrities arrive to the New York Fashion Week Ready to Wear Carolina Herrera show Featuring: :Sarah Pidgeon Where: New York City, New York, United States When: 10 Feb 2025 Credit: Roger Wong/INSTARimages
I definitely see the vision for both actors and even Naomi because Sarah resembles Naomi and Carolyn favored Jackie. I never watch any of Ryan’s productions but I’m intrigued and may watch this one.
Carolyn never met Jackie so I’m not sure why she needs to be included. Also, I think Grace Gummer is a better fit for Carolyn.
Yes but Jackie was alive when John and Carolyn dated and this is a story about both of them.
Gummer is fine but this choice is way better as far as visually.
Same. I just hope he doesn’t try to mimic John’s accent exactly. This was already done in a previous film about them, which was terrible, it felt like parody.
I’m the first person to criticize casting choices in Ryan Murphy’s show but this time I can kind of see it ? Maybe he changed the casting director ?
I can see it. Especially once the actress goes blonde. Curious to see how it goes. Feel like it’s going to be messy.
I am forever fascinated by Carolyn and Jon Jon. God I wish they had either scrapped the flight or had arranged for a radar rated co-pilot. I remember the night the news was reporting them missing. When they didn’t arrive at Martha’s Vineyard. I was so sad and knew they all perished.
I wonder if Ryan will include the alleged affair Carolyn had with her ex model (and Baywatch fame) Michael Bergin. While married to John. I am still on the fence if it was real or he embellished for a buck.
But she was smart, stylish and to me, launched a minimalist 90’s style that is enduring today. I admit, I tried to emulate those pencil thin eyebrows. Great for her was terrible for me lol.
And John Kennedy Jr. was absolutely besotted with her. But also as I read, she never met his mother and waited to marry after she passed. That must have been some epic arguments. And of course the famous Central Park blow out.
Howard Stern spoke about meeting and speaking with her at a party. He said she was mesmerizing and could speak about anything. But she was also incredibly media shy and hated the cameras.
I have skipped several of Ryan Murphy’s shows. But I will be here for this one.
I am forever fascinated by them, too. And I agree that her style is far more influential than maybe she is credited for. I was in the hospital giving birth when their plane crashed – everyone was glued to the TV for days.
Yeah I might watch this one – I can def these that these 2 with the right styling etc.. could really pull them both off. There is a resemblance there.
i think he would have ended up going into politics – thou not sure if the marriage would have lasted as the pressure from all the press attention clearly bothered her. But who knows…
I really dread this. Carolyn was ruthlessly abused by the tabloids during that era and the paparazzi that stalked her during that era were particularly vicious. No one could have adapted to the fishbowl she found herself in when she married him. JFK, Jr had a dangerous fickle streak that was downplayed by tearing apart Carolyn. The plane crash was 100% his fault because he was not instrument rated and never should have flown alone at night, especially with an injured foot. Most of the really nasty rumors about her (affairs, drug abuse, ect) are vehemently denied by her close friends. He was the golden boy and all their problems were blamed on her during her lifetime and after they died. The Kennedy’s fed the Carolyn was bad narrative to blame her for their relarionship problems and the accident he caused in the same way RFK, Jr was always covered for by the Kennedy family regardless of what he did.
It’s really sad because when you see candid family photos, Carolyn seemed to be very close and get on well with the clan.
I didn’t realise that they had fed stories about her after their deaths.
I remember feeling so sad for Carolyn’s mother at the time. Everyone was going on about the Kennedys, and this poor woman had to bury 2 daughters because of JKF Jr’s pig-headedness.
This is exactly how I felt. His death was tragic but the they lost TWO children that night. And as you said, it was his fault. It wasn’t just an unfortunate accident, it was poor judgment and arrogance.
And her sister who perished seemed accomplished. As for the surviving sister, I wonder how she’s doing now…
Yeah I wonder which narrative they will go for her – the affair or the drugs or both.
I see the vision for both actors too. I am sad that Sarah will have to lose her lovely eyebrows for the role. They’ll grow back but ugh, I have bad memories of those 90s pencil eyebrows. Most people who tried them couldn’t pull them off and they were so often uneven and wonky.
JFK Junior never interested me much and I didn’t follow the tabloid drama regarding them, but I will probably watch this.
As someone who overplucked for during the 90s, I can state firsthand, sometimes they do NOT grow back! 😫 If you plucked the *root* of the hair during said plucking, you are *pluck* outta luck!
No Elizabeth Debicki for Carolyn? Tall.cool. Elegant.
I like that he cast an American actor.
In this case, I think looks really do matter in the casting choice. The audience who is too young to remember JFK Jr. needs to understand how impossibly handsome and swoon worthy that man was. His relationship and marriage with Carolyn was a big deal because she got the man who was literally labeled “the world’s most eligible bachelor.”
i never saw him in person in NYC but an old coworker of mine did. He said he was standing at a street corner and John walked up to cross the street. Waiting for the light to change. He said the two woman that were standing there looked like they were swooning staring at him. He was THAT good looking.
That’s my one regret as a life long New Yorker. Never seeing JFK Jr. in person.
Meh he’s aight. Not even close to the real thing, but no one could be. Never really cared for Carolyn Bessette.
My cousin worked as a lawyer at the same place Kennedy worked in. He said he was very nice .
Secondly, John hated the nick name “John-John.” The President called to his son and then called again to him very quickly. It never was a nick name. Small point, but true.