All posts tagged: ryan murphy

Creator Defends JFK Jr. & Carolyn Depiction Before Deaths

Creator Defends JFK Jr. & Carolyn Depiction Before Deaths

Published by Daniella Wilson

Just over a month after Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette aired its finale, the cast and creatives are opening up about the decisions behind that heartbreaking ending. On Wednesday night, stars of the hit FX series — which chronicles the tragic romance between America’s Prince and the former Calvin Klein publicist who died in a plane crash in 1999 — including Sarah Pidgeon (Carolyn Bessette), Paul Anthony Kelly (John F. Kennedy Jr.), Naomi Watts (Jackie Kennedy Onassis), Grace Gummer (Caroline Kennedy), Constance Zimmer (Ann Marie Messina), Alessandro Nivola (Calvin Klein), creator Connor Hines and executive producer Brad Simpson gathered at Metrograph for a screening and live conversation. During the event, they revisited clips from throughout the season and reflected on the making of the series. One of the final clips shown featured John and Carolyn re-creating their first date at Panna II Garden Indian Restaurant in Manhattan’s East Village — one of several moments in the finale that depicted the couple trying to recapture the passion and excitement of their early …

Best Kennedy and JFK Movies, Documentaries and Shows Like ‘Love Story’

Best Kennedy and JFK Movies, Documentaries and Shows Like ‘Love Story’

Published by Daniella Wilson

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, The Hollywood Reporter may receive an affiliate commission. From the viral fashion moments and ’90s-driven soundtrack to its heart-wrenching finale and fair share of backlash, Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, starring Sarah Pidgeon and Paul Anthony Kelly, stirred up no shortage of cultural commentary and social media buzz. And while the Ryan Murphy-Verse is ever expanding (and offers quite a bit to binge), Love Story fans may not be raring to move onto his next installment just yet — and rightfully so. For those craving more Kennedy content, The Hollywood Reporter rounded up 10 additional movies and series to add to your watchlist. With works spanning 40-plus years — from NBC’s 1983 miniseries Kennedy (now streaming on Peacock) to ABC News’ 2026 special, John and Carolyn: Love, Beauty and Loss — this list contains a range of political dramas, star-studded TV shows, award-winning documentaries, multi-part docuseries and feature-length films. Beyond film and TV, dozens of JFK …

Where ‘Love Story,’ ‘911’ Stand

Where ‘Love Story,’ ‘911’ Stand

Published by Daniella Wilson

Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette was an out-of-the-gate success for FX and executive producer Ryan Murphy. The show, which concluded on March 26, racked up strong streaming numbers and passionate (if sometimes polarized) reaction from viewers. In other words, it was quintessential Murphy: Over the course of his career, which includes more than two dozen series, he has delivered a host of hits that tend to play in a high emotional register and attract audiences and conversation. Murphy is also one of the more prolific executive producers in the business, with projects at ABC, FX and Netflix (where he had an overall deal for several years before returning to Disney’s 20th TV in 2023). Here’s where the productions from his eponymous company currently stand. Just Finished Love Story: The FX series is the latest in Murphy’s American Story franchise (though it dropped the “American” from its title. Created by Connor Hines and executive produced by Murphy, the show deftly re-created the 1990s New York that Kennedy and Bessette inhabited (though some …

Inside the Viral ’90s Music Taking Over TikTok

Inside the Viral ’90s Music Taking Over TikTok

Published by Daniella Wilson

[This story contains spoilers from the Love Story finale, “Search and Recovery.”] Since Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette debuted on FX last month — just ahead of Valentine’s Day — the show has become a pop culture phenomenon. It’s boosted attendance at New York City filming locations like Panna II Garden Indian Restaurant and Bubby’s, sparked fans to replicate the couple’s signature style and even inspired JFK Jr. lookalike contests. The same frenzy has taken hold online. Scroll through social media — especially TikTok — and Love Story content is likely dominating your feed. Songs from the show has also become a consistent part of those posts. Featuring artists ranging from Radiohead, Björk and Lenny Kravitz to Stereolab, the Velvet Underground and Dido, the music helps transport audiences back to the era. The anthology series, which follows the romance and tragedy of JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, was created by Connor Hines and executive produced by Ryan Murphy — and its impact extends to the charts. The show holds four of the top …

John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette’ Ending Explained

John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette’ Ending Explained

Published by Daniella Wilson

[This story contains MAJOR spoilers from the Love Story finale, “Search and Recovery”.] After seven weeks of ’90s nostalgia and an intimate look at America’s ultimate power couple — John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy — Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette concluded Thursday night. And it was an emotional watch, to say the least. Created by Connor Hines and executive produced by Ryan Murphy, the anthology series picks up shortly after last week’s episode, when John (Paul Anthony Kelly) left for the night. Set during the final weekend of their lives, the episode reveals that he never came back from leaving Carolyn (Sarah Pidgeon) during that explosive argument. Still, the two attempt to repair their relationship, visiting a marriage counselor who suggests they spend time apart. After leaving the session, they head to a dive bar and reminisce about the passion and excitement of their early relationship — before it was strained by relentless media attention, and before Carolyn, in particular, struggled to adjust to such a drastic change …

‘Love Story’ Episode 8, Exit Strategy (Insider’s Recap)

‘Love Story’ Episode 8, Exit Strategy (Insider’s Recap)

Published by Daniella Wilson

Lisa DePaulo was a feature writer for John F. Kennedy Jr.’s magazine, George, and has shared her opinion of the FX hit series Love Story for The Hollywood Reporter. She will be recapping episodes through the end of the season. This penultimate episode of Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette is ominously titled “Exit Strategy.” And the crash is next week. So which of the plot points constitutes said exit strategy? Is it John having to go to a book party by himself because Carolyn won’t leave their loft? Is it John forlorn because he can’t figure out if Carolyn has run the dishwasher? (“Did you hear it running?” he hisses. Could they be more banal?) Is it the Kentucky Fried Chicken he brings home for dinner? Kentucky Fried Chicken? They live in Tribeca! They eat at the Odeon! Rest assured that John Kennedy did not bring his bride Kentucky Fried Chicken, which in episode eight gets more product placement than Prada.  And why, oh why, are they making him so queeny? All the little hissy fits, the fey mannerisms, the gyrating to Sade. “I love …

Isabella Rossellini Continues To Question The Meaning of Beauty

Isabella Rossellini Continues To Question The Meaning of Beauty

Published by Sam Flores

To build her character, the longtime wife of the man who wants to bring an appearance-changing injection to the masses, “we worked on the physical appearance, spending hours creating this absurd high fashion. One day I said to Ryan: ‘Did you choose me because I have something in common with this over-the-top character?’ It’s true that I come from a fashion background, but I’ve never had plastic surgery, I’m also a farmer…” “But the director’s skill lies in choosing the actors, and even if you disguise yourself behind poses and costumes, a part of you always emerges. I remain convinced that he was making fun of me a little,” she says. In fact, there is something in common between her and the woman she plays. “My character loves beauty, but she defines it differently than others: not just youth, muscles, prowess. Rather, it’s an art form, an expression of elegance. It’s in the way you present yourself to others: what you want to communicate through your clothes, rather than obeying the dictates of thinness and …

Alessandro Nivola Talks Calvin Klein and Carolyn Bessette

Alessandro Nivola Talks Calvin Klein and Carolyn Bessette

Published by Daniella Wilson

[This story contains spoilers from Love Story, episode six, “The Wedding.”] Portraying Calvin Klein — a name nearly everyone knows and a designer who defined minimalist fashion in the 1990s — is no small feat, but Alessandro Nivola was up for the challenge. Klein is also largely responsible for launching the career of another fashion icon: Carolyn Bessette. And while FX’s Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette mainly focuses on the relationship — and tragedy — of JFK Jr. (played by Paul Anthony Kelly) and Carolyn (Sarah Pidgeon), viewers also get a glimpse of Carolyn’s life before she met John, when she lived in New York’s East Village and worked for Calvin Klein. He also played a role in bringing the couple together. The first six episodes depict Carolyn’s working relationship with Calvin, her rise through the ranks at the fashion company, and the two’s real friendship. “There was a platonically romantic element to it,” Nivola tells The Hollywood Reporter. “I think he really loves her.” That’s what makes Thursday night’s episode especially painful: …

Anthony Ramos, Jeremy Pope React to Cliffhanger

Anthony Ramos, Jeremy Pope React to Cliffhanger

Published by Daniella Wilson

[This story contains MAJOR spoilers from The Beauty season one finale, “Beautiful Betrayal”] For Anthony Ramos and Jeremy Pope, portraying their characters’ growing bond wasn’t much of a stretch. The two have been friends in real life for years, even attending college together at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Their dynamic in the FX series, however, takes an unexpected turn. The Assassin (Ramos) is initially ordered by Byron — aka The Corporation (Ashton Kutcher) — to kill Jeremy (Pope). But as the season progresses, the pair begin to connect over their shared loneliness. The Assassin opens up about taking “The Beauty” after being severely injured, a decision that forced him to leave his family behind. Jeremy, meanwhile, is a “damaged incel desperate to feel seen and loved,” Pope explains below. “What’s wild about watching [their relationship] is that, you know how you meet those people in your life where you feel like you’ve known them your whole life — you have that instant thing, right?” Kutcher tells The Hollywood Reporter. “Them having that and the …