Dree Hemingway knew her latest role would make quite a splash.
The actress from Love Story, who portrays Daryl Hannah in the FX series about John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy’s relationship, described a letter she wrote to Uma Thurman about her performance. The show has sparked debate due to its fictionalized portrayal of events.
Dree explained to Nylon magazine that a message she sent was simply a heartfelt expression of admiration for the actress she played. She’d admired her work and character long before getting the role of Daryl. It wasn’t a request to connect, but rather a message conveying how much of an honor it had been to portray and learn about her.
The 38-year-old also confessed she thought about reaching out to Daryl, who had an on-again, off-again relationship with John F. Kennedy Jr. and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’s son from 1988 to 1994, to see if he could help.
I really wanted to talk to her myself, but I was a little nervous about approaching her directly. I also didn’t want to bother her or make things uncomfortable if she wasn’t interested in talking.
I know Dree never actually heard back from Daryl Hannah, even though Daryl’s 65 and married to Neil Young since 2018. But honestly, I totally get it! Dree figured Daryl probably just needed to process everything in her own way, you know? Like, deal with how Dree portrayed her when she was ready. It makes sense, right? Daryl’s always been a bit of a mystery, and she’d definitely do things on her own timeline, especially after being in Sense8. I just wish I knew what she thought!
Dree said the show had just been released and admitted there was a lot to take in.
Daryl has recently spoken out about the Ryan Murphy-produced series, criticizing what she feels was a frustrating and overly self-focused portrayal of her character that came across as complaining and unsuitable.
In a recent opinion piece for the New York Times, published on March 6th, the individual stated that the portrayal of ‘Daryl Hannah’ in the series is completely inaccurate when it comes to her life, how she acts, and her relationship with John. She emphasized that the actions shown on screen are not true to her own behavior.
Viewers of the show Love Story haven’t just been talking about Daryl’s character since it premiered. Read on to discover more interesting details from the series—and find out what’s real and what’s made up.
In the movie Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, Carolyn (played by Sarah Pidgeon) advises Annette Bening (played by Megan Channell) to wear a Calvin Klein suit instead of the dress the designer chose for her, for the Bugsy premiere.
It’s unknown if she created the style for future Mrs. Warren Beatty, but a 1996 New York Times article revealed Carolyn was the preferred salesperson for Calvin Klein’s celebrity clients, such as Annette, Diane Sawyer, and Blaire Trump.
As a stylist, I’ve always believed personal connection is key, and that’s exactly what she offered. As Paul Wilmott, who used to work with Calvin Klein, explained to me, she didn’t just show people clothes – she helped them discover what worked for them, building complete looks they felt confident in. It wasn’t just about sales, though she definitely generated millions of dollars in revenue over the years – it was about making people feel good about how they presented themselves.
In a scene from Love Story, Carolyn demonstrates her skill by suggesting to Calvin (played by Alessandro Nivola) that he hire Kate Moss for an advertising campaign.
Carolyn was one of the first people to recognize Kate Moss’s potential, and she played a key role in shaping the Calvin Klein image of the 1990s.
In the movie Love Story, Calvin brings Carolyn and John together at a charity event in 1992, and they immediately feel a connection. However, Carolyn playfully declines to give Calvin her phone number, reminding him that he can reach her at work.
“He was just bored,” Carolyn explained to her friends at the nightclub as Michael Bergin, known to them as the “sexy doorman” and sometimes her boyfriend, walked up to join them.
John suddenly appeared at Calvin Klein and requested a private fitting with Carolyn. He then invited her to dinner, and when he left, her coworkers were completely shocked and excited.
According to Elizabeth Beller’s 2024 biography, Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy first met in the spring of 1992. He was at Calvin Klein for a private fitting, and her coworkers were reportedly very excited. John then invited Carolyn to join him at a gala, but she initially thought another woman was his date and declined an invitation to an after-party, as MJ Bettenhausen told Beller.
Okay, so get this – Carolyn did actually go on a few dates with this model, Michael, can you believe it? He used to be a doorman, which is…interesting. But it wasn’t a big thing, not until fall of ’92, and honestly, it was more of an on-again, off-again thing, according to what I read. Mostly off, though, apparently!
Beller noted that many of Carolyn’s friends doubted Bergin’s claim – made in his 2004 book, The Other Man – that he continued a sexual relationship with her, not only after she met John, but throughout her life.
In the movie Love Story, Carolyn is waiting at an Indian restaurant when John finally arrives – he cycles up just as she’s about to leave after waiting for 20 minutes.
He accidentally leaves his car unlocked while on a long date, and it gets stolen. This means he has to walk Carolyn home instead.
You know, it’s funny how quickly evenings can slip away. He confessed he wished he’d had more time as we reached my door, and honestly, the connection was instant – we shared a kiss right there. He nervously asked if he’d see me again, and I let him know I truly enjoyed our night, signaling it was time to say goodnight. It was one of those moments where everything just felt right, even in its simplicity.
In real life, these two likely went on a date where John might have biked and arrived a bit late. However, the charming scene of them connecting over drinks was probably staged for the show.
Daryl Hannah (played by Dree Hemingway) is at John’s apartment when he returns home. He’s just been telling his cousin and best friend, Anthony Radziwill (Erich Bergen), that all he wants to do is call Carolyn.
He’s planning to take Daryl to a wedding in October 1993 – his cousin Edward Kennedy Jr.’s – despite his mother, Jacqueline Kennedy, being strongly against it. Meanwhile, Carolyn discovers through a tabloid magazine that the man who seemed so interested in her has gotten back together with his famous ex-girlfriend.
John continued to send Carolyn flowers, and eventually confessed to her at an event that he was struggling because he believed she disliked him. Carolyn responded by saying she didn’t know him well enough to feel any hatred.
The unexpected meeting was a memorable way to introduce the star of Splash in Love Story. However, the producers didn’t consult Daryl, who has been married to Neil Young since 2018.
Producer Nina Jacobson explained to Gold Derby that they focus on understanding the core motivations of their characters. She said it’s difficult to accurately portray those motivations if you’re trying to fulfill specific external expectations or ‘agendas’ when interviewing the people the characters are based on, so they generally avoid doing that except in unusual circumstances.
Daryl acts as a challenge to what the story is trying to achieve, according to Jacobson. However, the writers still want to portray her as someone who understands the celebrity lifestyle in a way that Carolyn doesn’t.
When John walks in and sees Daryl with her eccentric friends, it’s a clear signal that major changes are coming. She ultimately decides to leave him, forcing him to think about what he truly desires.
Daryl promised she’d return for her dog, Hank. However, while John was walking Hank, someone asked him for an autograph, causing him to lose hold of the leash. Tragically, Hank was hit by a taxi and killed. John then traveled to Los Angeles to deliver Hank’s ashes to Daryl.
According to the 2024 book JFK Jr.: An Intimate Oral Biography by RoseMarie Terenzio and Liz McNeil, John F. Kennedy Jr.’s friend, Sasha Chermayeff, shared that John’s dog, Hank, ran into traffic and was hit by a car in Central Park in May 1994, after getting off his leash.
I’ve read about how incredibly difficult that time was for him. Apparently, he went to Los Angeles to help his friend Daryl bury his dog, but while he was there, his own mother’s health took a really bad turn. He felt deeply hurt and angry that Daryl had asked him to attend a pet’s funeral when his mother was seriously ill with cancer. It was a really tough situation, and he blamed Daryl for putting him in that position.
In the movie Love Story, Jackie (played by Naomi Watts) leaves a voicemail for her son John while he’s flying, and then collapses at home. This scene was created for dramatic impact, but it also emphasizes how seriously ill she was after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in December 1993. She passed away on May 19, 1994.
John and Carolyn hadn’t seen each other since the disastrous gala until they ran into each other at a fundraiser on May 18, 1992.
They connected quickly and dated all summer, but then drifted apart for nearly two years, as described in Beller’s book. It wasn’t until after Jackie passed away that they finally became a lasting couple.
According to executive producer Brad Simpson, the couple’s relationship was more complicated than what the show could portray. He told USA Today that they needed to move the story forward and believed viewers wouldn’t want to watch the ups and downs of their on-again, off-again romance.
When he brings Carolyn home to his loft for the first time, John realizes he forgot his keys.
While that’s a made-for-TV moment, John IRL could be careless and was prone to losing his keys and wallet—an attribute that later made Carolyn reluctant to fly with him alone when he got his pilot’s license.
Beyond hinting at things to come, John also fails to mention a key detail when he invites Carolyn to a party: it’s a formal birthday dinner for his sister, Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg.
When John’s behavior worries Carolyn, his wife, Caroline (Grace Gummer) quickly explains that he’s just forgetful, and not intentionally bringing home unexpected guests.
Oh my god, you guys, it actually happened! John F. Kennedy Jr. really did bring Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy to meet his sister on her 37th birthday – November 27th, 1994! Carole Radziwill, who was there, says it wasn’t a formal dinner, more like a party at Caroline’s apartment, but still! It was the moment, according to her book, What Remains. I’ve read it like, a million times, and it still gives me chills!
The former Real Housewives star, who was with Anthony and excited to see Carolyn, described her friend entering the secure room looking incredibly vibrant and unapologetically herself, and acting warmly and spontaneously.
Caroline hugged John and told Carolyn, “So nice to meet you,” Carole recalled. “Her friends smile politely and then shift their focus to John.”
Contrary to initial impressions, Carolyn and Caroline actually hit it off immediately, according to Beller’s book, Once Upon a Time. Someone who observed them having lunch noted that they clearly enjoyed each other’s company, with laughter throughout their conversation.
John was upset after finding a letter in his gym bag claiming Carolyn had used her connections – and her boss, Calvin Klein – to try and set up a date with him. After she visited, he confronted her about it, and she was shocked he’d even consider the letter’s claims to be true, leading her to leave immediately.
After what felt like a long time, he appeared at her door and admitted he’d made a mistake. This honest conversation led to him finally telling her he loved her.
According to Beller, John did receive a letter outlining claims about Carolyn’s active social life and relationships, but it happened relatively early in their romance. The book details how John abruptly ended their summer 1992 relationship after reading it, and Carolyn didn’t accept his apologies for over a year.
John proposed to Carolyn while they were rowing in a boat, following a visit to Hyannis Port where she’d just met his family for the first time. This included his aunt, Ethel Kennedy, played by Jessica Harper, who is clearly the head of the family.
Carolyn said she needs some time to consider it, explaining they have several important things to talk over first.
In 1994, Per Beller and John brought Carolyn to the family’s vacation home for Labor Day weekend. John did agree to help with breakfast duties, though he signed up for the shift without asking her.
Terenzio says John proposed to Carolyn while they were on a trip to Martha’s Vineyard over the Fourth of July weekend in 1995. He playfully told her, “Fishing is so much better with a partner,” when he asked her to marry him.
He proposed with a diamond and sapphire eternity band. On the show, JFK Jr. claimed it had belonged to his mother, but actually, John had it custom-made by Jackie’s friend, Maurice Tempelsman. He wanted the new ring to resemble his mother’s famous emerald and sapphire ring, often called the “swimming ring.” According to Terenzio, John gave Carolyn both rings.
According to a friend of John F. Kennedy Jr., Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy made him wait around three weeks before responding to a proposal. While author J. Randy Taraborrelli noted in his 2019 book that she didn’t explicitly say yes, she did start wearing an engagement ring and told friends they were planning a wedding. However, in an oral history, RoseMarie Terenzio recalled Carolyn telling her they became engaged over the holiday weekend.
Whether it was before or after they started dating, the couple was engaged for several months before their well-known argument in Washington Square Park in 1996.
Carolyn enjoyed a close relationship with both her boss, Calvin Klein, and his wife, photographer Kelly Klein. She was someone Calvin listened to, and she was also good friends with Kelly.
In Love Story, Kelly (Leila George) objects when Calvin tells her she can’t continue working for him because of the media attention surrounding her engagement to JFK Jr., which was widely publicized by a New York Post cover story. He feels her personal life will be too distracting.
Kelly retorted, “With all due respect, you’re hardly one to talk about keeping secrets.” Calvin replied, “You knew what you were getting into from the start.”
It completely broke my heart when the designer asked Kelly to be her plus one to a gala that night, saying it would be ‘one last time.’ It was so clear – she was ending their relationship, and she wanted Kelly to have one final public moment with her before they went their separate ways.
Calvin and Kelly announced they were separating in August 1996. According to columnist Liz Smith, they released a statement saying they remained good friends and had decided to live separately, with mutual respect, and hoped to resolve any differences. Their divorce was finalized in 2006.
At 83 years old, Calvin has been with his partner, model Kevin Baker, for a decade. Baker is 46 years younger than Calvin.
In the movie Love Story, Carolyn skips John’s press conference where he introduces George magazine. At the event, he reveals the first cover, which features Cindy Crawford playfully dressed as George Washington.
She watched the news from home, understanding that John had to deny proposing to her. She didn’t want rumors about her rejecting him to distract from the important news about George.
Carolyn deliberately avoided attending the launch on September 7, 1995. Terenzio, responsible for releasing a statement to deny engagement rumors after a photo of Carolyn’s ring surfaced, explained that John and his partner, Michael Berman, believed her presence would be a distraction, and that she didn’t mind not being there.
John’s friend, Sasha Chermayeff, recalled in an interview that Carolyn was deeply upset by John’s public refusal to confirm their engagement. Chermayeff believed this was when Carolyn first realized what their relationship with John would be like – a pattern of him controlling the narrative.
In the fifth episode, Carolyn and John have a heated fight while walking their dog, but the episode concludes with Carolyn happily accepting John’s marriage proposal, despite their earlier conflict.
The highly publicized fight between the couple on February 25, 1996, became well-known, and many details – like John appearing to take Carolyn’s engagement ring, John crying on the curb, and their argument over the dog, with Carolyn famously declaring, “You’ve got my ring, you’re not getting my dog!” – were widely reported in the news.
The show centers around a fight sparked by John’s frustration over Carolyn rejecting his proposal. He angrily claims everything would be fine if she’d simply accepted, but they’d actually been engaged for around five months. The series reveals that Carolyn privately tried on the ring and indicated she was open to marrying him, but hadn’t formally said yes before the argument began.
I was so struck by what Terenzio shared in her interview. She talked about how she and John would argue because she felt he was constantly being used by his friends – it really bothered her to see him taken advantage of.
At a wedding, they found themselves seated beside a reporter from the New York Times who was covering the event for the ‘Vows’ column. According to Terenzio, Carolyn believed it was wrong to put a friend in that position. While she regretted the argument, she was also upset with John, feeling she had been trying to shield him from being exploited.
Following a public argument between Carolyn and John, Ethel extends an invitation to her future niece-in-law, welcoming her to her home, Hickory Hill, in Virginia.
Robert F. Kennedy’s widow offered Carolyn some heartfelt advice: “You’ll have to accept that people won’t give you the benefit of the doubt anymore, and that’s incredibly unfair. Men will hurt you, frustrate you, and push you to your limits. Don’t let them.”
Ethel had Carolyn flown to her home, where, according to J. Randy Taraborelli’s 2019 book, The Kennedy Heirs, she told Carolyn to ignore the negativity and persevere.
According to a friend who was with Carolyn, Ethel Kennedy admitted that life as a Kennedy wasn’t always easy. But the mother of eleven explained that she learned a crucial lesson: to look in the mirror each day and affirm, ‘I am enough.’ It’s a simple idea, she said, but repeating it helps you truly believe it, and realize that your self-worth can’t be taken away by anyone – not even a family as demanding as the Kennedys.
Ethel cautioned Carolyn against losing her temper in public again, as described in the book. She warned that these men were quick to anger and urged Carolyn not to let them provoke her into behaving badly where everyone could see.
Carolyn tells her sister-in-law, Lauren Bessette (played by Sydney Lemmon), that she’s considering asking her to be her maid of honor. She explains that Lauren seemed upset about being left out of the wedding planning process.
Carolyn worries that her sister feels left out. She believes resolving this is important because she doesn’t want to start her marriage with any unresolved resentment.
Lauren says, “This will mean nothing to her. And it would have meant everything to me.”
Okay, so this is a tricky family situation! John really wanted to make things right after a bit of drama – his sister was upset with Carolyn, and even questioned whether they should get married after a public scene. John felt the best way to mend fences was to have Carolyn ask Caroline to be her maid of honor. It was all about smoothing things over and showing everyone he was committed to making the wedding – and the family – work.
Two weeks after their argument at the park, Carolyn went to Calvin to quit her job. She explained she was worried her personal issues were interfering with her work, and he confessed he was surprised and a little hurt by her decision.
He described her as “a bright light” and assured her she would be well taken care of with Narciso Rodriguez—a former colleague—designing her wedding gown. Once she’s gone, he tidies up his design portfolio, and we briefly see a dress sketch tucked away in a drawer.
“Calvin was very upset” when Carolyn quit, a colleague told Beller. “He felt left behind.”
In the movie Love Story, Calvin finds out about the dress because photos of Carolyn wearing a Narciso Rodriguez design with Caroline were published. However, in real life, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy quit her job before she started seriously planning her wedding.
Ann Freeman, played by Constance Zimmer, fears Carolyn is losing her identity in her marriage. She expresses this privately to her daughter, but surprisingly reveals the same worries to everyone during a speech at the rehearsal dinner.
Ann described John as overwhelmingly loving and admitted she was concerned for Carolyn. She wondered how anyone could stay grounded around someone with such a powerful personality. Ultimately, Ann hopes Carolyn can rely on John to be supportive whenever she needs him.
John privately told his future mother-in-law that her daughter means everything to him.
Although the specifics of their conversation remain unclear, John’s friend, Robert Littell, recalled in his memoir, The Men We Became, that Ann voiced concerns about the marriage, suggesting it might not be what her daughter needed.
And John, he wrote, was “visibly stung by his mother-in-law’s remarks.”
Littell mentioned that while he and a few other guests continued the party on the beach, Carolyn had already gone to bed hours earlier. This meant the story in the movie Love Story – where John and Carolyn fall asleep together on the beach and go swimming naked the morning of their wedding – was created to be a more romantic scene.
Oh my goodness, I was so stressed for Carolyn! She had a total wardrobe emergency right before going on air. Apparently, Narciso designed this gorgeous dress with no zipper, meaning she had to pull it over her head… after her makeup was already finished! I could barely watch, imagining the disaster that could have happened. It was a really scary moment!
Gogo Ferguson, the designer of the couple’s unique rattlesnake rib wedding bands, remembered in An Intimate Oral History that dressing Carolyn felt incredibly delicate – like smoothing cream over her skin. Narciso, meanwhile, was meticulously adjusting the dress, even needing to reopen and resew the neckline. To protect her hair and makeup, they then covered Carolyn’s head with a scarf.
Gordon Henderson, a friend of the bride and the designer of the groom’s tuxedo and the groomsmen’s suits, shared with Town & Country that he offered a handkerchief to help the groom feel his best. He explained that when a friend is getting married, you want to do everything you can to ensure they’re happy.
In Beller’s Once Upon a Time, Carolyn needs to redo her hair and makeup after she gets dressed.
The ceremony didn’t begin until 7 p.m., later than the originally planned 5 p.m. John was delayed because he couldn’t find his shirt, and since the historic First African Baptist Church, built in the 1800s, didn’t have electricity, they had to use candles.
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2026-03-10 22:27