JFK. Jr’s Cousin Addresses Love Story’s Daryl Hannah Portrayal

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Daryl Hannah has a new supporter in her corner. 

Following Uma Thurman’s criticism of how her relationship with John F. Kennedy Jr. was depicted in the FX series Love Story, John’s cousin, Douglas Kennedy, publicly supported her viewpoint.

You know, as someone who’s observed a lot of relationships, I always got the impression that Daryl Hannah was a genuinely kind person. I spoke with Michael Douglas recently, and he shared that whenever he encountered her, she was incredibly sweet and truly cared about what was best for John Kennedy Jr. He feels the public perception of their dynamic isn’t quite accurate, and I can see why he’d say that.

The journalist, whose parents are Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy, said he hasn’t seen Dree Hemingway’s portrayal of Daryl in the show, but he still thinks the current discussion surrounding it is regrettable.

As someone who studies how stories connect with real life, I’ve always said it’s incredibly tough to truly represent people’s experiences on screen. With shows like the one Ryan Murphy creates, it’s easy for details to get lost, and often, the core of who a person was just doesn’t translate. You really need to know people to understand that authenticity is so hard to capture.

Daryl expressed a similar opinion, writing in a New York Times opinion piece the same day about the series Love Story—which focuses on the marriage of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, up until their deaths in 1999. She specifically mentioned she disliked how the show portrayed her as annoying, self-centered, complaining, and acting inappropriately.

The 65-year-old stated that the portrayal of ‘Daryl Hannah’ in the series doesn’t reflect her life, how she acted, or her relationship with John. She insists the character’s actions and behavior are fabricated.

The Steel Magnolias actress, who had a complicated relationship with John F. Kennedy Jr. from 1988 to 1994, claimed the show portrayed her and Carolyn Bessette as rivals, seemingly to make the audience dislike her character.

Effective storytelling needs conflict and challenges. However, real people aren’t simply plot devices. This issue is also connected to gender, as media often pits women against each other, celebrating some by portraying others negatively. Is this practice not a clear example of sexism – diminishing one woman to elevate another?

Daryl firmly denied ever using cocaine, throwing drug-fueled parties, or pressuring anyone into getting married. He also stated he’s never damaged a family keepsake or disturbed a private memorial, and that he never leaked false information to the media. TopMob contacted representatives for both Ryan and FX for a response at the time, but they didn’t receive one.

Douglas isn’t alone in his support; actress Rosanna Arquette also spoke positively about Daryl.

As someone who keeps a close eye on inspiring figures, I have to say, I’m a huge fan of Daryl Hannah. She’s incredibly talented – a fantastic actress, but also a gifted writer, director, and a long-time champion for our environment. People say she has a special connection with animals, and honestly, I believe it! She’s done so much good in the world, and I was really disappointed to see how she was portrayed in that recent streaming series – it just didn’t ring true.

Daryl’s complex story isn’t the only part of the series that differs from reality. Continue reading to discover what’s true and what’s made up in the plot of Love Story…

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 look for future wife of Warren Beatty, but a 1996 New York Times article revealed Carolyn was the preferred salesperson for Calvin Klein’s famous customers, such as Annette, Diane Sawyer, and Blaire Trump.

According to Paul Wilmott, who was Calvin Klein’s public relations VP at the time, she expertly helped customers choose clothes, offering advice on what suited them and how to create complete outfits. He described it as a fantastic service, noting that she generated millions of dollars in sales over the years.

In a scene from Love Story, Carolyn demonstrates her skill by suggesting to Calvin (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 he can easily reach her at work.

“He was just bored,” Carolyn explained to her friends at the nightclub as Michael Bergin, who they playfully called the “sexy doorman” (and who was actually Noah Fearnley), joined them.

John unexpectedly 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 declined an invitation to an after-party because she mistakenly believed he was with another woman, as MJ Bettenhausen told Beller.

I’ve followed this story for years, and it’s fascinating! Apparently, Carolyn did go on a few casual dates with Michael, who had a really interesting background – he used to be a hotel doorman and even did some modeling. But it wasn’t a serious thing; it happened in the fall of ’92, and from what I understand, they were mostly apart rather than together.

In his 2004 book, The Other Man, Bergin claimed he was sexually involved with Carolyn throughout her entire relationship with John, and even until her death. However, according to Beller, many of Carolyn’s friends doubted this claim.

In the movie Love Story, Carolyn is waiting at an Indian restaurant for John. After about 20 minutes, just as she’s about to leave, he arrives riding his bicycle.

He accidentally leaves his car unlocked while on a long date, and when they return, it’s been stolen. This means he ends up walking Carolyn home instead.

He said, “I thought I had more time,” as they reached her building. She asked what he meant, and they shared a kiss. He wondered if he’d see her again, and she replied that she’d enjoyed their evening before ending the date.

In real life, John and this person likely had a first date, and it’s possible John biked there and was a little 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 was just telling his cousin and best friend, Anthony Radziwill (Erich Bergen), about wanting to call Carolyn.

He’s planning to take Daryl to a wedding in October 1993 – his cousin Edward Kennedy Jr.’s – even though his mother, Jacqueline Kennedy, strongly objects. Meanwhile, Carolyn discovers from a tabloid magazine that the man who seemed so interested in her is actually getting back together with his famous ex-girlfriend.

John continued to send Carolyn flowers, and when they ran into each other at an event, he confessed he was struggling because he believed she disliked him. Carolyn responded that she didn’t know him well enough to feel that way.

The unexpected meeting was a memorable way to introduce the actress from Splash in Love Story, but producers didn’t consult with Daryl, who has been married to Neil Young since 2018.

Producer Nina Jacobson explained to Gold Derby that they aim to deeply understand the motivations of their characters. She said it’s difficult to achieve this while also trying to fulfill specific external expectations, so they generally avoid directly asking real-life people to conform to those expectations, except in unusual situations.

Daryl acts as a challenge to what the story needs, according to Jacobson, but the writers still acknowledge her deep understanding of the celebrity lifestyle, something Carolyn lacks.

As a long-time viewer, when John walked in and saw Daryl with all her… unique friends, I knew things were about to hit the fan. It was the moment she finally decided enough was enough and left him, basically telling him he needed to get his life together and figure out what he actually wanted. It was a huge turning point, honestly.

Daryl promised she’d return for her dog, Hank. However, while John was walking Hank, he got distracted signing an autograph, the leash slipped from his hand, and Hank was tragically struck by a taxi. 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 in Central Park and was hit by a car in May 1994.

According to his friend Steven Gillon, he traveled to Los Angeles to bury a dog. While he was there, his mother’s health suddenly declined. He felt angry that Daryl had made him attend the dog’s funeral when his mother was seriously ill with cancer.

In the movie Love Story, Jackie (played by Naomi Watts) leaves a voicemail for John while he’s flying, and then collapses at home. This scene was created for dramatic impact, but it’s also meant to emphasize how seriously ill she was after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in December 1993. She passed away on May 19, 1994.

You know, after that disastrous gala, John and Carolyn didn’t cross paths again for quite a while. It wasn’t until May 18th, 1992, at a charity fundraiser, that they finally ran into each other again. It’s funny how life works, isn’t it? Sometimes you don’t expect to see someone again, and then, boom, there they are!

They quickly connected and dated all summer, but their relationship faded after about 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 actually quite turbulent, with more ups and downs than the show could realistically portray. However, the producers decided to fast-forward the storyline, believing viewers weren’t interested in watching the constant back-and-forth of their romance, as he told USA Today.

When he brings Carolyn home to his loft for the first time, John realizes he forgot his keys.

You know, we often see these glamorous portrayals of people, but the real John was a bit of a scatterbrain. He was constantly misplacing things – keys, wallet, you name it! It actually got to the point where Carolyn became hesitant to fly with him by himself once he earned his pilot’s license. It’s a funny reminder that even adventurous types have their quirks, right?

Beyond that hint of what’s to come, John doesn’t mention the real nature of the party when he invites Carolyn. He tells her it’s a party at his sister Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg’s house, but it’s actually a formal dinner celebrating Caroline’s birthday.

When Carolyn expresses worry, Caroline (Grace Gummer) quickly explains that John simply has a tendency to forget things, and isn’t secretly bringing other women around without letting them know beforehand.

John introduced Carolyn to his sister on her 37th birthday, November 27, 1994. According to Carole Radziwill’s memoir, What Remains, the get-together at Carolyn’s Park Avenue apartment was a party, not a formal dinner.

Let me tell you, witnessing true friendship is always a beautiful thing! I was with Anthony when Carolyn arrived, and honestly, she just glowed. She walked into what was a pretty tense situation with such a vibrant, unapologetically herself energy, and immediately went in for a warm hug. It was a really touching moment – she’s just naturally affectionate and doesn’t shy away from showing it.

Caroline embraced John and greeted Carolyn with a friendly “So nice to meet you,” as Carole remembered. Afterward, Carolyn’s friends offered polite smiles before turning their attention back to John.

Contrary to initial impressions, Carolyn and Caroline actually hit it off right away, according to Beller’s book, Once Upon a Time. Someone who saw them having lunch described them as genuinely enjoying each other’s company, with lively conversation and plenty of laughter.

After playing touch football with friends, John discovered a letter in his gym bag suggesting Carolyn had used her boss, Calvin Klein, to set up a date with him, hoping to win him over. When Carolyn visited later, John confronted her about the letter, and she was upset he’d even consider it was true, so she left.

After what felt like a long time, he finally came to her apartment and admitted he’d made a mistake. This honest conversation led to him telling her he loved her for the very first time.

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 dating history. The book states that after dating in the summer of 1992, John abruptly ended things after reading the letter, and Carolyn didn’t accept his apologies for over a year.

John proposed to Carolyn while they were in a rowboat, following a trip 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 that they have several important things to talk over first.

Let me tell you, back in 1994, John brought Carolyn to his family’s place for Labor Day weekend. It was a pretty traditional introduction, though I heard he signed up for a breakfast duty without even asking her if she wanted to join! A little awkward, perhaps, but definitely a glimpse into family life.

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 cleverly proposed by saying, “Fishing is so much better with a partner.”

He proposed with a diamond and sapphire eternity band. On the show, JFK Jr. claimed the ring had belonged to his mother, but in reality, he asked Jackie Kennedy’s close friend, Maurice Tempelsman, to create a ring that resembled her famous emerald and sapphire ring—often called the “swimming ring.” According to Terenzio, John actually gave Carolyn both rings.

According to a friend of John F. Kennedy Jr., Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy made him wait around three weeks before she responded to a proposal. While J. Randy Taraborrelli’s book, American Prince, states she didn’t explicitly say yes but wore an engagement ring and told friends they were planning a wedding, RoseMarie Terenzio recalls Carolyn telling her they became engaged over the holiday weekend.

Whether it was before or after they first met, the couple dated for several months leading up to their well-known argument in Washington Square Park in 1996.

Carolyn was a trusted confidante of her boss, Calvin Klein, and she also enjoyed a close friendship with his wife, photographer Kelly Klein.

In the movie Love Story, Kelly (played by Leila George) objects when Calvin tells her she can’t continue working for him because their engagement—which was heavily publicized with a New York Post cover announcing the news—is becoming a distraction.

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.”

The designer invited Kelly to join her at a gala that evening, but added, “one last time,” implying they were breaking up.

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 would live apart while working through any issues respectfully. Their divorce was finalized ten years later, 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 a provocative image of Cindy Crawford dressed as George Washington.

She watched the news from home, understanding that John had no option but to deny proposing. She didn’t want rumors about her rejecting him to distract from the important news about George.

Carolyn intentionally avoided the launch event on September 7, 1995. Terenzio, who was responsible for publicly denying rumors of an engagement after a photo of Carolyn’s ring surfaced, explained that John and his partner, Michael Berman, believed her attendance would be disruptive. He added that Carolyn didn’t seem bothered by this.

John’s friend, Sasha Chermayeff, recalled in an interview that Carolyn was deeply upset by the public refusal to acknowledge their engagement. Chermayeff believed this was an early indication of what their relationship with John would be like – a pattern of him controlling the narrative and dismissing her feelings.

Honestly, episode five completely broke my heart! After such a huge fight – they were really going at it, even while walking their dog – John finally proposed to Carolyn. And she said yes, but it wasn’t a happy moment, she was crying! It was such a raw and emotional scene, I was a mess watching it.

Oh my god, I remember it like it was yesterday! The press completely covered every single detail of their fight on February 25th, 1996, and it was just… everywhere. I mean, I could see it all unfolding! The pictures were brutal – John practically yanking Carolyn’s engagement ring off her finger, him sitting on the curb, totally devastated, and then screaming at her while she desperately held onto the dog’s leash. It was so dramatic! Everyone talked about how she yelled, “You’ve got my ring, you’re not getting my dog!” It felt like it was ripped straight from a tabloid, honestly.

The show centers around a fight stemming from John’s rejected proposal—he angrily claims everything would be fine if she’d simply accepted it—even though they’d actually been engaged for around five months. Before the argument, Carolyn secretly tries on the ring and indicates she’s willing to wear it, but she hasn’t officially said yes to marrying him.

In her interview, Terenzio remembered that she and her husband often argued because he was being exploited by his friends.

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 involve their friend in the situation. 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, hosting her at her estate in Virginia, Hickory Hill.

Robert F. Kennedy’s widow offered Carolyn some heartfelt advice, warning her that, unfortunately, people wouldn’t be inclined to believe her side of the story anymore. She explained that men could be incredibly hurtful, frustrating, and even drive someone to despair, and urged her not to let them.

Ethel actually had Carolyn brought to her home, where, according to J. Randy Taraborelli’s 2019 book, The Kennedy Heirs, she told Carolyn to just ignore the negativity and move on.

According to a friend who was with Carolyn, Ethel Kennedy once confided that being a member of the Kennedy family came with its challenges. However, the mother of eleven explained that she eventually realized the key to coping was to affirm her own self-worth each morning. She’d tell herself, simply, ‘I am enough.’ She found that consistently repeating this helped her internalize the belief that she was sufficient, and that no one – not even the Kennedys – could diminish that feeling.

Ethel advised Carolyn to stay calm in public, as the book detailed. She cautioned that these men were quick to anger and warned 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 so far.

Carolyn worries that her sister feels left out. She believes resolving this is important because she doesn’t want any lingering resentment to affect her wedding and marriage.

Lauren says, “This will mean nothing to her. And it would have meant everything to me.”

John asked Carolyn to invite Caroline to be the maid of honor, hoping it would mend fences. His sister had not only publicly blamed Carolyn for a scene in the park, but also taken it as a reason to call off the wedding. John believed having Carolyn ask Caroline was the best way to resolve the conflict.

Two weeks after their argument at the park, Carolyn went to Calvin to quit, explaining that she worried her personal issues were becoming a problem. He confessed he was surprised and a little hurt by her decision.

He described her as “a bright light” and assured her she’d be well taken care of with Narciso Rodriguez – someone he used to work with – 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 after seeing photos of Carolyn with Narciso and Caroline. However, in real life, Carolyn quit her job before she started seriously planning a wedding.

Ann Freeman (played by Constance Zimmer) fears Carolyn is losing her identity in her marriage. She expresses this worry privately to her daughter, but surprisingly reveals it 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, she hopes Carolyn can rely on John to be supportive when she needs him.

John quietly tells 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 wrote in his memoir, The Men We Became, that Ann voiced concerns about the marriage, suggesting it could be detrimental to her daughter’s well-being.

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 long before. This means the romantic scene 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 made up for dramatic effect.

Carolyn had a major wardrobe mishap right before the event. She discovered Narciso’s dress, which didn’t have a zipper, needed to be pulled over her head – and she’d already finished her makeup!

Gogo Ferguson, the designer of the couple’s unique rattlesnake rib wedding bands, remembered in an interview that putting the dress on Carolyn was incredibly difficult. It was so tight, she said it felt like liquid flowing over her body, and Narciso was struggling to fasten it. Terenzio noted that Narciso even had to rework the neckline and then covered Carolyn’s head with a scarf to protect her hair and makeup.

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 and the day goes smoothly.

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 First African Baptist Church, built in the 1800s, didn’t have electricity, they had to use candles.

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2026-03-11 17:20