Sydney Lemmon didn’t have trouble finding a sisterly connection with Sarah Pidgeon.
Long before they played sisters Lauren and Carolyn Bessette in the FX series, the two actors already knew each other, having worked together in the movie Love Story years earlier.
Sydney, 35, told TopMob News at the Los Angeles premiere of The Drama on March 17th that playing sisters with Sarah felt natural because they’re both from the New York City theater world. She added that she’s thrilled the show is reaching an audience and is grateful to be involved.
The show produced by Ryan Murphy—which tells the story of Carolyn and John F. Kennedy’s private relationship, with Paul Anthony Kelly as JFK—has generated a lot of discussion since it premiered in February, even bringing back interest in the couple’s 1990s fashion. However, Kennedy’s nephew, Jack Schlossberg, and his former partner, Daryl Hannah, have both spoken out against the series, with Hannah specifically criticizing her portrayal in it.
Sydney didn’t reveal how she portrayed Lauren on the show—Lauren, who tragically died with Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and John F. Kennedy Jr. in a 1999 plane crash—but she did say she was particularly fascinated by a specific scene: Sarah’s makeover, which was based on the style of the late Calvin Klein publicist.
You know, I was just talking about Sarah, and she’s absolutely gorgeous! I think a lot of people feel the same way – she’s stunning as a blonde, but she also rocks a brunette look. It’s funny how a simple hair change can sometimes feel right, like it unlocks something. Honestly, she’s beautiful no matter what!
Sydney appreciates her friend’s new hairstyle, but Sarah is really enjoying the fashion aspects of the job.
We sourced items from collectors,” the 29-year-old explained to Vogue in February. “Even if it wasn’t the exact garment she wore, we found pieces from the same collections. We tracked down her Prada and Valentino coats, and even tailored Levi’s jeans to match her signature fit.
She shared that the shoes she wore were amazing – Manolo Blahnik heels and Prada boots, specifically. She also joked that she definitely improved her ability to walk in heels by the end of the show.
Sarah doesn’t just want to recreate Carolyn’s style; she wants her work to help people connect with the person who inspired the fashion.
Everyone thinks of her as a minimalist style icon,” she said, “but I discovered she was actually really lively, humorous, and had a bit of a rebellious side.
Sarah, the actress playing Carolyn, seems to have done her homework. People who knew Carolyn—including Lisa DePaulo, who used to work at JFK Jr.’s George magazine—praised Sarah for accurately capturing aspects of the fashion icon’s personality.
According to a recent column in The Hollywood Reporter, Pidgeon perfectly captures Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s sharp wit and sense of humor. The author notes Pidgeon also brilliantly portrays the unique, captivating quality Carolyn possessed – the undeniable reason John Kennedy fell in love with her. Furthermore, Pidgeon successfully depicts Carolyn’s rare combination of self-assurance and compassion, which drew admiration from people of all genders.
Keep reading to see more fact and fictional moments in Love Story…
In the seventh episode, titled “Obsession,” the newly married couple comes home from their honeymoon in Turkey to discover a large group of paparazzi camped outside their Tribeca apartment, and they refuse to go away.
Things were genuinely as awful as they seemed. Paparazzi relentlessly pursued Carolyn, constantly begging her to smile for the cameras. When she refused to respond to their intrusive questions – like those about whether she was expecting a baby – some of them began to insult her, even using harsh language, all in an attempt to get a reaction.
According to MJ Bettenhausen, as recounted in Elizabeth Beller’s biography Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, Carolyn worried that people would lose interest in her after she and John Kennedy got married. Bettenhausen explained that this was another way Carolyn’s independent nature felt restricted.
The costume designer for Love Story, Rudy Mance, accurately reproduced the full Prada outfit Carolyn wore when she first encountered the paparazzi, just after she and John returned home.
The woman’s outfit—a camel-colored pencil skirt, black sweater, knee-high boots, and black tote bag—matched her personality: stylish and sophisticated, but understated.
Mance shared on FX’s Love Story podcast, hosted by Evan Ross Katz, that getting the props right for that scene was a big effort. He explained they spent a lot of time sourcing items from places like eBay, Japan, Etsy, and Ukraine.
Carolyn was worried, but John tried to improve things outside their house. He asked the photographers to be respectful of his wife and give her some space as she got used to her new life.
Oh my god, he actually said all that while Carolyn was just… waiting for him at 20 North Moore Street! Apparently, Beller reported he told everyone, and it was so thoughtful – he was like, “Getting married is a huge deal, a massive life change for anyone, but especially when you’re not used to being in the public eye. Please, please give Carolyn the space and privacy she deserves.”
According to Steve Gillon’s 2019 book, American Prince, the brief peace between John and the photographers ended immediately after John finished speaking. As he and Carolyn began walking to their car, the photographers surged forward, each trying to get a unique photo. This chaotic scene terrified Carolyn.
Carolyn was thrilled about a potential job at Ralph Lauren and her interview seemed to go perfectly. However, she was shocked to find a crowd of photographers gathered outside, creating a chaotic scene. Feeling overwhelmed and embarrassed by the intense attention, she sadly decided to withdraw her acceptance of the position.
As a style expert, I’ve always been fascinated by Carolyn Bessette’s impact. While it’s not widely known, Ralph Lauren was apparently so captivated by her effortless style that he reportedly instructed his design team to keep her in mind with every creation. Harper’s Bazaar shared that he’d actually say, ‘Every time you design something, think of Carolyn Bessette.’ It’s a testament to how truly influential she was, even beyond her public appearances!
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 she would likely lose people’s trust and face unfair judgment. She explained that men can be deeply hurtful, frustrating, and overwhelming, and urged Carolyn not to give in to those feelings.
Ethel actually had Carolyn brought to her home, where, according to J. Randy Taraborelli’s 2019 book, The Kennedy Heirs, she told Carolyn she needed to ignore the negativity and move forward.
According to a friend who was with Carolyn, Ethel Kennedy once shared that being a member of the Kennedy family came with unique challenges. However, the mother of eleven explained that she eventually realized the key to coping was daily self-affirmation. She would look in the mirror and tell herself, simply, ‘I am enough.’ She found that repeating this message helped her internalize the belief that she was worthy, and that nothing – not even the pressures of the Kennedy family – could diminish that sense of self-worth.
Ethel cautioned Carolyn against losing her temper in public again, as described in the book. She warned that these men were easily provoked and urged Carolyn not to let them bait her into behaving badly in front of everyone.
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, saying, ‘I don’t want her to feel resentful towards me as I start my 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 accused Carolyn of causing a scene in the park and, upset by the incident, questioned whether they should even get married. John believed having Carolyn ask Caroline was the best way to resolve the situation.
Two weeks after their argument at the park, Carolyn went to Calvin to quit her job. She explained that she worried her personal issues were interfering with her work, and Calvin confessed he was surprised and a little disappointed to hear it.
He described her as “a bright light” and assured her she would be well taken care of with Narciso Rodriguez – a designer he used to work with – creating her wedding dress. 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 actually 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 the same concerns to everyone during a toast 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 exact words aren’t known, John’s friend, Robert Littell, wrote in his book, The Men We Became, that Ann voiced concerns about the marriage, suggesting it could be harmful to their daughter.
And John, he wrote, was “visibly stung by his mother-in-law’s remarks.”
Littell also pointed out 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 a fictional addition for dramatic effect.
Carolyn had a real panic moment when she discovered she’d have to pull Narciso’s zipperless dress over her head after her makeup was already finished.
Gogo Ferguson, the designer of the couple’s unique rattlesnake rib wedding bands, shared in an interview that dressing Carolyn was a struggle. She described it as if the dress was incredibly smooth and flowing, and Narciso was working hard to fasten it securely. Terenzio noted that Narciso even had to redo the neckline, and they covered Carolyn’s head with a scarf to protect her hair and makeup during the process.
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 even 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 satisfied.
In Beller’s Once Upon a Time, Carolyn needs to completely 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 to light the space.
In the fifth episode, John proposes to Carolyn while they’re rowing a boat, following a trip to Hyannis Port. This is where Carolyn has just met John’s family, including his formidable aunt, Ethel Kennedy (played by Jessica Harper), for the very first time.
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 signed up to help with breakfast that weekend, though Carolyn wasn’t involved.
Terenzio says John proposed to Carolyn while they were on a trip to Martha’s Vineyard for the Fourth of July in 1995. He proposed on a boat, playfully telling her, “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 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 Gillon’s 2019 biography, American Prince, states she didn’t formally accept but was seen wearing an engagement ring and telling friends of their plans to marry, Terenzio’s oral history recalls 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 leading up to their well-known argument in Washington Square Park in 1996.
Carolyn enjoyed a close relationship with both her boss, Calvin Klein, and his wife, Kelly Klein, who was a photographer.
In the movie Love Story, Kelly (played by Leila George) challenges Calvin when he tells her she can’t continue working for him because their relationship—following a very public proposal reported on the cover of the New York Post—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, hinting that this would be their last time together – a clear sign 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 made a mutual decision to live separately, with respect for each other, and hoped to resolve any differences privately. Their divorce was finalized ten years later, in 2006.
Calvin, now 83 years old, 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 John had no option but to deny he’d proposed. She didn’t want rumors about her rejecting him to distract from the important news about George.
Carolyn intentionally avoided attending the launch on September 7, 1995. Terenzio, responsible for releasing a statement to deny engagement rumors fueled by a photo of Carolyn’s ring, 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 seemed deeply upset by John’s public refusal to confirm their engagement. Chermayeff believed this was an early indication of the challenges Carolyn would face in the relationship – a glimpse of what life with John would really be like.
In the fifth episode, Carolyn and John have a heated fight while walking their dog, but it ends with a surprising moment: John proposes, and Carolyn accepts through tears.
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 off her finger, John crying on the curb, and their argument over the dog, during which Carolyn famously said, “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 marriage proposal. He angrily claims everything would be fine if she’d just said yes, but they’d actually been engaged for around five months. While Carolyn privately tries on the ring and seems open to the idea when they’re alone, she hadn’t formally accepted his proposal before the argument began.
In her interview, Terenzio remembered that she and her partner argued about John 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 felt it was unfair to their friend. While she regretted the argument, she was also upset with John, believing she had been trying to shield him from being exploited.
When he brings Carolyn home to his loft for the first time, John realizes he forgot his keys.
Although it looked good on television, the real John was often forgetful, frequently misplacing his keys and wallet. This habit later made Carolyn hesitant to fly with him by himself after he earned his pilot’s license.
Beyond hinting at things to come, John also doesn’t mention the real reason he’s inviting Carolyn to a party at his sister Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg’s house: it’s a formal birthday dinner for Caroline.
When John’s behavior worries Carolyn, Caroline (Grace Gummer) quickly explains that he’s just forgetful, and not intentionally bringing unexpected guests.
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 more of a party than a formal dinner.
The former Real Housewives star, who attended with Anthony and was excited to see Carolyn, described her friend entering the secure room looking bright and unapologetically herself, and acting very warmly and spontaneously.
I remember it so clearly. Caroline gave John a hug and then turned to Carolyn, saying, “It’s so lovely to finally meet you!” It was sweet, but after that, everyone around them seemed to immediately turn their attention back to John. They’d offer a quick, polite smile to Carolyn, but it felt like John was the main focus.
Contrary to initial impressions, Carolyn and Caroline actually hit it off immediately, 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.
John was upset after finding a letter in his gym bag claiming Carolyn had used her boss, Calvin Klein, to get a date with him. The letter suggested she was actively pursuing him. When Carolyn visited later, John confronted her about it, and she was shocked he’d believe such a thing, leading her to leave immediately.
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 received a letter outlining rumors about Carolyn’s active social life and relationships, but this happened relatively early in their dating history. The book details how John abruptly ended their relationship after receiving the letter, following a summer of dating in 1992. Carolyn then didn’t accept his apologies for over a year.
The new series, Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, opens with Carolyn (played by Sarah Pidgeon) advising actress Annette Bening (portrayed by Megan Channell) to wear a Calvin Klein suit instead of the dress the designer chose for her, for the Bugsy premiere.
As a stylist, I always keep an eye on who’s wearing what, and it’s fascinating to look back at Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s early work! While we can’t be sure if she specifically styled looks for Annette Bening or even Warren Beatty’s future wife, a 1996 New York Times piece revealed she was the saleswoman celebrities like Diane Sawyer and Blaire Trump relied on at Calvin Klein. She really had an eye for helping them build their wardrobes!
According to Paul Wilmott, who was Calvin Klein’s VP of public relations at the time, she would help customers find clothes that suited them, offer styling advice, and ultimately, sell a significant amount of merchandise – reportedly millions of dollars worth over time. He described it as a truly positive experience.
In a memorable scene from Love Story, Carolyn demonstrates her marketing skill by advising Calvin (played by Alessandro Nivola) to feature Kate Moss in an advertising campaign.
Carolyn was one of the first people to recognize Kate Moss’s potential, and she played a key role in establishing 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.
Honestly, after it all happened, I told my friends it really came down to him just being bored. Michael Bergin – my friends jokingly call him the ‘sexy doorman,’ and he actually just walked in now – it was like he needed some drama, you know? It wasn’t about anything deep, just a lack of something better to do.
John unexpectedly arrived 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 asked Carolyn to join him at a gala, but she initially thought another woman was his date. According to Carolyn’s friend MJ Bettenhausen, this annoyed Carolyn, and she declined his invitation to an after-party.
Carolyn and Michael, a former hotel doorman and model, dated casually starting in the fall of 1992, but their relationship wasn’t consistent, according to Beller’s book.
According to Beller, 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 for John. She’s about to leave after waiting for 20 minutes when he finally arrives, riding up on his bicycle.
He accidentally leaves the car unlocked, and when they return from their long date, they discover it’s been stolen. This means he ends up walking Carolyn home instead.
He said he wished he hadn’t felt so rushed as they reached her door. She asked what he meant, and he kissed her. He then 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 did go on a first date, and it’s possible he biked there and was a little late. However, the cozy scene of them connecting over drinks was likely staged for the show.
Okay, so picture this: John comes home to find Daryl Hannah – yes, that Daryl Hannah – unexpectedly at his place. It’s a little awkward because he was just telling his cousin and best friend, Anthony Radziwill, all about how much he wants to call Carolyn. Honestly, it’s a classic case of complicated relationships and mixed signals – you know how it is! He’s got this on-again, off-again thing with Daryl, but he’s clearly still hung up on Carolyn. It’s a messy situation, and I’m guessing things are about to get really interesting.
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 through 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 eventually confessed to her at an event that he was struggling emotionally because he believed she disliked him. Carolyn responded by saying she didn’t know him well enough to feel any hatred towards him.
The unexpected meeting was a striking way to reveal that the Splash actress was cast in Love Story. However, the show’s 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 build a story around pre-set expectations when you’re basing it on real people, so they generally avoid doing that unless absolutely necessary.
According to Jacobson, Daryl acts as a challenge to what the story needs, but the writers still acknowledge her deep understanding of the celebrity lifestyle – something Carolyn lacks.
When John walks in and sees Daryl hanging out with her eccentric friends, it’s a clear signal that major changes are coming. She ultimately breaks up with 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, he got distracted signing an autograph, the leash slipped, and Hank was tragically struck and killed by a taxi. John then traveled to Los Angeles to deliver Hank’s ashes to Daryl.
I was really saddened to read in RoseMarie Terenzio and Liz McNeil’s new book, JFK Jr.: An Intimate Oral Biography, that John’s dog, Hank, was tragically hit by a car. Apparently, according to Sasha Chermayeff, a friend of John’s, Hank slipped his leash while they were walking in Central Park back in May 1994. It’s just a heartbreaking detail from the book.
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, 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.
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 quickly connected and dated all summer, but eventually 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 a relationship that was constantly starting and stopping.
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2026-03-19 00:51