Ryan Murphy’s Love Story on Disney+: sorting fact from fiction

John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette were major celebrities in the 1990s, captivating people around the world. Are you enjoying Ryan Murphy’s new show, Love Story, which tells the story of their relationship?

The show claims to be based on real events, but some parts have been made up. This creative liberty is now causing problems, as actress Daryl Hannah – who is portrayed in the series – has spoken out against it publicly.

She recently wrote in The New York Times that directly addressing false or misleading information usually just makes it worse. However, a new TV series about John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette includes a character based on her, and she feels the way this character is portrayed – as annoying, self-centered, and complaining – was a deliberate choice.

So what actually happened and what didn’t? Here we take a look at what’s fact and what’s fiction…

Did JFK Jr date Daryl Hannah?

That’s right! The famous actor from Kill Bill and one of America’s most sought-after bachelors had an on-again, off-again relationship between 1988 and 1994.

Did Jacqueline Onassis actually dislike the actress?

The mini-series presents Daryl in a negative light, depicting her as needy and constantly complaining, and hinting at drug use. A particularly jarring moment shows her equating the loss of her dog to the death of John F. Kennedy Jr., which struck biographer Jim Hart as inappropriate. Hart explained that Jackie Kennedy wasn’t necessarily opposed to Daryl personally, but worried about her marrying into the family as an actress. He emphasized there wasn’t any real bad feeling, but Jackie frequently questioned whether the relationship was a good match for her son, John.

Did Hannah’s dog get run over?

The dog actually died after being struck by a car, though it happened in Central Park, not Tribeca. John F. Kennedy Jr. then flew the dog’s ashes to Daryl in Los Angeles.

Sasha Chermayeff remembered that he went to bury the dog, but while he was outside, his mother’s condition suddenly worsened. He felt very angry with Daryl for making him attend a dog’s funeral when his own mother was seriously ill with cancer.

Where did JFK Jr and Carolyn really meet?

So, in the show, they have this whole thing where Calvin Klein—the designer, played by Alessandro Nivola—is basically trying to set people up at his wife Kelly’s book party. Apparently, there are a few different stories about how he and Kelly actually met, but one of them is really interesting. They say it was back in 1992 when JFK Jr. was getting a suit made at Calvin Klein, and that’s where they first connected!

As expected, John left the meeting very impressed and ended up with a couple of suits and Carolyn’s phone number. He called her just a few days later, according to a friend.

Did John send flowers daily?

While it’s not officially confirmed, Calvin Klein was known for wanting a very clean and minimalist look for his office. Stories suggest he had specific rules – like requiring black paperclips, approved screensavers, and discouraging personal items on desks. Even flowers were restricted to white, and any other colors had to be taken home each evening.

Did JFK Jr date Madonna?

John F. Kennedy Jr. was considered one of America’s most desirable bachelors. According to a 2024 biography, his college friend Robert Littell described his relationship with Madonna as a brief romance. JFK Jr.’s assistant and co-author, RoseMarie Terenzio, also revealed that he once considered having Madonna appear on the cover of his magazine, George, dressed as his mother.

We’d put her in her usual outfit: a suit, her trademark sunglasses, and a small, stylish hat perched on top of a pile of books.

The singer politely declined his offer in a fax, writing, “Dear Johnny, thank you for asking me to be your mother, but I don’t think I could ever fill those shoes. My eyebrows just aren’t bushy enough!”

In 1988, People magazine named John its “Sexiest Man Alive.” Around that time, he was also romantically connected to actresses Sarah Jessica Parker and Julia Roberts.

Did John date Carolyn and Daryl at the same time?

Anthony Radziwill, John’s cousin, remembers John taking Carolyn on a weekend getaway in 2019. However, he ended things with her just a few weeks later when he rekindled his relationship with his former partner, Daryl Hannah.

According to Rosemarie Terenzio, a friend and coworker of John F. Kennedy Jr., he suddenly became unreachable. Then, his wife, Carolyn, saw a newspaper article featuring him at a movie premiere with Daryl Hannah. Shortly after, Carolyn’s mother, known for her sense of humor, mailed her the article with a note saying, ‘Carolyn, please move on with your life, Love, Mom,’ and included a sad face.

However, Kennedy and Hannah did finally split that summer.

That fight in the park

So, back in February ’96, paparazzi caught me and Carolyn having a huge fight in the park. The photos ended up everywhere, and it was seriously embarrassing. It reminded people of that movie, Love Story – there were pictures of me seeming to try and take off her engagement ring, then me just sitting on the curb looking bummed, and finally, Carolyn actually comforting me. It was a whole mess.

The real reason behind the fight remains a mystery, but according to Steven M. Gillon’s 2019 biography, America’s Reluctant Prince, it started because Carolyn felt John Kennedy was too passive and allowed others to take advantage of him.

Did Carolyn date an underwear model?

Nanette Bessette was a private person who never spoke to the media, making her something of a mystery. She grew up in a typical suburban environment and was named ‘Ultimate Beautiful Person’ in her high school yearbook in 1983.

She began her career as a sales assistant at Calvin Klein in Boston before moving to New York, where she became the brand’s head of publicity and a close advisor to the designer. Before marrying John F. Kennedy Jr., Bessette dated several prominent figures, including hockey player John Cullen, Alessandro Benetton from the Benetton fashion family, and Michael Bergin, a Calvin Klein model who later appeared on Baywatch and is now a real estate agent in Los Angeles.

Did Carolyn discover Kate Moss?

It wasn’t quite her decision, but she did support using the British model in the brand’s famously controversial 1992 underwear ad, which featured Kate Moss and Mark Wahlberg (who was then known as Marky Mark).

What caused the plane crash?

On July 16, 1999, John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife Carolyn, and Carolyn’s sister Lauren tragically died in a plane crash. They were flying to Hyannis Port, with a stop on Martha’s Vineyard to drop off Lauren, to attend a wedding for one of John’s cousins.

So, Navy divers found the wreckage on July 20th. It was pretty grim – John was still in the cockpit, and the rest of the crew were still strapped into their seats. There’s this crazy story that went around for years, saying the plane actually took off late at night because Carolyn was getting her nails done. Apparently, she made the salon change the polish three times until it perfectly matched the lilac color of her dress! It’s a weird detail, but that’s what people said.

Okay, so it looks like Carolyn was late, but honestly, John and Lauren were too! They were traveling to the airport together, and poor John had just had his cast removed – he’d broken his ankle, so getting around couldn’t have been easy for him. It makes a lot more sense knowing that!

Some people believe the pilot’s new aircraft was too advanced for someone with his experience level. Others think he was under pressure from problems with his magazine and personal life. He also failed to communicate with air traffic controllers.

It’s heartbreaking that John, Carolyn, and Lauren – aged 38, 33, and 34 respectively – all died at such young ages. That’s the only certainty we have right now.

Love Story is streaming on Disney+.

2026-03-09 16:21