Daryl Hannah has launched a scathing attack on Ryan Murphy's television series Love Story in an essay for the New York Times, accusing the show of exploiting tragedy and perpetuating misogyny. The series, which depicts the romance between John F Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette, features a character based on Hannah, who had a relationship with JFK Jr in the early 1990s.
In her essay, Hannah writes that she has generally chosen not to respond to media coverage, but felt compelled to speak out against what she describes as a 'tragedy-exploiting' series. She claims the portrayal of her character as 'irritating, self-absorbed, whiny and inappropriate' was deliberate. Hannah quotes a producer who referred to her character as an 'adversary', arguing that real people should not be used as narrative devices.
Hannah criticises the gendered nature of the portrayal, calling it 'textbook misogyny' to tear down one woman to build up another. She denies allegations that she used cocaine, as depicted in the show, and says she has received 'hostile and even threatening' messages since the series aired.
The actor's criticism follows a similar response from JFK Jr's nephew, Jack Schlossberg, who said in a CBS interview that Ryan Murphy 'knows nothing about what he's talking about' and is making money from a 'grotesque display' of someone else's life. Producer Brad Simpson defended the show as made with sincerity, while actor Sarah Pidgeon said Schlossberg had every right to share his feelings.
Love Story has been a ratings success, becoming the most watched FX limited series to date with 25 million hours of viewing for its first five episodes since its launch in February.
