Daryl Hannah Breaks Silence on Ryan Murphy's Controversial 'Love Story' Series
Actress and activist Daryl Hannah has publicly denounced her portrayal in Ryan Murphy's new television series, Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, branding it as "tragedy-exploiting" and rooted in "textbook misogyny." The series, which premiered recently, dramatises the whirlwind romance and high-profile marriage between the attorney and his publicist wife before their tragic deaths in a 1999 plane crash.
Hannah's Scathing Critique in The New York Times
In a guest essay for The New York Times, Hannah, who dated Kennedy for approximately five years in the early 1990s, broke her longstanding discretion about the relationship. She asserted that the show's depiction of her is "not even a remotely accurate representation" of her life, conduct, or relationship with John. "Storytelling requires tension. It often requires an obstacle. But a real, living person is not a narrative device," Hannah wrote, criticising the series for allegedly tearing down one woman to uplift another.
Hannah specifically refuted several claims made in the series, stating emphatically: "The actions and behaviors attributed to me are untrue. I have never used cocaine in my life or hosted cocaine-fueled parties. I have never pressured anyone into marriage. I have never desecrated any family heirloom or intruded upon anyone’s private memorial. I have never planted any story in the press. I never compared Jacqueline Onassis’ death to a dog’s."
Real-World Consequences and Family Backlash
The actress detailed the severe repercussions of the series, revealing that she has received "hostile" and "threatening" messages from viewers who believed the fictionalised portrayal. "It’s appalling to me that I even have to defend myself against a television show. These are not creative embellishments of personality. They are assertions about conduct — and they are false," Hannah lamented, emphasising that "real names are not fictional tools."
Hannah is not alone in her criticism. JFK Jr.'s nephew, Jack Schlossberg, has also released a statement condemning the anthology series, noting that the family was not consulted and expressing concern that Murphy is "profiting off of it in a grotesque way." Murphy responded to Schlossberg by saying, "I thought it was an odd choice to be mad about your relative that you really don’t remember."
Murphy's History of Controversial Projects
This limited series marks the latest in a string of controversial projects from Ryan Murphy, who has previously faced accusations of glamorising serial killers and profiting from tragedy. Love Story features Paul Anthony Kelly as JFK Jr., Sarah Pidgeon as Carolyn Bessette, Grace Gummer as Caroline Kennedy, and Naomi Watts as former first lady Jackie Kennedy Onassis.
Hannah, who has been married to singer Neil Young since 2018, remains a prominent figure in both Hollywood and environmental activism. Her forceful rebuttal highlights ongoing debates about ethical storytelling, the exploitation of real-life tragedies for entertainment, and the portrayal of women in media.
