Douglas Kennedy, the cousin of the late John F. Kennedy Jr., has publicly defended actress Daryl Hannah following her strong rebuttal of her controversial portrayal in the FX anthology series Love Story. The show dramatises the romance between Kennedy Jr. and his wife, Carolyn Bessette.
Hannah's Public Critique
Last week, Hannah, aged 65, published a detailed essay in the New York Times condemning her depiction as Kennedy Jr.'s on-again, off-again girlfriend in the series. She described the characterisation as deeply inaccurate and harmful.
Kennedy's Personal Testimony
Although Douglas Kennedy admitted he has not watched the series, he told Page Six that its treatment of Hannah was 'unfortunate.' He shared personal memories, stating, 'Daryl Hannah was great. Whenever I saw her, she was very sweet and had [John's] best interests at heart. I think that's a misrepresentation.'
Douglas is the tenth child of Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy, who also appears in the scripted programme. He noted that while the series shows Bessette striving to win approval from Ethel and Caroline Kennedy, John Jr.'s sister, the reality was different. 'Everybody around Carolyn loved Carolyn,' he recalled.
The Challenge of Biographical Drama
'It's difficult to capture the intricacies of people's lives in movies or television,' the Kennedy heir remarked. 'If you know people, these types of things often fail in capturing the essence of who people were.' He fondly remembered his late cousin, who perished in a 1999 plane crash with Bessette and her sister Lauren, as 'the leader of my generation.'
Specific Allegations and Denials
In her explosive essay, Hannah accused the series of painting her as 'irritating, self-absorbed, whiny and inappropriate,' insisting it was 'not even a remotely accurate representation of her life, her conduct or her relationship with John.' The couple were romantically involved from 1988 to 1994.
She explained her decision to speak out, writing, 'I have generally chosen not to respond to media coverage of me. I have long believed that engaging with distortion often amplifies it. But a recent tragedy-exploiting television series about John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette features a character using my name and presents her as me.'
Hannah argued that the portrayal reduces her to a narrative device, adding, 'Storytelling requires tension. It often requires an obstacle. But a real, living person is not a narrative device.' She highlighted a gendered aspect, noting, 'Popular culture has long elevated certain women by portraying others as rivals, obstacles or villains. Isn't it textbook misogyny to tear down one woman in order to build up another?'
Controversial Scenes and Firm Denials
The series depicts Hannah's character using cocaine on multiple occasions, with a Vogue review describing her as a 'coke-obsessed prima donna.' Hannah vehemently denied this, stating, 'The actions and behaviors attributed to her are untrue. I have never used cocaine in my life or hosted cocaine-fueled parties.'
She addressed other specific scenes, asserting, '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 Repercussions
Hannah emphasised that the 'dramatisation' has 'real-life consequences,' revealing she has received 'many hostile and even threatening messages from viewers who seem to believe the portrayal is factual.' She concluded, '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.'
The series stars Paul Anthony Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon as John Jr. and Bessette, with Dree Hemingway portraying Hannah, noted for her striking resemblance to the actress.
