Canadian actor Paul Anthony Kelly has publicly confirmed the birth of his first child with his wife, production manager Syd Widziszewski-Kelly, during a recent television appearance. The 38-year-old star, who is currently portraying the late John F. Kennedy Jr. in the new FX anthology miniseries Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. + Carolyn Bessette, shared the personal news while discussing the controversial show.
Fatherhood Announcement on The Kelly Clarkson Show
During an interview on The Kelly Clarkson Show on Monday, host Kelly Clarkson excitedly announced, 'You just became a dad!' to which Kelly replied, 'I did, yeah. Thank you so much.' When asked if he has felt tired since becoming a father, he added with a laugh, 'A little bit, yeah. That’s, like, an understatement, for sure.' Kelly revealed that the baby was born in January, but he chose to withhold the child's name and gender for privacy reasons.
Timing of the Pregnancy News
In December, Kelly disclosed to Interview magazine that he and his wife discovered they were expecting on the very day of his producer callback for Love Story. He recounted, 'February comes around, and I felt pretty good about it, but casting said they were reading other gentlemen for it.' After months of uncertainty, he received an email in late April requesting another tape, followed quickly by an invitation to a producer callback via Zoom from their home in Portland.
Kelly described May 1 as a significant day: 'Right before we’re about to go for dinner for our second wedding anniversary, she tells me we’re pregnant.' The next day, he got a call for a chemistry read with co-star Sarah Pidgeon, who plays Carolyn Bessette, contingent on him obtaining his green card—which he secured that weekend, allowing him to book his ticket and ultimately land the role.
Backlash Against the FX Series
Love Story, which traces the relationship of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette from their meeting at a party to their tragic deaths in a plane crash on July 16, 1999, has faced considerable criticism from the Kennedy family. Jack Schlossberg, Kennedy's nephew, publicly condemned the series last year, accusing executive producer Ryan Murphy of profiting 'in a grotesque way' from his family's legacy.
Murphy responded on California Governor Gavin Newsom's podcast, calling it an 'odd choice to be mad about your relative that you really don’t remember.' Schlossberg, who is now running for Congress in New York, took to social media to share memories of his uncle in rebuttal.
Ethical Considerations and Creative Approach
Executive producer Brad Simpson, a veteran of Murphy's true-story projects like American Crime Story, addressed the controversy in an interview with The Associated Press. He stated, 'We’re fully aware that there are real people and real tragedies often at the heart of these stories.' Simpson acknowledged that the series is an entertainment product but emphasized, 'We’ve tried to be ethical and we’ve tried to be incredibly sincere.'
Kelly and Pidgeon have expressed that they took great care in portraying the couple, respecting Schlossberg's opinions while aiming to honor the story. The series is based on Elizabeth Beller's book Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, detailing Bessette's career rise at Calvin Klein and Kennedy's struggles with George magazine.
Personal and Professional Milestones
Kelly noted that the baby was originally due on January 7, which coincidentally is Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's birthday. He told Interview magazine, 'When we finish filming, my wife and I need to go back home and start nesting.' This blend of personal joy and professional commitment highlights a poignant moment in Kelly's life as he navigates fatherhood alongside his role in a high-profile, contentious production.
The series, available on FX and Hulu, continues to spark debate while shedding light on a famous American love story, with Kelly's own family expansion adding a layer of personal resonance to his performance.
