Actors Playing JFK Jr. & Carolyn Bessette Make Red Carpet Debut at Love Story Premiere: See Their Chemistry

The actors portraying the late John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette made a red-carpet appearance at the New York City premiere of Ryan Murphy’s new FX series Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette at Carnegie Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 3.

Sarah Pidgeon, who plays Bessette, arrived in an Art Deco–inspired dress featuring a black diamond-beaded pattern, a black ribbon detail at the front, and feathery white trim. The 29-year-old actor’s past credits include The Wilds and 2025’s I Know What You Did Last Summer. She’s also a Tony nominee for her performance in the 2024 Broadway musical Stereophonic.

Paul Anthony Kelly, cast as JFK Jr., kept things classic in a black suit and crisp white shirt, worn open at the collar without a tie. The role marks Kelly’s first major Hollywood project.

The pair also posed for photos with Naomi Watts, who plays Jacqueline Kennedy in the series.

Inside the series

The show follows the real-life couple’s whirlwind romance—one that drew intense public attention as JFK Jr. was the only son of the late President John F. Kennedy. After marrying in a secret ceremony in 1996, the couple’s relationship remained wrapped in fascination and speculation, particularly around Bessette, who never gave an interview before she and JFK Jr. died in a plane crash near Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, in 1999.

In a recently released trailer for the series—adapted from Elizabeth Beller’s book Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy—JFK Jr. (played by Kelly) is described as America’s “most eligible bachelor,” a figure the public watched grow up in the shadow of national tragedy.

Bessette (played by Pidgeon) is depicted as confident and fiercely independent, rising through the ranks at Calvin Klein and becoming a trusted executive within the brand.

After they’re formally introduced, JFK Jr. seeks Bessette out at her workplace, setting their courtship in motion. In the trailer’s recreated scenes, their chemistry is shown building as Bessette fits him for a suit.

FX’s Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette premieres with three episodes on February 12 on the FX linear channel and Hulu. After that, the nine-episode season will continue with one new episode released each Thursday.