‘Love Story’ rekindles a fascination with fame and tragedy

John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy are back in the spotlight in FX’s new series Love Story (2026).

The series tells the story of Kennedy Jr., son of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and Bessette-Kennedy, a Calvin Klein publicist turned style icon. It follows their whirlwind romance, high-profile marriage, and the media frenzy that surrounded them until their deaths in ’99. Set in the ’90s, the show highlights the paparazzi culture that defined the couple’s lives.

The series leans hard on its costuming. Bessette-Kennedy’s  minimalist, ’90s-style wardrobe is filled with slip dresses, neutral tones, clean silhouettes. It’s being replicated by celebrities and influencers alike. This could also be due to Bessette-Kennedy’s fashion icon-status before the show aired, as her wardrobe has been discussed for decades. Vogue Australia called her the “ultimate 90’s style icon” back in 2019.

The show highlights both the glamour and the pressure that plagued the couple’s relationship. Paparazzi followed Kennedy Jr. and Bessette-Kennedy everywhere, a constant intrusion that weighed especially on Bessette-Kennedy, who preferred a quieter, more grounded life than Kennedy Jr.’s public world allowed.

The Kennedy family has voiced discomfort over the series. Jack Schlossberg, Kennedy Jr.’s nephew, called it a “grotesque display” and accused executive producer Ryan Murphy of profiting off his uncle’s life without asking the family for approval. He suggested donating profits from the show to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library as a gesture of respect to the family. Schlossberg’s reaction raises questions about the impact of exploiting real stories for entertainment.

Part of the show’s appeal lies in its ability to let viewers peek behind the curtain of celebrity life. Audiences are drawn not just to romance or tragedy, but to the tension between private experience and public spectacle. Love Story thrives on that curiosity, inviting viewers to witness intimate moments while reminding them of the cost of fame.

Love Story works best when it exposes that dynamic. It recreates the media dynamic it explores. Intimate moments are staged and made public, mirroring the same loss of privacy that defined Kennedy Jr. and Bessette-Kennedy’s lives.

The story feels strikingly relevant today. Paparazzi culture has evolved alongside social media’s constant visibility, blurring the line between public and private life. Bessette-Kennedy’s struggle with fame feels less like a personal quirk and more like an early warning of this shift. Even as she resists the spotlight, the series centres her style and image, turning her into an icon rather than a fully realized individual.

Love Story doesn’t resolve this tension; it just continues to live in it. By bringing Kennedy Jr. and Bessette-Kennedy back into public consciousness, the series highlights a familiar impulse: our fascination with the problems of the rich and famous.