‘Love Story’ Star Paul Anthony Kelly Explains the Weight of Portraying JFK Jr. and Filming His Final Moments With Jackie Kennedy

Paul Anthony Kelly knew stepping into the role of John F. Kennedy Jr. would come with high expectations. Portraying one of America’s most beloved public figures in FX’s new series Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette marks the Canadian model-turned-actor’s first major role.

“Stepping into the characterization of John F. Kennedy Jr. definitely has a lot of weight to it,” Kelly tells The Hollywood Reporter. “Because of that, the care and integrity that I had to bring — to find the truth in the whole story — was essential. A lot of it is imagining what would happen behind closed doors given their circumstances. We tried to be as conscientious and truthful as possible about what that would look like.”

He adds, “He’s just such a beloved figure — you want to do right by him.”

Created by showrunner Connor Hines, Love Story follows the sweeping and ultimately tragic romance between JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, while also exploring their individual lives before they became a couple. The series examines how relentless media attention intensified their relationship, with photographers tracking their every move. Despite the scrutiny, John was determined to live as an ordinary New Yorker — often biking through the city and carving out his own professional path by launching George magazine, which ran from 1995 to 2001.

In preparing for the role, Kelly says he was most struck by John’s desire for normalcy.

“He just wanted to be an everyman,” the actor explains. “He got along with everybody. He made everyone feel special. His desire to go about life his own way was the most surprising — and rewarding — piece of information I learned. He really did things on his own terms.”

While the series centers on John and Carolyn’s tragic romance — the pair as well as Carolyn’s sister, Lauren Bessette, died in a plane crash in 1999 — the early episodes also explore John’s relationship with Splash actress Daryl Hannah and the disapproval of his mother, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. In one scene, the former first lady refuses to attend a family dinner when Hannah is present.

The third episode then includes one of the most heartbreaking moments, as it shows Jackie’s death from non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 1994. Kelly recalls filming the scene in which John reads to his mother before lying beside her as she dies.

“It’s a very emotional scene,” he says. “Being in the bed with Jackie and reading that verse — and then having what happens, happen — it was a very intense experience. Especially for my first major production, allowing myself to go there emotionally in those circumstances was beautiful and cathartic.”

The grief continues in a quiet but powerful moment when John walks into another room to find his sister, Caroline Kennedy, played by Grace Gummer. Without a word spoken, she can tell by his face that their mother is gone.

“It was really emotional,” Gummer tells THR. “That was one of mine and Paul’s first days together on set, and it was such a beautiful way to establish that relationship. It’s the moment they essentially become orphans. The look he gave me when he walked in the door — I was floored by him.”

She adds, “He’s just such a great actor, and we instantly had a connection. The love that brings to the show is very palpable.”

Before her death, Jackie leaves John a letter urging him to stay close to those who love him as he is. The message drives a grieving John to Carolyn’s East Village apartment, where the pair share their first kiss — signaling the official beginning of their romance at the end of that third episode.

Although Carolyn, played by Sarah Pidgeon, never shared scenes with Naomi Watts’ Jackie in the series, the two actresses previously worked together on the 2024 drama The Friend. Pidgeon praises Watts’ presence both on and off set.

“She’s such an inspiration — artistically, and just the most down-to-earth, kind human,” she says. “Just having her on set and seeing her energy as Jackie was incredible. Her performance is so incredible. It’s such a stamp of approval that someone of her caliber wants to be involved in this production.”

Since debuting on Feb. 12, Love Story has resonated with audiences, climbing to the No. 1 spot on Disney+. Still, not everyone welcomed the dramatization. Last summer, JFK’s grandson and John Jr.’s nephew, Jack Schlossberg, criticized the project for “profiting off” his uncle’s life in a “grotesque way.”

Executive producer Brad Simpson previously responded to those concerns, telling THR, “I can understand why somebody could have a reaction before they see it. But I would say, ‘Watch the show,’ because I think they’re going to be surprised at how sincere it is.”

Gummer echoed that sentiment.

“I think we were very sensitive to those concerns,” she says. “Our show really shines a light on the love and the life of this relationship and this family. We tried to be as honest, compassionate and delicate as we could be. It’s ultimately a love letter to everyone.”

The first three episodes of Love Story are now streaming on Hulu and Disney+, with new episodes of the nine-episode series releasing on Thursdays at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET on FX/Hulu. Read THR‘s interviews with the stars and creatives here, Sarah Pidgeon‘s Next Big Thing feature and more coverage.