Interview: FX’s ‘Love Story’ Cast and Crew Discuss the JFK Jr. / Carolyn Bessette Show

FX’s Love Story, the latest installment in the American Story franchise, turns its lens toward one of the most scrutinized romances of the late 20th century. The anthology series, created by Connor Hines and executive produced by Ryan Murphy, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, D.V. DeVincentis, Kim Rosenstock, and Hines, begins with John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, chronicling the couple’s whirlwind courtship, marriage, and the cultural fascination that surrounded them.

Set against the backdrop of the 1990s, the show explores fame, identity, and the tension between private love and public mythology, revisiting a relationship that captivated an era and continues to echo decades later.

For Constance Zimmerman, who portrays Ann Marie Messina, the impact of the material was immediate. “I’d say the moment I read the sides and had the audition. It was already on the page, and I thought, ‘Wow, if I get to do this, this will be extraordinary.’”

The emotional entry point came from personal experience. “It’s very easy to relate to another mother, being a mother myself, and the lengths that you will go through to protect your child. Also, grief and love are universal. I think that’s an easy emotion to tap into for all of us.”

Zimmerman also pointed to the era itself as a reason the story still resonates. “Because in the ’90s, we didn’t have cell phones. There wasn’t a way for us to know everything about everyone all the time. We got information in such little portions that we really cherished them, which makes you remember things much more when it’s not as easy to get. You cherish it much longer. They were really the first to be able to share their love story with the public.”

Noah Fearnley, who plays Michael Bergin, felt the significance of joining the series from the outset. “We’re talking about a Ryan Murphy show—extremely iconic. I was just extremely grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of it. I did one episode of another one of Ryan’s shows, Doctor Odyssey. I didn’t know if I’d still be in the Ryan Murphy world, but he brought me back, and I am extremely grateful to him for having me here.”

His connection to the role was both personal and observational. “Michael and I were very similar; we are both from Connecticut and had very similar stories. Coming from the modeling and acting world, it was very similar. However, I also looked at a lot of differences, perhaps psychological differences, between the two of us.”

The lasting cultural fascination with the real-life figures at the center of the story was impossible to ignore. “This story is not going away; it is going to be going on for generations. We’re talking about JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, two absolutely iconic individuals. I’m just very happy to be a part of it.”

Executive producers Brad Simpson and Nina Jacobson described a pivotal realization during development. “It was when we started diving in and understanding that we were going to tell it from her point of view. Even though it’s a two-hander, it ultimately is about this young woman who was born into high society based on how she looked, but she worked as a shop girl in a Boston mall before transferring to Calvin Klein and attending the C-suite with effortless style. She was not ‘to the manor born,’ but she entered this intense world. Once we knew we were telling the story of a regular person entering American royalty, we knew we could make something special.”

They also credited the creative foundation laid by series creator Connor Hines. “Also, once we saw Connor Hines’ version on the page—his voice is so specific and singular. He is such a star at the beginning of an incredible career. Until you see how a writer brings the story to life, you don’t fully see what the show can and wants to be.”

As for why the series feels timely now, Simpson and Jacobson pointed to the enduring image of Carolyn Bessette and the cultural mood of the era. “First of all, Carolyn Bessette is timeless; she is as famous now as she was in the 1990s. Generations of people have discovered her effortless glamour. It also hearkens back to the ’90s, which felt like a more innocent, pre-9/11 time where it felt like we were one America and one culture.”

They emphasized that the heart of the story lies in identity, not just romance. “Often, stories about a girl falling for a prince result in that becoming her entire identity. In Carolyn’s case, she had an incredible identity beforehand. So much of her struggle after the ‘fairy tale’ came true was the struggle to hold on to her identity.”

Love Story will premiere on FX and FX on Hulu on February 12, 2026.