They were America’s modern-day answer to royalty, a glamorous, high society couple whose every move captivated the world and was splashed across headlines. Yet, behind the scenes, John F Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette’s romance was far from picture perfect.
With upcoming Ryan Murphy series American Love Story set to re-examine the couple’s ill-fated union, we take a look at the relationship that fascinated the world.
A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN
After meeting in 1992, Carolyn – the director of publicity for Calvin Klein – began dating attorney and George magazine publisher John, the son of former US president John F Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy, two years later. By mid-1995, she had moved into John’s Tribeca loft, and they were engaged later that year.
Despite the immense media scrutiny surrounding them, the couple married in secret on September 21, 1996, on Cumberland Island. But when they returned from their honeymoon in Turkey, the media interest in them intensified tenfold, with a huge press pack camped out on their doorstep.
CRACKS IN THE FACADE
While on the outside, the couple exuded happiness and contentment, reports swirled that, behind closed doors, things weren’t so rosy.
Rumours abounded that the couple were contemplating divorce prior to their untimely deaths – in a light plane crash John was piloting off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard on July 16, 1999, which also claimed the life of Carolyn’s older sister Lauren. Carolyn was just 33 and John 38 when they died.
In his book The Kennedy Curse: Why Tragedy Has Haunted America’s First Family For 150 Years, Edward Klein alleged that Carolyn’s drug use, refusal to have children or even have sex with her husband and struggle with the spotlight, paired with John’s continued bachelor-esque lifestyle and focus on work, were among the reasons the couple’s marriage began to suffer.
Each accused the other of cheating with former lovers and, in March 1999, the pair reportedly sought counselling in a bid to save their marriage.
However, according to Edward, just four days prior to their deaths, Carolyn stormed out of a session when their therapist raised the topic of her alleged drug use. This is said to have caused Carolyn to move out of the couple’s bedroom into a spare room. Humiliated, John reportedly checked in to the Stanhope Hotel.
FAMILY OBJECTIONS
According to John’s nephew, Jack Schlossberg, the family weren’t consulted about American Love Story.
“For those wondering whether his family was ever consulted, or has anything to do with the new show being made about him, the answer is no, and there’s really not much we can do,” Jack posted in a recent Instagram story.
The 32-year-old writer added that while he isn’t against projects celebrating his late uncle’s life and achievements, he hoped anyone making a show about his uncle would “donate some of the profits [from] what they’re making to the John F Kennedy Library”.
“For the record, I think admiration for my uncle John is great,” he said. “What I don’t think is great is profiting off of it in a grotesque way.”
FASHION FAUX PAS
Also causing controversy are the first looks from the set of stars Paul Anthony Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon in character as John and Carolyn – with Carolyn’s look in particular causing outrage.
From her fashion to her hair, the internet has been ablaze with discourse over the style icon’s reimagining.
Fashion bible The Cut was quick to call the costume department to task for failing to authentically represent Carolyn, who was known for her understated, tailored uniform of Calvin Klein, Prada and Yohji Yamamoto pieces. They stated they should have pulled from the archives or used contemporary designers rather than mass produced high-street brands.
Brad Johns, the pair’s former colourist, also criticised the blonde tone of Sarah’s hair, saying it was “totally wrong, the opposite of what we were going for”. Writer and executive producer Ryan Murphy has since confirmed that the actress is actually wearing a wig.
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