What do a high school glee club full of outcasts, a serial killer terrorizing a sorority house, and a coven of witches in New Orleans have in common? They were all dreamt up by Ryan Murphy.
From Glee to Scream Queens to American Horror Story, Murphy’s name has become synonymous with some of the most iconic (and controversial) pieces of American pop culture. Murphy’s most recent series, Monsters, tackled the biopic-telling the notorious stories of Jeffrey Dahmer and the Menendez brothers. Balancing fact with drama is no easy feat for filmmakers, so biopics are often met with a mix of praise and controversy, something both seasons fiercely encountered. In response to the backlash, people online joked about Murphy’s next potential subjects, throwing out everyone from controversial public figures, extending (somehow) to Luigi Mangione – the man who shot United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
But Murphy’s next target isn’t Mangione or any of the other wild names TikTok users threw around. Instead, he’s set his sights on the love affair of the Bessette-Kennedys.
In 2021, Murphy announced that he would be expanding his American Horror Story universe with two new sub-series, American Sports Story and American Love Story. American Love Story was described as a “scripted anthology series of sweeping true love stories that captured the world’s attention.” In September of 2024, Murphy revealed that the first season would follow the beloved and tragic love story of Carolyn Besset-Kennedy (also known as CBK) and John F. Kennedy Jr.
The Kennedy family, often seen as American “royalty”, has always held iconic status; however, in recent years, the name has seen a serious resurgence in pop culture and politics. From Jack Schlossberg’s political punditry, to Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s new role as Secretary of Health and Human Services, to Gen Z’s renewed obsession with timeless fashion (thank you, CBK Pinterest mood boards and Vogue think pieces), the Kennedy’s current cultural significance is beginning to rival their 1960’s glory days.
Unfortunately, not too much is known about this series so far. No release date has been announced, and the show is currently in pre-production, meaning they haven’t even started filming. From what the general public knows, only one role has been casted so far: Carolyn-Bessette Kennedy. Just last month, Deadline reported that actress Sara Pidgeon had been officially cast as CBK. Pidgeon, most known for her work on Amazon Prime’s The Wilds, is an up and coming actress who I think is perfect for this role. Not only does her physical appearance resemble CBK – something that is undeniably a key factor in the casting of biopics – but also because she has the perfect “level” of fame and “niche” that assure authenticity and (hopefully) a riveting performance.
Lately, there’s been a lot of online discourse around biopic casting (take the upcoming Beatles film for example) with many people expressing frustration over the fact that it always seems to be the same five (very attractive) actors and actresses landing every role. The lack of fresh, new faces in film and TV has undeniably made audiences less engaged and tired of seeing the same people over and over again. While Sara Pidgeon isn’t exactly unknown, she’s definitely less “A-list” than some of the other actresses who could’ve been cast, which, in my opinion, makes her a pretty smart choice. As for who will play John F. Kennedy Jr., people online have thrown out names ranging from Patrick Dempsey to Jacob Elordi, but no official contenders have been announced yet.
This leaves us with plenty of questions. Which other members of the family will be featured, and who will play them? What kind of Ryan Murphy–esque twist will the story take? How will they portray the couple’s fatal 1999 plane crash? Which of their iconic fashion moments will make the cut? I, for one, can’t wait for more updates as things start to fall into place, and I’m excited to see how Murphy captures this iconic American love story.