With the release of Love Story, a new series from executive producer Ryan Murphy, fascination with Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and John F. Kennedy Jr. has been reignited. The dramatization of their relationship has prompted a renewed wave of romanticization, reframing their marriage once again as one of America’s most iconic love stories. But with this renewed obsession with their love story, it raises an important question: are we remembering their relationship as it was, or what we prefer it to be?
When Dramatization Becomes “Truth”
While the Love Story presents itself as a retelling of the relationship between Kennedy and Bessette Kennedy, it is important to remember that it is not a documentary. As a dramatized show, much of what viewers see, from conversations to emotional conflicts, is ultimately speculative. No one truly knows what those moments looked like between Kennedy and Bessette Kennedy, and yet the show necessarily fills in those gaps with imagined dialogue and recreated scenes, like the much reported fight between the couple in Battery Park.
This is not unusual for dramatized historical dramas. In order to tell a complete and compelling story, writers often create conversations and emotional moments that move the narrative forward, even if they aren’t necessarily true. When the subjects being portrayed are real people, this kind of storytelling can blur the line between historical fact and creative interpretation. Viewers may leave the show feeling as if they gained true insight into this couple’s private relationship, when in reality, this show is a scripted, fictional version, designed solely for entertainment.
Parasocial Relationships with Real People
One of the most obviously striking reactions to the release of the series has been the way audiences have formed strong emotional attachments to the portrayals of Kennedy and Bessette Kennedy. Online discussions in the comment sections of social media posts, TikTok edits, and more often treat the show’s characters as if they offer an authentic window into the lives of these two, very real individuals.
This dynamic reflects what psychologists call parasocial relationships, which are connections that audiences form with people they do not actually know. In many cases, these relationships develop with fictional characters or celebrities. In the case of Love Story, viewers are forming those attachments to dramatized versions of real individuals.
People are beginning to feel as though they actually understand the relationship dynamic between Kennedy and Bessette Kennedy, along with the conversations they had, how they handled conflict, and what their overall relationship looked like. In truth, what the audience is responding to is likely entirely imagined by the show’s writers.
Pushback from the Kennedy Family
The concerns surrounding the show’s portrayal have not only come from viewers and critics, but members of the Kennedy family as well. Some of which have expressed discomfort with the series and its dramatized depiction of their relatives.
Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of former President John F. Kennedy and nephew of Kennedy Jr., recently criticized the series in an interview, emphasizing that the show should not be treated as a factual account of the family’s history.
“If you want to know someone who’s never met anyone in my family, and knows nothing about us, talk to Ryan Murphy,” he said in the interview.
His comments highlight a central issue that surrounds the dramatized portrayal of real lives. While television creators often frame these projects as entertainment, audiences may still interpret them as a form of historical storytelling. Schlossberg also urged that if the show profits from the Kennedy legacy, then the money should support causes that were meaningful to Kennedy, or institutions like the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum that preserve the family’s historical legacy.
By stressing that the series isn’t a documentary, Schlossberg’s response serves as a reminder that the Kennedy family’s real experiences cannot be fully captured through dramatized television.
Why Tragedy is Easy to Romanticize
The continued fascination with Kennedy and Bessette Kennedy also reflects a broader cultural tendency to romanticize tragic stories. Their relationship combined several elements that are naturally attractive to the public: political legacy, celebrity culture, glamour, and a sudden, devastating ending.
When people die young, their lives often become frozen in public memory. The messy realities of the relationships, though, are often overshadowed by nostalgia and mythmaking. In the case of Kennedy and Bessette Kennedy, their tragic deaths have helped cement an image of the couple as an iconic American romance.
Real relationships are rarely as simple as the stories we tell about them later on. By turning their lives into a dramatic love story, audiences risk overlooking the complexity of the people behind the headlines. Shows like Love Story may revive interest in their story, but viewers should approach the portrayals with an understanding that they represent just an interpretation, not the full historical truth.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, Love Story may succeed as entertainment, but it should not be mistaken for a definitive portrayal of the relationship between Kennedy and Bessette Kennedy. The renewed fascination surrounding the series reveals just how easily audiences can turn real lives into carefully curated narratives of romance and tragedy. While dramatizations can keep historical figures culturally relevant, they also remind us of the importance of separating storytelling from reality.
Remembering Kennedy and Bessette Kennedy as complex individuals, rather than characters in a televised love story, may ultimately be the most respectful way to honor their legacy.