Daryl Hannah, Annette Bening and More Set the Record Straight About the Reality Behind ‘Love Story’

Ryan Murphy‘s Love Story about JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette has some complaining it stretches the truth.

Darryl Hannah

The actress, played by Dree Hemingway in the series, came out swinging in a New York Times op-ed. Calling the series “tragedy-exploiting television,” the 65-year-old, who dated John F. Kennedy Jr. for more than five years before their 1992 split, objected to how she was portrayed by Dree (a great-granddaughter of author Ernest Hemingway) as a pushy, coke-addled wannabe. “The actions and behaviors attributed to me are untrue,” she wrote. “I have never used cocaine in my life or hosted cocaine-fueled parties. I have never pressured anyone into marriage. I have never desecrated any family heirloom or intruded upon anyone’s private memorial. I have never planted any story in the press. I never compared Jacqueline Onassis’ death to a dog’s. It’s appalling to me that I even have to defend myself against a television show.”

Carole Radziwill

Anthony Radziwill, JFK Jr.’s cousin and best friend, played by Erich Bergen, pops up frequently in the series, whether in the gym’s locker room, at a dinner party or a pick-up football game. But his wife, Carole, is nowhere to be found. The 62-year-old, who was married to Anthony until his death in 1999, has said she and her husband were inseparable from John and Carolyn, calling the blonde beauty her best friend. Indeed, she was a big presence at the couple’s Cumberland Island, Ga., wedding, along with Carolyn’s sister Lauren, she revealed in her memoir, What Remains. “Lauren, Carolyn and I spent hours cutting the stems off of dozens of big Alaskan white roses that afternoon, arranging them in silver buckets for the dinner tables,” she revealed in a Daily Mail essay in 2019.

Annette Bening

In a standout scene for Carolyn, played by Sarah Pidgeon, she savvily switches up the Oscar nominee’s look during a visit to the Calvin Klein showroom, impressing both the star and Calvin himself with her style sense. “I felt very flattered by the actress. I thought she was wonderful,” Annette said on Good Morning America of Meghan Channell, adding, “But no, it didn’t happen that way.” While she did meet Carolyn at the offices, the 67-year-old explained the scene never took place. “In fact, it was supposed to be the premiere of Bugsy, and I was nine months pregnant, so I know for sure it wasn’t me at that point!”

Narciso Rodriguez

Carolyn’s wedding-dress designer and pal from her Calvin Klein days set the record straight about what really happened on her big day. Asked about last-minute alterations as seen on the show, the 65-year-old, played by Tonatiuh, denied any drama. “I’ve heard so many amazing stories — the dress didn’t fit, people that were present weren’t present,” the designer told The Cut. “It was just her and I in the bathroom, putting this dress over her head. I guess it comes with the lore.”