FX and Hulu have released Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, a limited TV series that dramatizes the romance between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette‑Kennedy, and the sudden end of their life together in a 1999 plane crash. The first three of nine episodes dropped on February 12, 2026, with the rest airing weekly.
The show is part of a new anthology from American Story creator Ryan Murphy. It stars Paul Anthony Kelly as Kennedy and Sarah Pidgeon as Bessette, and also features Naomi Watts and Grace Gummer in supporting roles.
Set in the early 1990s, the series explores how the couple first met she was working at a Calvin Klein event, he was already a public figure how their relationship grew under intense media glare, and how their marriage unfolded before the tragedy that ended both their lives and that of Bessette’s sister in a plane accident in 1999.
Reviews and early reactions note that the first episode mixes real-life moments with dramatized scenes, showing both the glamour and pressure of their world. It weaves flashbacks from their courtship with scenes that lead up to the fatal crash.
Not everyone is celebrating the series. Some relatives and observers have raised concerns about the timing and the way the story is depicted, saying the family was not consulted and that it brings renewed focus to a painful loss.
The series is based on Elizabeth Beller’s biography of Bessette-Kennedy. It aims to show both the public fascination with the couple and their private challenges, including how fame and scrutiny affected their relationship.
Episodes are available on FX and via streaming on Hulu. The story captures a romance that once captivated the world and continues to spark debate now that it’s on screen.