American Love Story, the next installment in Ryan Murphy’s American Story series, is in the works and it will tell the tale of John F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife, Carolyn Bessette. But after first-look photos were shared this week, one member of the Kennedy family isn’t happy the series is being made at all.
Jack Schlossberg, nephew of the late JFK Jr. and son of Caroline Kennedy, took to his Instagram Stories on Thursday, June 19, to reveal that his family was never told about the series and to rip Murphy, 59, for “grotesque[ly]” profiting off of his uncle’s tragic death.
“Lately, my news feed has been filled with pictures of my uncle, John F. Kennedy Jr., a great man,” wrote Schlossberg, 32. “For those wondering whether his family was ever consulted, or has anything to do with the new shows being made about him, the answer is no. And there’s really not much we can do.”
From our partners:
The series will follow Kennedy and Bessette throughout the 1990s, from when they met in 1992 to their death in a 1999 plane crash off the coast of Massachusetts. Kennedy was 38 and Bessette was 33 at the time.
Who Is Vogue’s Jack Schlossberg? Meet JFK’s Only Grandson
Paul Kelly will portray Kennedy, the son of former President John F. Kennedy, and Sarah Pidgeon will play Bessette, the fashion publicist who met JFK Jr. in the early ‘90s while he was dating Daryl Hannah.
“The right to privacy, which includes the ability to control your own name, image and likeness, doesn’t survive death in the state of New York,” Schlossberg continued. “For that matter, he’s considered a public figure, so there’s not much we can do.”
“I hope those making these shows about him take seriously what he stood for in his life, all that he achieved in it. And that they donate some of the profits [that] they’re making,” he added.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Family: Siblings, Wives, Kids and More
The problem, Schlossberg said, is not that the series is being made, it’s the way he believes Murphy and his team will profit off of it.
“For the record, I think admiration for my Uncle John is great. What I don’t think is great is profiting off of it in a grotesque way,” he said.
American Love Story does not yet have a release date, but executive producer Brad Simpson teased the project, which will air on FX, in a September 2024 interview with Variety.
“We have great scripts on that. We’re trying to figure out when it’ll land,” he said. “It is a story that really resonates right now. It’s amazing. A lot of younger women are looking to [Bessette] as sort of a representational icon of a certain period of time that’s really fascinating, and hopefully, we’ll be able to bring that to the screen soon.”
Us Weekly
For enquiries, product placements, sponsorships, and collaborations, connect with us at [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you!
Our humans need coffee too! Your support is highly appreciated, thank you!
