The 'Love Story' team says Kennedy show criticism 'made us work harder'
For the series "Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette," some early criticism may have been a blessing in disguise. The team behind the show, including stars like Sarah Pidgeon and Paul Anthony Kelly, stepped out at Carnegie Hall on February 3rd for the New York premiere. The show, set to debut just before Valentine's Day, dramatizes the relationship between John F. Kennedy Jr., the son of President John F. Kennedy, and Carolyn Bessette, who became a tabloid obsession until their deaths in a plane crash in 1999.
On the red carpet, the team opened up about the initial criticism they received, as fans scrutinized the costumes and hairstyling in test photos. "It really made us work harder," Kelly, who plays John F. Kennedy Jr., told USA TODAY. "It gave more fuel to the fire of creating this. We had to dive deeper. We got clothes on point. It really just finely tuned what we were trying to do."
In June, Ryan Murphy released what were described as "stills from our 'LOVE STORY' camera test" showing Pidgeon and Kelly in the lead roles. However, not everyone was impressed. Fashion writer Danya Issawi argued the costumes were not up to snuff, saying, "these garments look too much like modern-day replicas of their '90s counterparts" and the hair wasn't "quite right." Murphy quickly clarified that the images were simply test photos for lighting and color purposes and wouldn't necessarily reflect the costumes in the final show.
"That is not the wig we're using, that is not the purse we're using," he told Puck. "Those are just things we had to show the studio. It was a work in progress, but I released it, because sometimes you put things out and the paparazzi backs off, so your actors don't feel attacked."
Still, series creator Connor Hines told USA TODAY that some of the negative early feedback occurred when there was still time to "course correct or make any necessary adjustments." For instance, Murphy decided to have Pidgeon dye her hair rather than wear a wig after seeing criticism of her hair in initial photos. The show also replaced its original costume designer weeks into production.
"Once we had it all figured out, we were like, 'Oh, this was ultimately a blessing and for the best,'" Hines says. "And everybody ended up looking so fantastic."
The "passionate" reactions from fans were heartening, as they reinforced how invested the public still is in the story, Hines adds. "I, more than anything, was sort of moved by how strongly people still felt about them," he tells USA TODAY, noting he initially thought "we weren't going to have a sense of the public's relationship or interest in John and Carolyn 25 years later until the show came out."
Pidgeon says dealing with the criticism "was a new experience" for her, but she stressed that fans will be happy with where things landed. "It was really important, not only to me but to the creatives and the whole team, to get her physically right," Pidgeon says. "She's so well-known through these photos. She is an icon of fashion. And I think if you watch it, you'll see that we really got it right."
'Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette' cast includes Grace Gummer, Alessandro Nivola, Leila George, Sydney Lemmon, Constance Zimmer, and Naomi Watts. The show will premiere its first three episodes on Thursday, February 12th, on FX and Hulu at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
