Naomi Watts plays Jackie Kennedy in Ryan Murphy’s ‘American Love Story’: Who is playing JFK Jr?

A new chapter of Ryan Murphy’s American Story universe is taking shape. FX’s 'American Love Story,' the upcoming anthology series chronicling the iconic romance of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, has found its stars.

Naomi Watts will portray Jackie Kennedy, joining the series in her fourth collaboration with Murphy. Meanwhile, newcomer Paul Kelly has been cast as her son, JFK Jr., after what’s been described as a competitive casting process.

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Murphy’s team reportedly auditioned close to 1,000 actors before selecting Kelly, who is a fresh face with a background in theater and modeling, to take on the role of the American icon.

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Sarah Pidgeon will star as Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, the Calvin Klein publicist who captured JFK Jr.’s heart in the 1990s. The first installment of 'American Love Story' will explore the whirlwind relationship between JFK Jr. and Bessette, from their first meeting in 1992 to their 1996 wedding, and ultimately, their tragic deaths in 1999. 

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The couple’s private plane crashed off the coast of Massachusetts, killing them and Carolyn’s sister Lauren. Their relationship, once described as the modern-day version of American royalty, played out under immense public pressure and constant media attention.

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Carolyn Bessette’s story has recently been revisited in the 2024 biography 'Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy,' which revealed intimate details about her relationship with JFK Jr., including early tensions over his hesitance to introduce her to his mother, Jackie.

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“I took him to meet my mom,” Bessette reportedly told a friend, according to the book. “Carolyn became increasingly irked that he wouldn't introduce her to his mother.”

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The project, which promises to explore the family dynamic, marks yet another reunion for Naomi Watts and Ryan Murphy. She recently starred as Babe Paley in 'Feud: Capote vs. The Swans' and led the 2022 Netflix thriller 'The Watcher.' She will also appear in Murphy’s upcoming legal drama 'All’s Fair' opposite Kim Kardashian.