Ryan Murphy’s JFK Jr. series drops first trailer: inside his romance with Carolyn Bessette

The first trailer has been released for Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, a new FX drama from Ryan Murphy that revisits one of the most scrutinised romances in modern American history.

A look at Ryan Murphy’s ‘Love Story’ anthology

The nine-episode series is the first instalment in Murphy’s Love Story anthology, which explores iconic relationships that captured the public imagination. This chapter focuses on John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, charting how their intensely private romance became a national fixation.

Paul Kelly stars as Kennedy Jr., while Sarah Pidgeon takes on the role of Bessette, whose life was transformed almost overnight by her relationship with one of America’s most famous heirs.

How John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette first met

In the trailer, Kennedy Jr. is introduced as America’s “most eligible bachelor”, a label shaped by his lineage as the son of President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

Bessette is portrayed as a confident and independent fashion executive working at Calvin Klein when Kennedy Jr. seeks her out under the pretext of a suit fitting. Their first encounter, shown in lingering close-ups, hints at instant chemistry that quickly evolves into a serious courtship.

Fame, paparazzi and a relationship under pressure

As the relationship deepens, the trailer depicts Bessette being thrust into relentless public scrutiny. Flashing cameras, newspaper headlines and whispered commentary follow the couple wherever they go.

Friends warn Bessette about the cost of loving someone so famous, suggesting that people like Kennedy Jr. ultimately belong to the public as much as to themselves.

Several scenes highlight the emotional toll of that attention, from stolen moments away from photographers to private conversations questioning whether Bessette is prepared for life as American royalty.

“It’s not a question of if I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” she tells Kennedy Jr. in one scene. “It’s a question of if I’m cut out to be Mrs. JFK Jr.”

When does ‘Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette’ premiere?

The series is inspired by Elizabeth Beller’s book Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedyand explores the tension between love, ambition and the loss of privacy that defined the couple’s relationship.

Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette will premiere with three episodes on FX on February 12, with episodes also available on Hulu. One new episode will then be released weekly, completing the nine-episode season.

With its first trailer now out, the series positions itself as both a sweeping romance and a cautionary tale about fame, offering viewers a compelling first look at how one of America’s most iconic love stories began.