How The Kennedys Feel About Love Story: JFK Jr. & Carolyn Bessette

John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Carolyn Bessette’s marriage has been a subject of fascination for decades, and now, their story is about to be told on the small screen. Ryan Murphy’s new series Love Story: John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Carolyn Bessette premieres on FX on Feb. 12, which captures their legendary romance in a new light — and not everyone is happy about it.

The limited series stars Paul Anthony Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon as the titular couple and tracks the entirety of their relationship, from their fateful meeting when Bessette worked at Calvin Klein to the tragic plane crash that took their lives in 1999. Given that Bessette avoided the press, much of the series is dramatized, based on secondhand stories about the couple, and at times fictionalized.

What Do The Kennedys Think?

Most of the Kennedy family, including JFK Jr.’s sister Caroline Kennedy (played by Grace Gummer in the show), has refrained from publicly commenting on Love Story, which makes sense since Caroline remains private and has not spoken about her late brother and sister-in-law as a couple. However, perhaps the most outspoken relative has made it clear where he stands.

JFK Jr.’s nephew and Caroline’s son, Jack Schlossberg, has spoken out against the series, making his opinion known while the show was still in production. In a since-expired video posted to his Instagram Story, he stated that his family was never consulted about the show, and expressed hope that the series would donate some profits to his uncle’s philanthropic causes.

“For the record, I think admiration for my uncle John is great,” he wrote. “What I don't think is great is profiting off of it in a grotesque way.” Murphy addressed his comments on Gavin Newsom’s podcast, saying it was an “odd choice to be mad about your relative that you really don’t remember.”

In a since-deleted Instagram comment, Schlossberg responded by recalling memories of his uncle, including “John calling me Jackolatern” and “picking me up from school.” He went on to add that Murphy was “making millions off John, making a public spectacle of it,= but won’t contribute any of your riches to the causes he championed, or the legacy of public service he represented.”

How Did The Stars React?

In a recent interview with Bustle, Pidgeon and Kelly confirmed they were unable to speak with any members of the Kennedy family while preparing to play JFK Jr. and Bessette. However, Pidgeon did respond to Schlossberg’s comments, saying he was entitled to his emotions.

“I mean, I don’t know what it’s like to have a story, or TV show, or movie, made about my family, so I can’t really speak on that,” she says. “But I can understand a sensitivity about it, and he has every right to voice his opinion.”