If you were to ask me a week ago who Carolyn Bessette was, I probably would have given you the quintessential Gen-Z stare. But after devouring the seventh of nine episodes of the Hulu biographical series, Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, I would tell you how she has quickly become my latest muse.
Working in public relations at Calvin Klein, Carolyn Bessette seemed to perfectly balance ambition with effortlessness before being thrust into the spotlight due to her marriage to John F. Kennedy Jr and her abrupt death.
As a senior in high school, I have deeply resonated with her live-in-the-moment, free-spirited mentality. Her trajectory feels in alignment with my own; I find myself gravitating to adapt even her infamous hairography and counting down the days until the next episode drops.
JFK Jr., Carolyn Bessette, and her sister, Lauren Bessette died tragically and suddenly in a plane crash on July 16, 1999, according to britannica. Piloted by JFK Jr., they were headed to a family wedding. Bauer recalls being in college at the time, vacationing at Ocean City with her high school friends and watching the news when they died. “They were the ideal family, they were Camelot,” Bauer said.
The docuseries features Bessette (Sarah Pidgeon) as an almost mythological-like creature, too self-assured and unimpressed to care for Kennedy’s (Paul Anthony Kelly) pursuit of her initially, a rarity compared to most women in that time period. Her mystique propels Kennedy to become all the more infatuated with her as their relationship unfolds. Bessette and Kennedy struggle to keep a low profile, opting for a remote wedding with close family and friends in Cumberland Island, GA.
With association to the notable Kennedy family, Bessette reluctantly trades her sense of privacy for the social status associated with the Kennedy name. The media lionized her, and her refusal to engage with them fueled their desire to capture her. Bessette’s relationship with the media, considering her level of prominence, limited her ability to live a normal life or leave her house without being harassed by reporters. “They were the ‘it’ couple. Everybody wanted to dress like them, act like them, his dad was super popular so he was following in line with being an idol like his dad. This was before social media so everyone was following them in ways that hadn’t happened before,” AP Psychology and Honors World History teacher Jennifer Bauer said.
As the epitome of ‘90s style, the release of this series has engendered a resurgence of ‘Carolyn Bessette or CBK’ inspired outfits and extended the influence that the ‘American Royal Family’ has had to a younger generation. “I find Sarah Pigeon such an alluring actress, there’s something about her that makes Carolyn such an interesting character to follow. I also love the fashion aesthetics of the show, the ‘90s vibe is really there for me. I love how Sarah Pigeon and Paul Anthony Kelly wear so many outfits that the real JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette actually wore, so it’s almost a tribute to them,” senior Leila Alam said.
The adaptation of figures who students may have heard about in a class or through pop culture into a captivating, cohesive and cinematic storyline is compelling for students. “I loved the look of the show. I thought the casting was great and the attention to detail was fantastic,” junior Gabriella Estrada said.
Although Bessette and Kennedy aren’t alive to provide their viewpoints on their portrayal, actress and Kennedy’s ex-girlfriend Daryl Hannah denounced the accuracy of the series, specifically condemning the depiction of her. The series is inspired by Elizabeth Beller’s book, Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, and claims to be loosely based on real-life events. “As a docuseries, there are definitely some parts that feel so realistic and similar to the true story, such as specific mannerisms and hobbies and habits of the characters that make it feel so real. Specific scenes and moments coming from real life feel so exciting to watch played out on the screen, and I think the writers did such a good job nailing it down to every small detail. I know certain bits were dramatized or fictionalized for the purposes of storytelling. I know that the show has been getting a lot of hate for dramatizing certain aspects, but I think that’s what makes it a good show rather than just a biopic of their life,” Alam said.
Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette executive producer Ryan Murphy is recognized for adapting and dramatizing 1990s cultural events with American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson in his repertoire. As an anthology, there will likely be subsequent love stories, however the show has yet to be confirmed for a second season.
