Daryl Hannah Criticizes Her Depiction in the Love Story as 'Classic Misogyny'

      Daryl Hannah asserts that the new FX series Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, in which she is portrayed, is filled with falsehoods about her and embodies “textbook misogyny.”

      Hannah and JFK Jr. were in a relationship for about five years before he started dating Carolyn Bessette in 1994. The actress, known for films such as Splash and Kill Bill, wrote a guest essay in the New York Times on Friday, stating that the series depicts her as an adversary and presents her in a negative manner to encourage viewers to support the relationship between Kennedy and Bessette.

      “Storytelling often needs conflict. It typically requires an obstacle. However, a real, living individual is not just a narrative tool,” she states. “There’s a gendered aspect to this notion. Popular culture has historically elevated certain women by casting others as rivals, hurdles, or villains. Isn’t it textbook misogyny to undermine one woman in order to uplift another?”

      Hannah further emphasizes, “The version of ‘Daryl Hannah’ in the series is not at all an accurate portrayal of my life, behavior, or my relationship with John. The actions and traits attributed to me are false. I have never used cocaine nor hosted cocaine-fueled gatherings. I have never pressured anyone into marrying me. I have never desecrated any family heirloom or invaded anyone’s private memorial. I have never leaked any stories to the press. I never compared the death of Jacqueline Onassis to that of a dog. It’s shocking that I must defend myself against a television series. These aren’t just creative exaggerations; these are claims about conduct—and they are incorrect.”

      Hannah elaborates on her advice from JFK Jr.’s mother, Jacqueline Onassis, who once mentioned that the tabloid stories of a given day would become tomorrow’s bird cage liner, indicating that she had avoided responding to misrepresentations in the media. However, she observes that in the age of digital media, that is no longer the case.

      “A dramatized representation can become the definitive account of a real person's life for millions of viewers,” she notes.

      She discusses her focus on “environmental advocacy, documentary filmmaking, and animal-assisted therapy for seniors with dementia and Alzheimer’s,” all of which are reliant on her reputation.

      “Like any profession, delivering quality work necessitates a solid reputation. This is why I am choosing to advocate for myself at this moment,” she explains.

      Love Story chronicles the relationship between John F. Kennedy and Carolyn Bessette, beginning from their meeting in the early ’90s and culminating in their tragic plane crash off Martha's Vineyard in 1999. The show was created by Connor Hines and produced by Ryan Murphy, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, D.V. DeVincentis, Kim Rosenstock, and Hines.

      Murphy has a track record of successful anthologies that fictionalize the lives of remarkable and infamous figures, such as American Crime Story and Monster. Even when portrayals are accurate, some individuals take issue with revisiting past trauma.

      For instance, Rita Isbell, the elder sister of Jeffrey Dahmer’s eleventh victim, Errol Lindsey, expressed her distress over her representation in the 2022 series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, stating that it “revived all the emotions I felt back then.”

      As of Friday, representatives for Hines and Murphy had not responded to requests for comments.

      Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette has seen significant success: FX announced on Thursday that it became its most-viewed limited series ever on streaming, gathering over 25 million viewing hours during its first five episodes on Disney+ and Hulu.

      The show has also turned into a cultural sensation, rekindling interest in the glamorous sphere of Manhattan in the ‘90s and Bessette’s contributions to Calvin Klein.

      Critically, it has received positive reviews, currently holding an 80% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

      Main image: Paul Anthony Kelly as John F. Kennedy Jr. and Dree Hemingway as Daryl Hannah in Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette. FX

      Editor’s Note: Corrects misspelling.