Daryl Hannah Criticizes Her depiction in the Love Story as 'Textbook Misogyny'

      Daryl Hannah states that the new FX series Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, in which she is featured as a character, is rife with falsehoods about her and reflects what she describes as “textbook misogyny.”

      Hannah and JFK Jr. were in a relationship for about five years before he began dating Carolyn Bessette in 1994. The actress, known for her roles in films like Splash and Kill Bill, expressed her thoughts in a guest essay for the New York Times, arguing that Love Story depicts her as an antagonist and presents her negatively to encourage viewers to support Kennedy and Bessette's relationship.

      “Storytelling often necessitates tension. It typically involves obstacles, but a real person should not be treated as a narrative tool,” she writes. “There is also a gendered aspect to this mindset. For a long time, popular culture has lifted certain women by depicting others as rivals, impediments, or villains. Isn’t it textbook misogyny to undermine one woman to elevate another?”

      “The portrayal of the character 'Daryl Hannah' in the series is not an accurate reflection of my life, my actions, or my relationship with John,” Hannah adds. “The behaviors attributed to me are false. I have never used cocaine or hosted cocaine-fueled parties. I have never pressured anyone into marriage. I have never desecrated any family heirloom or intruded on anyone’s private memorial. I have never planted a story in the media. I have never compared Jacqueline Onassis's death to that of a dog’s. It is shocking that I must defend myself against a television show. These aren't mere creative embellishments; they are false assertions about my conduct.”

      Hannah reflects on advice she received from JFK Jr.'s mother, Jacqueline Onassis, emphasizing how she has usually refrained from addressing media distortions. She begins her essay by recalling Onassis's remark that contemporary tabloid tales are simply tomorrow's birdcage liners. However, she highlights that this is no longer accurate in today's digital age.

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

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

      “Like any profession, doing quality work necessitates a solid reputation. This is why I am choosing to speak out for myself now,” she states.

      Love Story chronicles the relationship between John F. Kennedy and Carolyn Bessette from their initial meeting in the early ’90s until their tragic death in a plane crash near Martha’s Vineyard in 1999. The series was created by Connor Hines and is executive produced by Ryan Murphy, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, D.V. DeVincentis, Kim Rosenstock, and Hines.

      Murphy has a history of successful anthologies that dramatize the lives of famous and infamous figures, including American Crime Story and Monster. Even when the portrayals align with reality, some individuals voice concerns about revisiting past traumas.

      For instance, Rita Isbell, the sister of Jeffrey Dahmer’s eleventh victim, Errol Lindsey, expressed her discontent with her portrayal in the 2022 series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, stating it "brought back all the emotions I was feeling back then."

      Representatives for Hines and Murphy did not respond immediately to a request for comment on Friday.

      Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette has achieved remarkable success, with FX announcing on Thursday that it has become the most-watched limited series ever on streaming, racking up over 25 million viewing hours for its first five episodes on Disney+ and Hulu.

      Furthermore, it has turned into a cultural phenomenon, drawing renewed attention to the glamorous scene of Manhattan in the ’90s and Bessette’s contributions to Calvin Klein.

      The show has also received positive reviews from critics, 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: Corrected misspelling.