Enduring Obsession with JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette
It’s been over 25 years since John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy made their mark on Manhattan, yet their memory continues to captivate. The excitement is palpable, especially with the upcoming FX and Hulu miniseries titled Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. During production, executive producer Ryan Murphy cautioned the crew about a potential paparazzi frenzy.
Production designer Alex DeGerland found Murphy’s warning quite puzzling. The actor portraying JFK Jr., model Paul Anthony Kelly, was an unknown, while Sarah Pidgeon, who played Carolyn, had only a handful of TV credits despite being a Tony nominee. DeGerland recalled feeling skeptical about the fuss, noting that they were essentially “the unknowns.” But it didn’t seem to matter—it was all about JFK and Carolyn.
The 47-year-old Emmy-nominated designer remarked that numerous photographers appeared, some possibly becoming extras for the scenes depicting paparazzi. “It was a bizarre situation…with both staged and real paparazzi present. I think I spotted someone whose attire or camera didn’t match the time period,” he added.
The limited series, which wraps up on March 26, includes several scenes set in Central Park. However, DeGerland pointed out that filming there was minimal due to paparazzi-related concerns. “We had discussions about whether to shoot at Prospect Park or seek out a quiet location,” he mentioned. He wasn’t keen on the alternative, stressing that capturing the skyline from the park was vital to the series’ symbolism, specifically around a reservoir named after Jackie.
The film crew faced more than just camera flashes; they had to recreate the 1990s look of New York, which posed its own set of challenges. DeGerland, a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, explained that while ’92 feels recent, the city had transformed significantly since then. They drove around in a truck loaded with ’90s props like newspaper stands and vintage parking meters.
Even subway signs were meticulously recreated, reflecting the era accurately. “There are subtle differences…the layout is largely unchanged since then, but certain details have evolved,” he noted. Biking around the city also proved tricky to depict, particularly because JFK Jr. navigated streets that lacked bike lanes back in the day. “We had to work to frame shots carefully, and it was necessary to digitally remove bike lanes in post-production,” he shared.
During his research, DeGerland expressed surprise at learning that JFK Jr. resided in a loft at 20 North Moore Street—a significant change from the grand image often conjured of the Kennedy family. “We envision them in grand castles, but he chose a Tribeca loft before it became trendy. That was quite a revelation,” he said.
The Tribeca building eventually turned into a location filled with memories after the couple’s tragic deaths in 1999. According to DeGerland, the area became a hotspot for paparazzi during filming. “Especially for the finale, we created a scene outside the apartment, and things got a bit hectic,” he explained. “But paparazzi were always lurking whenever they were on the streets.”
