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Ryan Murphy Shares First Look at Paul Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon for American Love Story

Ryan Murphy has shared the first images of Paul Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon as John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Carolyn Bessette for the upcoming FX series American Love Story.

Ryan Murphy has revealed via Instagram the first images of Paul Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon as John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, the lead characters in his upcoming anthology series American Love Story.

The series, set to debut on FX in February 2026, tells the romantic yet tragic story of one of the most iconic couples in American history. The first footage comes from a camera test, where the chemistry between the two leads was already visible.

©Deadline - Instagram / ryanmurphyproductions
Paul Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon as John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Carolyn Bessette

Murphy stressed that the casting process was intense, with more than 1,000 actors auditioning for each of the two roles. But it was worth it, as Murphy said Kelly and Pidgeon were “absolutely the perfect choices” to play JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. Filming has already begun in New York City, and Murphy called it “a dream project” to bring to life.

The series will explore the couple’s public and private lives. What began as a seemingly perfect love story — a marriage between America’s political heir and a fashion icon — slowly changed under the pressures of fame, career, and media attention. The tensions within their relationship, perceived conflicts with family members, and constant press scrutiny caused rifts in their marriage. Ultimately, their story came to a tragic end when their private plane crashed over the ocean off Massachusetts in 1999.

In addition to Kelly and Pidgeon, the series has an impressive cast. Naomi Watts plays Jackie Kennedy Onassis, JFK Jr.’s famous mother, Grace Gummer plays his sister, Caroline Kennedy. Sydney Lemmon can be seen as Carolyn’s sister, Lauren Bessette, and Alessandro Nivola plays the role of fashion designer Calvin Klein, a well-known figure in the couple’s social network.

American Love Story is part of Murphy’s broader television universe, in which American Crime Story and American Horror Story were previously great successes. As in those earlier series, the personal is interwoven with the social and political climate of the time. According to Murphy, this is not just a look back at a famous couple, but also a story about identity, loss, and the all-consuming power of public attention.

Set to premiere the week of Valentine's Day 2026, American Love Story promises to be a poignant and stylish tale of love, status, and tragedy in the spotlight of the American dream.

Check out more first-look photos for American Love Story below: