Deadline has reported that Daryl Hannah (Splash, Steel Magnolias) is “fuming” about her portrayal in the Ryan Murphy (Glee, Pose) series Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette. She wrote a guest essay for the New York Times decrying her role as a drug-addled villain in the series. Hannah dated JFK Jr. intermittently in the early 90s. Jackie Onassis, more commonly known as Jackie O., Kennedy Jr.’s mother, was reportedly not pleased with the pairing. Hannah wrote that her character, Dree Hemingway, was a narrative device used to create tension.
Hannah called the series “a tragedy-exploting television series, and that her role in the series as irritating, self-absorbed, whiny, and inappropriate was no accident.” She continued, “Storytelling requires tension. It often requires an obstacle. But a real, living person is not a narrative device. There is also a gendered dimension to this thinking. Popular culture has long elevated certain women by portraying others as rivals, obstacles or villains. Isn’t it textbook misogyny to tear down one woman in order to build up another?”, via Deadline.
According to Deadline, she said she has received “many hostile and even threatening messages from viewers who seem to believe the portrayal is factual.” She went on to speak on the necessity of being responsible when creating fictional portrayals. “When entertainment borrows a real person’s name it can permanently impact her reputation.”
One storyline in particular irked Hannah acutely, “The character ‘Daryl Hannah’ portrayed in the series is not even a remotely accurate representation of my life, my conduct or my relationship with John,” she continued, “The actions and behaviors attributed to me are untrue. I have never used cocaine in my life or hosted cocaine-fueled parties. I have never pressured anyone into marriage. I have never desecrated any family heirloom or intruded upon anyone’s private memorial. I have never planted any story in the press. I never compared Jacqueline Onassis’ death to a dog’s. It’s appalling to me that I even have to defend myself against a television show. These are not creative embellishments of personality. They are assertions about conduct — and they are false,” via Deadline.
“I know that as an actress I will be in the public eye, I’ve endured a number of outrageous lies, crappy stories and unflattering characterizations before. I chose not to battle them but to focus on my work and respect my loved ones by keeping my private life private. But my silence should not be mistaken for agreement with lies. Apparently, my discretion makes me a target,” she said via Deadline.
She went on to speak on her relationship with the Kennedy family, including O’Nassis, stating that she had advised Hannah about misinformation in the media. “She told me that while tabloids, magazines and newspapers often sold ridiculous lies, they were nothing more than bird cage liner by the next day. At the time, I found great comfort and consolation in those words. But today they no longer hold true,” via Deadline.
“The Kennedy family is also notoriously private, and I have always honored their right to privacy. Know that most (if not all) of those claiming to have any intimate knowledge of our personal lives are self-serving sensationalists trading in gossip, innuendo and speculation.”, she continued via Deadline. Kennedy’s nephew Jack Schollesberg, also has spoken out against the series and implored fans to understand it’s “fictional”.
According to Deadline, Love Story: John F. Kennedy & Carolyn Besset is now the most-watched limited series in FX history. It has currently been viewed for more than 25 million hours. The series premiered on February 12th of this year.