Actress, activist, and philanthropist Daryl Hannah is speaking out about how she was portrayed in the Ryan Murphy-produced anthology, “Love Story,” which focuses on John F. Kennedy Jr.’s relationship with Carolyn Bessette.
The actress is pushing back against aspects of the series she says do not reflect reality.
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Daryl Hannah Calls ‘Love Story’ A ‘Tragedy-Exploiting’ Series
Hannah has written a guest essay for The New York Times, weeks after the premiere of “Love Story.” The actress, who typically doesn’t address stories in the media, chose to speak out as many people often believe a “dramatized portrayal” as the truth.
The actress slammed how she was characterized, writing, “A recent tragedy-exploiting television series about John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette features a character using my name and presents her as me. The choice to portray her as irritating, self-absorbed, whiny and inappropriate was no accident.”
Hannah also called out one of the show’s producers, Nina Jacobson, who said Hannah was the “adversary” needed in the story. In response, the actress noted, “a real, living person is not a narrative device.”
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The Actress Debunks Scenes From The Show
In “Love Story,” Hannah is portrayed by Dree Hemingway, who told Nylon that she enjoyed playing the actress. “There was a sensitivity. There’s a realness about her, and she’s so specifically who she is that it was just so fun to explore the world of Daryl,” Hemingway shared.
As Hannah wrote in her essay, the series’ interpretation was “not even a remotely accurate representation” of who she was as a person or of her relationship with JFK Jr., calling some scenes in the series “untrue.”
She then went on to debunk some of the scenes, saying that she had never used cocaine or hosted cocaine parties in her life. Nor did she pressure JFK Jr. into marrying her.
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“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,” Hannah wrote, adding that it was “appalling” for her to have to defend herself against a TV show.
Ultimately, Hannah says her character was not “embellished.” Rather, her portrayal was simply “false.”
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Daryl Hannah And John F. Kennedy Jr.’s Relationship
Hannah and JFK Jr. met in the early ’80s and reunited sometime in 1988. The actress was in a relationship with singer Jackson Browne, while JFK Jr. dated actress Christina Haag. In 1992, however, the two officially broke up with their respective partners and began dating exclusively.
At that time, Hannah was a big-name actress, having appeared in movies such as “Blade Runner” and “Splash.” The couple was frequently spotted out and about, sharing meals and doing activities together.
Although there were rumors that Kennedy’s mother, Jackie Onassis, didn’t approve of her son’s relationship with Hannah, Hannah’s mother once said, “The stories I’ve heard are just unbelievable. Daryl told me [Onassis] has been very warm and affectionate.”
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After a few years of an on-and-off relationship, the couple separated in 1994, and JFK Jr. started dating Bessette.
The Actress Has Received ‘Hostile’ Messages
Since the show aired, Hannah revealed that she has been getting “hostile” and “threatening” messages from viewers who believed the events in the series happened in real life.
As the 65-year-old actress noted, she understands that part of her career is living life in the public eye, and largely, she has chosen not to engage or address “unflattering characterizations” of herself. However, she says, “My silence should not be mistaken for agreement with lies.”
Hannah is choosing to speak out about “Love Story,” as she believes her portrayal damages her reputation, writing, “In a digital era, entertainment often becomes collective memory. Real names are not fictional tools. They belong to real lives.”
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Daryl Hannah Stepped Away From The Spotlight
Hannah took a step away from Hollywood, despite not officially retiring. She pursued a life away from the camera and focused on art and activism, leaving California and splitting her time between her Colorado Ranch and Ontario, Canada, cabin.
As she said in her essay, she has been focusing on her environmental advocacy and making documentary films. She also engages in animal-assisted therapy for senior citizens who have Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Hannah married musician Neil Young in 2018, and the couple frequently collaborates on activism projects they are both passionate about.
