Daryl Hannah Criticizes 'Love Story' Portrayal, Faces Backlash

Actress says depiction in FX series is 'not a remotely accurate representation' of her life and relationship with John F. Kennedy Jr.

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

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Actress Daryl Hannah has penned an essay for The New York Times criticizing her portrayal in the FX series 'Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette'. Hannah claims the 'irritating, self-absorbed, whiny and inappropriate' version of her character, played by Dree Hemingway, is false and has led to 'hostile and even threatening messages' from viewers. She denies several actions attributed to her character, including drug use, press sabotage, and comparing Jacqueline Onassis' death to a dog's. Hannah says the show's 'creative liberties' have negatively impacted her personal life and reputation.

Why it matters

This case highlights the challenges real people face when their lives are dramatized in entertainment, as viewers often struggle to distinguish fact from fiction. Hannah's essay underscores how a fictionalized portrayal can 'permanently impact' a person's reputation, especially in the digital age where 'online lies endure'. It also raises questions about the ethical responsibilities of creators when adapting real-life stories for the screen.

The details

In her essay, Hannah categorically denied several actions associated with her character in 'Love Story', including drug use, pressuring anyone into marriage, desecrating family heirlooms, intruding on private memorials, and planting stories in the press. She said the show's depiction of her as 'irritating, self-absorbed, whiny and inappropriate' is 'not a remotely accurate representation' of her life or relationship with Kennedy Jr. Since the series aired, Hannah says she has received 'hostile and even threatening messages from viewers who seem to believe the portrayal is factual'.

  • The FX series 'Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette' premiered in February 2026.
  • Hannah published her critical essay in The New York Times on March 6, 2026.

The players

Daryl Hannah

An American actress who had an on-and-off relationship with John F. Kennedy Jr. between 1988 and 1994, before he later met and married Carolyn Bessette.

Dree Hemingway

The actress who portrayed Daryl Hannah in the FX series 'Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette'.

Ryan Murphy

The director of the FX series 'Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette'.

Mariel Hemingway

The actress and mother of Dree Hemingway, who knows Daryl Hannah.

John F. Kennedy Jr.

The son of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, who had a relationship with Daryl Hannah before marrying Carolyn Bessette.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Daryl Hannah (The New York Times)

“When so many people watch a dramatization that uses a real name, real-life consequences follow. In the weeks since the series aired, I have received many hostile and even threatening messages from viewers who seem to believe the portrayal is factual. When entertainment borrows a real person's name, it can permanently impact her reputation.”

— Daryl Hannah (The New York Times)

“I have no expectations of [Hannah] reaching out to me in any way, but I basically wrote her a love note of how much I appreciate her as a woman, as an actress, and what an honor of my life this has been.”

— Dree Hemingway, Actress portraying Daryl Hannah (The Hollywood Reporter)

What’s next

Hannah's essay has sparked a wider conversation about the ethical responsibilities of creators when adapting real-life stories for the screen. It remains to be seen if the show's producers will respond to her criticisms or make any changes to future episodes.

The takeaway

This case underscores the delicate balance between creative license and respect for real people's lives and reputations. As entertainment increasingly blurs the line between fact and fiction, it highlights the need for greater sensitivity and accountability when dramatizing the lives of public figures.