CAMELOT, ’90S-STYLE

Ryan Murphy Finds His Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy in ‘Stereophonic’ Star

Murphy’s ‘American Love Story’ will recount JFK Jr.’s relationship with Carolyn Bessette.

Ryan Murphy has found his next star. American Love Story—the latest installment in the anthology franchise that also includes American Horror Story, American Crime Story, and American Sports Story—has reportedly cast Sarah Pidgeon as Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, the late wife of John F. Kennedy Jr. The 28-year-old actress has had starring roles in the Amazon Prime Video series The Wilds and Hulu’s Tiny Beautiful Things, playing the younger version of Kathryn Hahn’s protagonist. But Pidgeon is best known for her role in the 2024 Broadway hit Stereophonic, which earned her a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress. Representatives for 20th Television and FX declined to comment on the casting, which Variety first reported. JFK Jr., the only son of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, married Bessette in 1996. Three years later, the couple was killed—along with Bessette’s sister Lauren—when the plane Kennedy was piloting crashed into the ocean off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard.