The Ethics of Portraying John and Carolyn Kennedy in ‘Love Story’

Aarushi Maskara’s review for The Hoya examines the Hulu series ‘Love Story,’ which dramatizes the relationship between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy. While praising the show’s production quality and strong performances—especially Sarah Pidgeon’s nuanced portrayal of Carolyn—the author questions whether the series should exist at all. Pidgeon succeeds in depicting Carolyn’s struggle under constant public scrutiny, though her subdued delivery sometimes makes dialogue hard to follow. The narrative skillfully explores how Carolyn’s individuality and career were overshadowed by her marriage to a public icon. Supporting characters such as Caroline Kennedy and Jackie Onassis are portrayed with emotional depth, though Dree Hemingway’s depiction of Daryl Hannah falls flat and feels unfairly reductive. Technically, the series is remarkable, precisely recreating famous photos and public scenes, including the Battery Park altercation and John’s ‘George’ magazine speech. However, Maskara argues that by starting with the couple’s tragic deaths and dramatizing imagined private moments, the show risks exploiting grief rather than honoring truth. The review concludes that ‘Love Story’ is beautifully crafted yet morally uneasy—a reminder that aesthetic success does not justify speculative storytelling about real people’s private lives.