Daryl Hannah dragged into spotlight by FX JFK Jr. series controversy

Daryl Hannah is being brought back into the spotlight following the release of FX’s “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette.”

Since the first episodes of the series were released on February 12, fans were quick to notice how series creator Ryan Murphy decided to play Kennedy’s ex. According to some social media and Vogue users, “Love Story” appears to portray the “Splash” star in a negative light.

An opinion piece produced by Vogue said: “The portrayal of Hannah in ‘Love Story’ as a whiny, coke-obsessed prima donna doesn’t quite ring true. Indeed, if I were Hannah, I’d consider suing.”

Daryl Hannah got “dirty” in the new series about John F. Kennedy, according to fans. (Getty Images)

Reddit users were quick to give their thoughts on Hannah from the “Love Story” producer’s perspective.

JFK JR TV SERIES CREATORS RESPOND TO KENNEDY HEIR DENOUNCING THE SHOW AS “GROTESQUE”

“While watching the show all I thought was these writers hate Darryl Hannah,” one user wrote. Another added: “Hannah’s casting – they did her dirty.”

“Hannah’s casting – they did her dirty.”

— Reddit user

“I think Darryl Hannah’s actress is horrible. They were together for a long time. He really cared about her. The show makes it seem like she was irritating,” another added.

Hannah and Kennedy had a long relationship before he married Bessette. The couple first met in the early 1980s before making their relationship official at the end of the decade. They had a tumultuous, tabloid-centered relationship until they ended it in 1994 (the same year he began dating Bessette).

John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Daryl Hannah were caught arriving at his cousin Edward Kennedy, Jr.’s wedding in Rhode Island in 1993. (Brooks Kraft LLC/Sygma via Getty Images)

In the first three episodes of the series, Hannah attempts to reconcile her relationship with Kennedy while he pursues a relationship with Bessette. The series also made it clear that Kennedy’s mother, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, did not approve of her son dating Hannah.

Nina Jacobson, a producer on “Love Story,” told Gold Derby that they did not contact Hannah before creating the series. Instead, they used Elizabeth Beller’s 2024 book, “Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy,” as the source for Hannah’s storyline.

“Love Story” shows the whirlwind relationship between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette in the 1990s. (Ron Galella Collection/Ron Galella via Getty Images)

“It’s very hard [to reach out] because you feel an obligation [to them]. We want to find these characters from the inside out, and it’s hard to serve any number of agendas when we look at the real people. So we tend not to do that except in rare cases,” Jacobson said.

Below is a full look at Kennedy and Hannah’s on-again, off-again relationship that has captivated audiences for over five years.

Connecting in the 80s

Hannah and Kennedy first met in the early 1980s while their families were vacationing on St. Maarten, a Caribbean island.

Daryl Hannah poses for a portrait on the set of “Splash”, circa 1984. (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

They met again in 1988 at Kennedy’s aunt’s wedding. Lee Radziwill married Herb Ross, the director of “Steel Magnolias”, in which Hannah starred.

Tabloid storm in the 90s

In the 1990s, Hannah and Kennedy’s relationship was a hot topic in the tabloids.

Hannah recalled to Entertainment Weekly in 1993 that she was pestered with questions about their potential marriage.

Daryl Hannah and JFK Jr were a hot topic in the tabloids in the 90s. (Getty Images)

“It’s getting really annoying. I get asked about it all the time. This morning I call my plumber, and even he asks me about it. Oh, bro, I’m just trying to fix my pipes. Why can’t people talk about something else?” she told the outlet at the time, according to People.

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The two were often seen walking together in New York, riding bikes in Central Park and dancing in their underwear.

John F. Kennedy Jr. and his girlfriend Darryl Hannah at the New York Knicks-Houston Rockets game in 1994. (John Roca/New York Daily News Archive via Getty Images)

A neighbor told People in 1993 that she spotted Kennedy wearing only his boxer shorts and Hannah in a nightgown dancing on a rooftop early one Sunday morning.

“They were doing this little love game. He would tickle her and she would run away. Then he would grab her and they would dance. Even if you didn’t know who they were, you would be fascinated,” the neighbor told the outlet at the time.

Rumors of Jackie O’s hesitation

“Love Story” depicts Kennedy’s mother disapproving of his relationship with Hannah, who was a major actress at the time. In one scene, Kennedy brought Hannah to dinner at her mother’s house and she refused to come to the table.

Rumors were circulating that Jackie Kennedy did not approve of Daryl Hannah for her son. (Michael Ochs Archives)

Sue Wexler, Hannah’s stepmother, previously denied the rumors to People.

“The stories I’ve heard are just incredible. Daryl told me [Onassis] was very warm and loving,” Wexler said.

Dree Hemingway, the actress who played Hannah on screen, told Town & Country that she did her best to portray the actress as someone trying to win over the Kennedy family.

Dree Hemingway plays Daryl Hannah in “Love Story.” (JC Olivera/Variety via Getty Images)

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“Daryl wants to be accepted into this family so much because she loves John so much,” she told the outlet. “I think she wants to have that connection, and she wants so much to settle down and be with this person more, but there’s a conflict there. He’s met someone that he has these sparks with.”

Hemingway continued: “I think her heart is what I want people to take away. I really felt that while I was studying Daryl, and that’s what made me fall in love with her.”

Separated in 1994

Hannah and Kennedy separated for good in 1994.

Carolyn Bessette and John F. Kennedy Jr. were married in 1996. (Getty Images)

Kennedy married Bessette in 1996. The couple sadly died in a plane crash just a few years after getting married. Kennedy was 38 and Bessette was 33 when their single-engine plane crashed in 1999. Bessette’s sister, Lauren, was also on the flight. She was 34 years old at the time of the accident.

Hannah continued her acting career after her separation from Kennedy. She eventually married singer Neil Young in 2018.

Daryl Hannah poses at the 97th annual Academy Awards in March 2025. (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)

Representatives for Hannah did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

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