Daryl Hannah responds to her negative portrayal in the JFK Jr. TV series, calling out the show for using a real person as a "narrative device.
- April 2, 2026
AceShowbiz - Daryl Hannah, known for her role in Splash and her early '90s relationship with John F. Kennedy Jr., has publicly responded to her depiction in the television series Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette. In an op-ed published by the New York Times, she expressed strong objections to how the show portrays her character.
In her article, Hannah highlights that the series uses her name and image, but presents her in a negative light. She writes that the character based on her is portrayed as "irritating, self-absorbed, whiny and inappropriate," emphasizing that this was a deliberate narrative choice. She references executive producer Nina Jacobson’s statement to Gold Derby, where Jacobson admitted that "Daryl Hannah occupies a space where she's an adversary to what you want narratively in the story." Hannah counters this by saying, "A real, living person is not a narrative device," and suggests the portrayal reflects misogyny by tearing down one woman to elevate another.
On the series, the character of Hannah is played by actress Dree Hemingway. Jacobson has also indicated that the show aimed to acknowledge Hannah’s familiarity with the social world that Carolyn Bessette did not share. Despite this, Hannah disputes numerous plot points presented in the show. She firmly denies ever using cocaine, hosting drug-fueled parties, pressuring anyone into marriage, desecrating family heirlooms, intruding on private memorials, planting stories in the press, or making offensive comparisons involving Jacqueline Onassis.
Hannah also reveals that the series’ portrayal has had real-life repercussions. Since the show aired, she reports receiving hostile and threatening messages from viewers who appear to accept the dramatized version of events as truth. She warns that when entertainment uses a real person’s identity, it can have lasting effects on that individual’s reputation.
She closes her op-ed with a hopeful message, wishing that "love and truth prevail." The controversy underscores the challenges actors and public figures face when dramatized portrayals blur the line between fiction and reality.