Ryan Murphy’s newest TV series in development, American Love Story, is following a familiar path after recent backlash. Ryan Murphy’s best TV shows, such as American Horror Story, Glee, and Feud, have made him one of the most recognizable producers in the industry, but his work hasn’t been without its controversies. He’s covered numerous public figures and depicted real-life events in his projects, from O.J. Simpson to Bill Clinton to, of course, Jeffrey Dahmer, and with the examination of actual people always comes moral implications.
American Love Story is the latest of Ryan Murphy’s American Story shows, which contain various anthology stories from a variety of genres. The new spin-off was announced back in 2021 along with its story, and cast members such as Naomi Watts, Sarah Pidgeon, and newcomer Paul Kelly joined the project in 2025. The show is planned for a 2026 premiere date on FX, and is set to examine the highly publicized ’90s tabloid romance between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, both of whom died in the 1999 Martha’s Vineyard plane crash.
Ryan Murphy’s American Love Story Series Is Already Getting Backlash From JFK Jr’s Family
Jack Schlossberg Shared His Thoughts About His Uncle’s
The subject of the John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy romance was always going to evoke a range of emotions from audiences, including JFK Jr.’s nephew, Jack Schlossberg, the only living grandson of John F. Kennedy. The 32-year-old writer took to Instagram to reveal that he, nor anyone else in JFK Jr’s family, was consulted on the matter of Ryan Murphy’s new TV series. Watch the full video below:
In the video, Schlossberg explains that there was no cause for legal action as “the right to privacy — which includes the ability to control your own name, image, and likeness — doesn’t survive death in the state of New York, and for that matter, he’s considered a public figure.” He added that, while what Murphy is doing may not be against the law, he doesn’t want his uncle’s story to be profited from in an unethical way, encouraging the creators to take seriously what JFK Jr. stood for and to donate a portion of the profits.
The reason this is coming up this early, months before the show’s premiere, is Ryan Murphy’s controversial history in dealing with public figures.
Ryan Murphy responded to the argument in an interview with Variety, expressing his willingness to donate to the JFK Library and his appreciation for Schlossberg’s social media presence. The American Love Story spin-off is going to progress forward regardless of Schlossberg’s comments, as Murphy believes he has an important story to tell regarding Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and the experience she endured during her publicized romance. The reason this is coming up this early, months before the show’s premiere, is Ryan Murphy’s controversial history in dealing with public figures.
American Love Story’s First Season Could Be As Divisive As Ryan Murphy’s Monsters
Monster Received Backlash From The Families Of Jeffrey Dahmer’s Victims
Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story is the first season of a separate Ryan Murphy anthology series, which is currently the fifth-most-watched Netflix series of all time despite its 51% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The series examines real-life serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, another evidently divisive topic to explore in fiction, and the Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus suggests that “Ryan Murphy’s salacious style nevertheless tilts this horror story into the realm of queasy exploitation.” Dahmer was widely criticized for profiting from the trauma of Jeffrey Dahmer’s victims, with multiple members of the victims’ families offering open criticism.
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Eric Perry, a relative of victim Errol Lindsey, stated, “I want people to understand this is not just a story or historical fact, these are real people’s lives. [Lindsey] was someone’s son, someone’s brother, someone’s father, someone’s friend that was ripped from [our] lives,” (via LA Times), a quote that resembles Schlossberg’s recent comments. This wasn’t the first instance for Ryan Murphy, either.
Feud: Bette and Joan resulted in a legal battle from Olivia de Havilland (via The New York Times), and the O.J. Simpson season of American Crime Story reportedly didn’t consult the families of Ron Goldman or Nicole Brown.American Love Story may be another commercial hit underway for Ryan Murphy, but the show is already primed to stir up debates regarding the ethics of using real-life stories as material for television.
Source: Variety, LA Times, The New York Times
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American Love Story
Cast
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Sarah Pidgeon
Carolyn Bessette
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