Ryan Murphy’s JFK Jr., Carolyn Bessette first look slammed by critics

Ryan Murphy has his work cut out for him.

The “American Horror Story” creator, 59, took to Instagram over the weekend to share a first look at the actors portraying John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy in his upcoming “American Love Story” anthology series.

“Here are some stills from our LOVE STORY camera test,” Murphy wrote on Saturday, June 14. “We started shooting this week in New York City and can’t wait until you see the romantic and tragic love story between America’s prince, JFK Jr., and fashion icon Carolyn Bessette.”

He then introduced fans to Paul Kelly (JFK Jr.) and Sarah Pidgeon (CBK).

“I am thrilled to introduce you to Sarah Pidgeon as Carolyn and Paul Kelly as John F. Kennedy Jr,” Murphy continued. “Over a thousand actors auditioned for each of these roles, and we absolutely found the perfect choices.”

However, not everybody was impressed by the first look at “American Love Story,” and some fans slammed the “Glee” producer for his surprising casting and costume design choices.

“There was nobody else who could play Carolyn?!” one disappointed commenter wrote alongside the eight stills of Kelly as JFK Jr. and Pidgeon as CBK.

“She would never wear this,” another responded after seeing Pideon dressed in a leather overcoat, a black sweater, trousers and pointed-toe heels.

“Her blonde hair is all wrong,” wrote a third fan. “She was famous for the varying blonde tones, the highlights and lowlights. It should be warmer. Not platinum. Please try again.”

Other fans were equally disappointed to see how Murphy had Kelly portray JFK Jr. in the first look at “American Love Story.”

“Her yes, him no,” one critic wrote. “JFK Jr was gorgeous, this guy is average.”

“Usually the actors are better looking than the real people,” another JFK Jr. and CBK fan tweeted. “The opposite is true here. Both are not good looking enough as the real people. How sad!”

“I think maybe Ryan Murphy should be stopped,” added a third, while a fourth commented, “Ryan needs to take a break, seriously.”

However, some fans praised Kelly as the political prince and Pidgeon as the ’90s fashion icon.

“Casting looks great,” someone wrote on Murphy’s post. “In terms of look-alikes, Elizabeth Debicki would’ve also been a great choice.”

“Wow, I knew who they were before even reading the caption,” added another impressed viewer.

While “American Love Story” was first announced in 2021, it wasn’t until September 2024 that Murphy revealed the first installment would chronicle JFK Jr. and CBK’s whirlwind romance.

JFK Jr., who was the only son of President John F. Kennedy and former First Lady Jackie Kennedy, first met Bessette in 1992. Bessette was working for Calvin Klein at the time and was tasked with giving the political scion a tour and fitting.

The pair married in September 1996.

Three years later, JFK Jr. and CBK both died when their private plane crashed off the coast of Massachusetts during a flight from New Jersey to Martha’s Vineyard in July 1999.

Besides Kelly and Pidgeon, “American Love Story” will also star Naomi Watts (Jackie Kennedy), Grace Gummer (Caroline Kennedy), Sydney Lemmon (Lauren Bessette) and Alessandro Nivola (Calvin Klein).