Uploaded September 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In this episode of Backstage With, executive producers Brad Simpson and Nina Jacobson go behind the scenes of FX's “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette,” revealing how the series found its cast and brought the story to life.
Simpson and Jacobson discuss the search for Paul Anthony Kelly to play John F. Kennedy Jr., how Sarah Pidgeon was cast as Carolyn Bessette, and the performances and transformations of Grace Gummer, Constance Zimmer, and Sydney Lemmon. They also share what actors can learn from the casting process, why in-person chemistry tests still matter, and how actors can approach portraying historical figures without simply impersonating them.
In this episode of Backstage With, executive producers Brad Simpson and Nina Jacobson go behind the scenes of FX's “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette,” revealing how the series found its cast and brought the story to life.
Simpson and Jacobson discuss the search for Paul Anthony Kelly to play John F. Kennedy Jr., how Sarah Pidgeon was cast as Carolyn Bessette, and the performances and transformations of Grace Gummer, Constance Zimmer, and Sydney Lemmon. They also share what actors can learn from the casting process, why in-person chemistry tests still matter, and how actors can approach portraying historical figures without simply impersonating them.
