Did John F. Kennedy Jr. Really Cause Daryl Hannah’s Dog’s Death? The Truth Behind the ‘Love Story’ Scene
Did John F. Kennedy Jr. Really Cause Daryl Hannah’s Dog’s Death? The Truth Behind the ‘Love Story’ Scene
Gina RagusaSat, March 7, 2026 at 11:37 PM UTC
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(John Roca/NY Daily News via Getty Images)
As viewers and critics debate the accuracy of FX’s Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, one unfortunate moment appears to be rooted in reality. According to reports, John F. Kennedy Jr. was present when girlfriendDaryl Hannah’s dog Hank died after it slipped free from its leash, ran into traffic, and was struck by a car.
While that detail is true, how Kennedy lost control of the dog's leash was changed for the series. In Love Story, Kennedy was distracted when a fan asked for an autograph while he was walking the dog in Tribeca. But, according to his friend Sasha Chermayeff, Kennedy was walking the dog in Central Park when Hank got off leash and was hit by a car.
Kennedy had Hank cremated and he flew the ashes to Hannah in Los Angeles. "So he goes out there to bury the dog," Chermayeff shared in An Intimate Oral Biography. "And while he's out there, his mom has a dramatic turn for the worse. He was deeply resentful that Daryl dragged him out there to attend a funeral for her dog when his mother was dying of cancer."
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After her part was aired in Love Story, Hannah came out with a statment slamming her portayal as being "not even a remotely accurate representation of my life, my conduct or my relationship with John," she wrote in a New York Times guest essay. Adding, "The actions and behaviors attributed to me are untrue."
Hannah wrote, "I have long believed that engaging with distortion often amplifies it. But a recent tragedy-exploiting television series about John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette features a character using my name and presents her as me. The choice to present her as irritating, self-absorbed, whiny and inappropriate was no accident."
Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette is on Thursday nights on FX and steams the next day on Hulu and Disney+.
This story was originally published by Parade on Mar 7, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
