See How the Cast of ‘Love Story’ Compares to Their Real-Life Counterparts

Now airing,Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessettetells the tragic tale ofJohn Jr. and Carolyn, beginning with the plane ride that would ultimately lead to their deaths and flashing back to the early days of their relationship.

Executive producers Brad Simpson and Nina Jacobson thought that finding Carolyn would be the hardest role to cast, but Sarah Pidgeon stood out immediately. "We saw her on tape and everyone agreed there was something special. And then we brought her in, and on that day, I think it was one of our first groups of 12 people we brought in," Simpson toldPeople. "We really locked into her pretty quickly. She just had — not only the physicality and the likeness — but there was something that was both very warm about her, but also inaccessible at the same time, that was what we thought Carolyn had."

Finding John Jr. was more challenging; with three weeks to go until production started, the team still had not cast him. "We'd seen every male actor between the age of 25 and 38. [Creator] Connor [Hines] was coming in every day with models he'd found on Instagram, sending cold emails," Simpson says. They eventually went back to the first pool of self-tapes, which included Paul Anthony Kelly, and called in a few for screen tests. "I remember at the screen test, one of the hair and makeup people passed by me, and was like, 'You're crazy if you don't cast him,'" Simpson says. "It was just clear that he was JFK."

Here, see how Pidgeon, Kelly, and more cast members ofLove Story(formerly calledAmerican Love Story) compare to their real-life counterparts:

Paul Anthony Kelly as John F. Kennedy Jr.

Newcomer Paul Anthony Kelly—he has previous experience in modeling and theater—plays John F. Kennedy Jr., the son of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy.

The show captured John Jr.'s preferred method of transportation around NYC (and penchant for backwards caps).

Sarah Pidgeon as Carolyn Bessette

Sarah Pidgeon, whoearned a Tony nominationfor her Broadway debut inStereophonic, leads the cast as Carolyn Bessette, a fashion publicist who married John F. Kennedy Jr. in September 1996.

Many of the outfits onLove Storyare recreations of what Carolyn really wore.

Advertisement

Naomi Watts as Jackie Kennedy

Naomi Watts (who has been in everything, fromMulholland DrivetoFeud: Capote vs. the Swans) transforms into Jackie Kennedy inAmerican Love Story, portraying the former First Lady towards the end of her life, when she was battling non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

Grace Gummer as Caroline Kennedy

Grace Gummer, daughter of Meryl Streep, plays Caroline, daughter of John and Jackie. Caroline would go on to serve as a U.S. Ambassador to Japan (under the Obama administration) and to Australia (under the Biden administration).

Sydney Lemmon as Lauren Bessette

Sydney Lemmon, perhaps best known for her role in the playJob, on and off Broadway, takes on the role of Carolyn's older sister, a banker at Morgan Stanley who tragically died in the same plane crash that claimed the lives of John and Carolyn.

Alessandro Nivola as Calvin Klein

Alessandro Nivola (you may know him fromMansfield Park, orThe Brutalist, or as Emily Mortimer's real-life husband) plays fashion designer Calvin Klein; Carolyn worked as director of publicity at his brand in the 90s.

Leila George as Kelly Klein

Australian American actress Leila George, the daughter of Vincent D'Onofrio and Greta Sacchi, plays Kelly Klein (née Rector), Calvin's wife at the time the show takes places. (Kelly and Calvin divorced in 2016). George has had roles inAnimal Kingdom, Disclaimer, andThe Beast in Me.

Dree Hemingway as Daryl Hannah

Dree Hemingway, model, actress, and great-granddaughter of Ernest Hemingway, plays Daryl Hannah, an actress and environmental activist who dated John F. Kennedy Jr. before he met Carolyn.

You Might Also Like

• 12 Weekend Getaway Spas For Every Type of Occasion

• 13 Beauty Tools to Up Your At-Home Facial Game

byJastin

in

February 19, 2026

See How the Cast of ‘Love Story’ Compares to Their Real-Life Counterparts

Now airing,Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessettetells the tragic tale ofJohn Jr. and Carolyn, beginning...

Read More

The single moment in the new 'Toy Story 5' trailer that's resonating with adults who grew up with the films

If you ever needed a sign you're getting older, here's a devastating one: Even Woody fromToy Storyis balding. At least, that's what's happening inthe new trailer forToy Story 5,which follows our favorite playthings as they fight back against Big Tech — aka Bonnie's new tablet.

The new trailer opens with Bonnie (Scarlett Spears) officiating a wedding between plastic fork Forky (Tony Hale) and his knife bride — which quickly descends into madness when someone poisons Rex (Wallace Shawn), the maid of honor. This type of play is thrilling for newly crowned toy sheriff Jessie (Joan Cusack), who stepped up after Woody (Tom Hanks) ran off with Bo Peep (Annie Potts) to enjoy retirement.

Unfortunately, there's trouble on the horizon for these toys when Bonnie receives a new present. It's a LilyPad tablet, voiced by Greta Lee. And as so many parents can relate, it's awfully hard to pry out of Bonnie's hands. And that means a lot less time for Bonnie to play with her toys.

Soon, Jessie is calling Woody to come back, desperate to defeat "Lily" and get Bonnie to play with her toys again — not to mention, make friends of her own outside in the real world. But Lily has the power of technology on her side, and things are getting awfully tricky for the toys who just want to prove their relevance in kids' lives. Can Woody, Jessie and returning pals like Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) make Bonnie cut back on her screentime?

They'll certainly try — even if Woody isn't the fresh-out-of-the-box sheriff he once was. In one moment in the trailer, Woody turns, revealing a bald spot on the back of his head. "Someone needs a brown marker," one of the other toys quips. Naturally, the moment was picked up on by the elder millennials who grew up onToy Storyand may or may not now be going through their own hair loss journeys.

Advertisement

"That's such a small detail, but it makes it more emotional," one personwrote on X. "Seeing Woody age in Toy Story 5 shows how much time has passed. This is going to hit hard for longtime fans."

Anotherjoked, "The transition from 'reach for the sky' to 'watch the cholesterol' happened way too fast."

Still, others said to cut Woody some slack. "He's been through four movies, two owners, and a Forky — honestly, it's a miracle he has any hair left," another userwrote on the platform. "Woody looks like he's about to buy a plastic Corvette and start a podcast about the 'good old days' at Andy's."

The upcoming film followsToy Story 4,which hit theaters in 2019. While it's unclear how much time has passed for the toys, Bonnie does not appear to be much older than she was in the previous films. While many people were pointing out Woody's age, one fanjoked on X, "Meanwhile Bonnie is still in kindergarten 16 years later."

Want to see how all the toys have aged? WatchToy Story 5in theaters on June 19.

byJastin

in

February 19, 2026

The single moment in the new 'Toy Story 5' trailer that's resonating with adults who grew up with the films

If you ever needed a sign you're getting older, here's a devastating one: Even Woody fromToy Storyis balding. At...

Read More

Charlie Baker again backs plan to expand NCAA tournament in the future, noncommittal on timeline

Charlie Baker is still very much on board with the NCAA tournament expanding in the near future.

The NCAA president reiterated his support for a plan to expand the annual basketball tournament in the near future, something he's long been in favor of. What that looks like, or when it happens, remains to be seen.

"We're still talking to the various players in this one," he said on Thursday,via ESPN. "I said all along that I think there are some very good reasons to expand the tournament.

"So, I would like to see it expand."

The NCAA tournament men's field currently sits at 68 teams, with the last expansion coming back in 2011. That brought in the "First Four" round, which cuts the field from 68 to 64 for the first round. The women's NCAA tournament officially expanded to 68 teams in 2021, too. That marked the most notable expansion in the tournament since it doubled in size from 32 in 1985.

But expanding the tournament further is an idea that has been thrown around in recent years. The NCAA basketball selection committeesmet last summer and learned that expansion, if approved, would likely start during the 2026-27 campaign. That would likely expand the field to either 72 or 76 teams. It's unclear if the women's tournament would expand at the same time.

Advertisement

Baker insisted Thursday that he wasn't worried about how the NCAA would fund the expanded tournament. The biggest challenge has long been simply a logistical one with the basketball calendar. Several major men's conference tournaments run right up to the selection show — the Big Ten championship game ends moments before that show starts and teams are announced — and the NCAA tournament ends the week that the Masters starts. That doesn't leave much time for added games.

There wereseveral notable teams that were just barely left out of the tournament last season, including both Indiana and West Virginia. An expanded field almost certainly would have meant they would have been included.

"From my point of view, the more teams we can get into the tournament and make it work logistically and mathematically, the better," Baker said. "It gives more kids the opportunity to experience that."

But of course, expanding the field wouldn't eliminate the snub conversation. It would just push it back by four, or eight, spots.

Regardless, the NCAA seems set on expanding the tournament in the future. Whether that happens in 2027, or a few years down the road, remains to be seen.

byJastin

in

February 19, 2026

Charlie Baker again backs plan to expand NCAA tournament in the future, noncommittal on timeline

Charlie Baker is still very much on board with the NCAA tournament expanding in the near future. The NCAA pr...

Read More

Three Americans charge into Dubai semifinals

Americans Amanda Anisimova, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula reached the semifinals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships along with Ukraine's Elina Svitolina on Thursday.

The second-seeded Anisimova will meet the fourth-seeded Pegula, and the third-seeded Gauff will take on No. 7 seed Svitolina on Friday in the WTA 1000 tournament in the United Arab Emirates.

Gauff will be the most rested of the foursome after her 6-0, 6-2 victory against Alexandra Eala of the Philippines in 67 minutes on Thursday. The other three quarterfinal matches all went to three sets.

"Each match, I've gotten better," Gauff said. "I definitely wasn't in good spirits before entering this tournament, but you know, one match can change everything. I honestly didn't think I would be in the semis at the start of this, but I'm happy that I'm here."

Gauff, who overcame eight double faults, won the first 10 games of the match and converted six of nine break points. She finished with 15 winners and 19 unforced errors, compared to eight winners and 33 errors for Eala.

Anisimova survived a two-hour, 38-minute battle with defending champion and No. 5 seed Mirra Andreeva of Russia, winning 2-6, 7-5, 7-6 (4) to set up her clash with Pegula.

Advertisement

Andreeva had a 3-1 lead in the final set before Anisimova took the next four games for a 5-3 lead. Not going away, Andreeva survived a match point and won the next three games. Anisimova jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the tiebreak and finally prevailed on her fourth match point.

Andreeva, 18, doubled over in tears after her final backhand sailed long.

"It was such a tough battle, and I thought we played incredible tennis," Anisimova said. "Seeing Mirra down like that, it's understandable. We both fought so hard today, and it made me emotional seeing her like that. She was playing so well, she's the defending champion and I feel like we both won on the court today. These type of matches, it's always tough that someone has to lose at the end of the day."

Pegula outlasted 12th-seeded Clara Tauson of Denmark 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 in just under two hours, while Svitolina rallied for a 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 win against Croatia's Antonia Ruzic in just over two hours.

Pegula struck eight aces and saved four of six break points. Svitolina balanced five aces with seven double faults while saving 11 of 14 break points.

This is only the third time three U.S. players reached the final four at a WTA 1000 event since the format's introduction in 2009: Beijing 2025 (Gauff, Pegula, Anisimova) and Toronto 2024 (Emma Navarro, Anisimova and Pegula).

--Field Level Media

byJastin

in

February 19, 2026

Three Americans charge into Dubai semifinals

Americans Amanda Anisimova, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula reached the semifinals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Champ...

Read More

Shia LaBeouf used homophobic slurs while assaulting New Orleans bar patrons, police say

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Actor Shia LaBeouf faces battery charges and is accused of repeatedly using homophobic slurs whilehitting multiple peopleat a New Orleans bar duringMardi Gras, according to a police report.

Shia LaBeouf Arrest

The New Orleans police report obtained by The Associated Press via a public records request states that LaBeouf, 39, "became irate and aggressive throughout the night" and struck multiple people with a closed fist at the Royal Street Inn & R Bar, near the historic French Quarter.

Jeffrey Damnit, a well-known local entertainer who police identified as Jeffrey Klein in the incident report, said he was one of the people attacked by LaBeouf.

"He hit me, he connected a few times with punches, he pushed me a few times," Damnit said.

LaBeouf "just got nuts" trying to start fights and telling the entertainer and others that he would beat them up, Damnit said. He added that LaBeouf had pushed him from behind at the bar earlier in the night, shouting homophobic slurs and threatening his life.

Damnit was wearing eye makeup and lipstick and said he believes his appearance motivated LaBeouf's attack.

"That's just somehow something that set him off, angered him and gave him a direction for his anger," Damnit said. "This guy wants me to be dead because I wear makeup. It's a screwed up thing."

A video shows a shirtless LaBeouf shoving one person to the ground and hitting another person in the face, "causing his nose to possibly dislocate," according to the police report.

Damnit and others subdued LaBeouf and tried to get him to leave the area, but he would not leave and became more aggressive, according to Damnit and the police report.

Police arrived at the bar around 12:45 a.m. on the morning of the city's famousFat Tuesdayrevelry.

Another video recorded by Damnit and shared with the AP shows LaBeouf looking at the camera and appearing to mouth a homophobic slur while police detained him. He continued to repeat the slur throughout the arrest, the police report stated.

"These f–––––s put me in jail," LaBeouf said, and then told police he's Catholic, according to the report.

"I didn't shove nobody, I never touched nobody," LaBeouf tells New Orleans police officers in the video recorded by Damnit.

Representatives from LaBeouf did not immediately respond to request for comment. In the early morning hours of Feb. 18, LaBeouf wrote "Free me" on his X account.

Advertisement

A New Orleans magistrate judge ordered LaBeouf to be released from custody on Tuesday without a bond requirement, according to Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office spokesperson Gary Scheets. LaBeouf faces two counts of simple battery.

Videos later show LaBeouf dancing throughout the French Quarter and appears to show him waving his jail release papers.

Damnit, a member of the Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, says he is worried that he will face ramifications in his professional career for pressing charges against LaBeouf.

This isn't the first time LaBeouf has faced legal troubles. He was sent to court-ordered rehabilitation after being arrested in New York in 2017 for public drunkenness and disorderly conduct, which was captured on livestream video.

While on location in Georgia filming "The Peanut Butter Falcon," later that year, he wasarrestedfor public drunkenness and accused of disorderly conduct and obstruction andsentenced to probation.

In 2020, he was charged withmisdemeanor battery and petty theftin Los Angeles.

That year, the English singer and actorFKA Twigs, whose legal name is Tahliah Barnett, also fileda lawsuitalleging LaBeouf was physically and emotionally abusive to her during their relationship, which theysettled in July.

Barnett said LaBeouf put her in a constant state of fear and humiliation, once slammed her into a car, tried to strangle her and knowingly gave her a sexually transmitted disease.

LaBeouf apologized in a statement after the lawsuit was filed. He also denied the accusations in the lawsuit in a 2021 filing, saying any injuries done or damages incurred by Barnett were not his doing.

The 39-year-old first gained acclaim as a child for his role on the Disney Channel series "Even Stevens," and continued working steadily into adulthood. He is perhaps best known for his roles in 2007′s "Transformers" and in 2008′s "Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull."

LaBeouf shares a daughter, born in 2022, with actor Mia Goth.

AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr and AP Writer Juan A. Lozano contributed to this report.

Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative.Report for Americais a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

byJastin

in

February 19, 2026

Shia LaBeouf used homophobic slurs while assaulting New Orleans bar patrons, police say

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Actor Shia LaBeouf faces battery charges and is accused of repeatedly using homophobic slurs whilehit...

Read More

Catherine O’Hara Did This Sweet Thing For “The Studio” Crew While Filming in Las Vegas (Exclusive)

The Studio's costume designer, Kameron Lennox, reveals that Catherine O'Hara paid for the crew members' restaurant bill while in Las Vegas

NEED TO KNOW

• "She really understood everybody's role and was just a very kind-hearted person," Lennox told PEOPLE at the 28th Costume Designers Guild Awards on Thursday, Feb. 12

• O'Hara died on Friday, Jan. 30, at the age of 71

The Studio's costume designer, Kameron Lennox, is recalling a sweet momentCatherine O'Harashared with the show's crew when filming in Las Vegas.

Speaking exclusively with PEOPLE at the 28th Costume Designers Guild Awards in Los Angeles on Thursday, Feb. 12, Lennox shared her favorite memory of working withthe late actress.

"We had a lot of great memories, but the one that I've been telling a lot lately is when we were shooting in Vegas last year, we were shooting for two weeks, living inside a casino, filming inside of a casino," Lennox said. "Nobody left the casino. It was like 110 degrees outside. And so we would all kind of find each other at different restaurants."

"A group of us went to dinner one night, and she was at another table with other crew members having dinner. And then she saw us, spotted us, came over, said hello, and then they left. And then when we went to go get the bill, she had paid our bill," she continued.

Eric Charbonneau/Apple TV+ via Getty

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Lennox, who received the award for Excellence in Contemporary Television at the ceremony, noted that the simple gesture was "very sneaky, sweet."

She continued, "I'm like, 'You're so sneaky and sweet.' But just that gesture alone, it's like she really understood everybody's role and was just a very kind-hearted person."

Advertisement

Emma McIntyre/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty

O'Hara starred as Patty Leigh, a former studio head at the fictional Continental Pictures who was replaced by her protégé,Seth Rogen's Matt Remick, on the hit Apple TV comedyThe Studio.

The legendary comedian, known for roles inBeetlejuice,Home AloneandSchitt's Creek, died on Friday, Jan. 30, at the age of 71. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed thatO'Hara died after suffering from a pulmonary embolism, according to a death certificate obtained by PEOPLE. Rectal cancer was listed as the underlying cause of embolism.

Lennox said filming season two ofThe Studiohas been bittersweet after O'Hara's death. "Coming back for [the] second season, everything just felt like, 'Oh, we're home again.' But this, especially, it's been hard on everybody. Yeah. It's been a rough go at it."

Following her death, Rogenpenned an emotional tributeto O'Hara and posted a candid moment of O'Hara giggling behind his back on Instagram. In his caption, the creator and director of the show expressed his sadness over the news.

"I told O'Hara when I first met her I thought she was the funniest person I'd ever had the pleasure of watching on screen," Rogen wrote. "Home Alonewas the movie that made me want to make movies."

He added, "Getting to work with her was a true honour. She was hysterical, kind, intuitive, generous… she made me want to make our show good enough to be worthy of her presence in it. This is just devastating. We're all lucky we got to live in a world with her in it."

Read the original article onPeople

byJastin

in

February 19, 2026

Catherine O’Hara Did This Sweet Thing For “The Studio” Crew While Filming in Las Vegas (Exclusive)

The Studio 's costume designer, Kameron Lennox, reveals that Catherine O'Hara paid for the crew members' res...

Read More

O's INF Jordan Westburg physically 'unable to participate'

Baltimore Orioles infielder Jordan Westburg was not on the field with the team for a spring training workout on Thursday, and manager Craig Albernaz doesn't know when his status will change.

"He's unable to participate right now," the first-year manager said Thursday. "Getting evaluated by our medical team and also outside people. See what's going on with Jordan and get him ready to go."

Westburg, 27, felt his oblique tighten on the right side early in spring training. Albernaz did not specifically point to the muscle injury as the reason for his absence and wouldn't say if he had a different injury.

Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias said earlier this month that Westburg's oblique injury dates to January.

The Baltimore Banner reported Thursday, however, that Westburg had imaging done on his elbow.

Advertisement

"Just physically unable to go," Albernaz said. "We want to make sure we do our due diligence. Make sure Jordan has the best chance to play this year."

Injuries have been a hindrance in Westburg's three seasons in Baltimore, which drafted him 30th overall in 2020 out of Mississippi State.

He played 85 games last season and required injured list stints due to a left hamstring injury and a sprained ankle. He also missed parts of 2025 spring training with back tightness. He played 107 games in 2024 and was named an All-Star, but also missed seven weeks with a fractured hand.

In 260 career games, Westburg has a .264 batting average with 38 home runs and 127 RBIs.

--Field Level Media

byJastin

in

February 19, 2026

O's INF Jordan Westburg physically 'unable to participate'

Baltimore Orioles infielder Jordan Westburg was not on the field with the team for a spring training workout on Thur...

Read More