The recent premiere of the series "Love Story" has reignited public fascination with the romance between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, offering an intimate look at their courtship and marriage. Yet before the iconic Kennedy heir found his match in the Calvin Klein public relations executive, he was involved in another high-profile relationship that dominated headlines throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s—his passionate and often turbulent affair with actress Daryl Hannah.
Their story began years before they officially became a couple. According to reports, the pair first crossed paths in the early 1980s when both families were vacationing on the Caribbean island of St. Martin. This brief encounter, however, was merely a prelude to their future connection. It wasn't until 1988 that fate intervened again, this time at a family wedding that would serve as the catalyst for their relationship. Kennedy's aunt, Lee Radziwill, was marrying director Herbert Ross, who had recently worked with Hannah on the film "Steel Magnolias", which was set for release the following year. This chance reunion sparked a romance that would captivate the American public for years to come.
At the time they began dating, the two were at very different points in their professional lives, yet both were firmly in the public eye. Kennedy was pursuing his law degree at New York University, building a career path that would distinguish him from his family's political legacy while still carrying the weight of the Kennedy name. His status as American royalty was undeniable—in 1988, he was named People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive, cementing his position as the nation's most eligible bachelor. Meanwhile, Hannah had established herself as one of Hollywood's most versatile and sought-after actresses. She had burst onto the scene with her memorable performance as the violent and acrobatic android Pris in Ridley Scott's 1982 science fiction masterpiece "Blade Runner", and had since built an impressive filmography that showcased her range.
Hannah's career trajectory was remarkable. She charmed audiences as Madison, the mermaid who captured Tom Hanks' heart in Ron Howard's "Splash" (1984), displayed her comedic talents alongside Steve Martin in "Roxanne" (1987), and held her own with Michael Douglas in Oliver Stone's "Wall Street" (1987). By the time she began dating Kennedy, she was not just a rising starlet but a fully established leading lady with both critical acclaim and box office success.
Despite their seemingly different worlds, the couple discovered common ground in their shared interests. Both were passionate about the outdoors, particularly skiing and camping, activities that offered them refuge from the relentless glare of public scrutiny. Kennedy, too, harbored artistic ambitions of his own. During his undergraduate years at Brown University, he had frequently participated in theatrical productions and even starred in an Off Off Broadway production of Irish playwright Brian Friel's "Winners" at the Irish Arts Center in 1985. The series "Love Story" suggests that Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, his mother, did not view acting as a suitable profession for her son and may have actively discouraged him from pursuing it. While the show depicts her preventing reviewers from attending his performances, the play's extremely limited run—just six performances—speaks volumes. Kennedy soon abandoned his theatrical aspirations for the more conventional path of law school, a decision that likely pleased his mother, who understood the unique burdens and expectations placed upon her son.
The relationship between Kennedy and Hannah quickly became a media sensation, representing a perfect storm of American royalty and Hollywood glamour. In 1993, the couple graced the cover of People magazine with the headline "John F. Kennedy Jr. and Daryl Hannah: America's most eligible bachelor finally meets his match." The intense public interest was overwhelming for Hannah, who expressed her frustration in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that same year. "It's getting really annoying. I get asked about it all the time," she lamented. "This morning I call up my plumber, and even he asks me. Oh, brother, I'm just trying to get my pipes fixed. Why can't people talk about something else?" This candid admission revealed the exhausting reality of dating America's most famous bachelor—every aspect of their relationship became fodder for public consumption, from mundane daily activities to major life decisions.
By 1993, the couple had taken the significant step of moving in together, sharing Hannah's apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. This domestic arrangement only intensified media speculation about their future, with tabloids and mainstream press alike scrutinizing their every move. The relationship embodied the zeitgeist of early 1990s celebrity culture, where the lines between public interest and private life became increasingly blurred. For Kennedy, who had grown up in the spotlight, the attention was perhaps more manageable. For Hannah, who had achieved fame through her craft rather than her lineage, the constant surveillance represented an invasive departure from her previous experience with celebrity.
The couple's dynamic was reportedly volatile, marked by passionate reconciliations and dramatic conflicts that kept gossip columns buzzing. While the reference article doesn't detail specific incidents, the description of the relationship as "tumultuous" and "highly volatile" suggests a partnership defined by intense emotions and frequent turbulence. This volatility, combined with their immense star power, created a narrative that proved irresistible to the media and public alike.
Ultimately, the relationship between Kennedy and Hannah would not last, but it served as a crucial chapter in the life of a man whose romantic choices would forever be subject to public fascination. When Kennedy eventually met and married Carolyn Bessette, the media once again descended, drawing comparisons to his previous high-profile romance with Hannah. The Daryl Hannah years represented a time when Kennedy was still defining his identity separate from his family legacy, exploring relationships that reflected both his personal desires and the impossible expectations placed upon him as the heir to Camelot.
The fascination with this relationship endures because it captures a specific moment in American cultural history—the intersection of political dynasty and Hollywood stardom, the burgeoning celebrity-industrial complex of the 1990s, and the timeless public obsession with the Kennedy family. As "Love Story" revisits this period, it reminds us that behind the magazine covers and headlines were two individuals navigating love under the most extraordinary circumstances, their every move watched by a nation that felt it had a stake in their happiness.