JFK Jr. was blindsided when his ex showed up to his mother’s wake—and it happened exactly as depicted.
‘Love Story’ Episode 3 shows Daryl Hannah (played by Dree Hemingway) surprising John at Jackie Kennedy Onassis’s wake in her New York City apartment. In the scene, Hannah tries to connect with him about grief by mentioning the loss of her dog, while John appears irritated by her presence and her suggestion of rekindling their relationship.
Carole Radziwill, who was married to JFK Jr.’s cousin Anthony Radziwill, confirmed the incident in her book “JFK Jr.: An Intimate Oral History”. She mentions that she actually helped Hannah select “an appropriate funeral dress”.
Fast Facts:
- Jackie’s Death: May 19, 1994
- Wake Location: Jackie’s New York City apartment
- Hannah’s Relationship Status: On-again, off-again with JFK Jr.
- Breakup Timing: Three months before Anthony and Carole’s wedding
- JFK Jr. Met Carolyn: Sometime in 1992 at Calvin Klein party
- Started Dating Carolyn: 1994, after Jackie’s death
“I could see it was over. John could hardly look at her. I think she realized it too,” Radziwill recalls. Sasha Chayeff, a friend of JFK Jr.’s, noted in the book that he confided in her his frustration with Hannah’s behavior. “I’m thinking, oh God. I’m sorry you have an old dog who’s sick,” Chayeff remarked. “But your partner—whatever is happening right now—he’s downstairs in the kitchen. His mother has died”.
“I think they broke up for good after the funeral,” Radziwill stated, “because three months later, Anthony and I got married, and John had rekindled his romance with Carolyn”.
The series depicts Jackie disapproving of the Hannah relationship, though in real life, Hannah’s stepmother Sue Wexler once told People: “Daryl told me [Onassis] has been very warm and affectionate”. However, at the end of Episode 3, Kennedy Onassis dies, and shortly after, Kennedy and Hannah’s relationship ends for good.
Why It Matters
Jackie’s death in May 1994 marked a turning point for John F. Kennedy Jr.. Within months, he began seriously dating Carolyn Bessette, whom he proposed to in July 1995 on a fishing boat in Martha’s Vineyard. The timing underscores how profoundly his mother’s passing affected his romantic choices—Hannah represented his life as “America’s most eligible bachelor,” while Carolyn became his partner in building something new. Their tragic deaths in a 1999 plane crash would end that dream just four years after their wedding.
Jordan Blake is a rogue film critic and former VFX compositor with over 15 years of industry experience. Tired of paid reviews and “safe” opinions, Jordan left the studio system to tell the audience what Hollywood won’t. He specializes in forensic frame-by-frame analysis, exposing bad CGI, and decoding hidden lore that others miss.
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