The Breakout Stars of 'Love Story' on Playing Real People and Navigating Their Newfound Fame

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1:05Hello and welcome to Little Gold Men, Vanity Fair's podcast for film, TV, and awards lovers. I'm Rebecca Ford. And I'm John Ross. And today we're coming to you live from the San Vicente Bungalows in West Hollywood. It's a very special event hosted by FX, and we're going to be joined in just a second by the stars of FX's breakout series, Love Story, John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bissette, Paul Anthony Kelly, and Sarah Pidgeon.

1:35Back in February, as you all probably know, a little show called Love Story burst onto the scene, and it quickly caught fire. Love Story has become FX's most watched limited series on Hulu. and it's turned into a real phenomenon. The show maybe single-handedly brought back the 1990s with its depiction of New York and the fashion of that era. And we're still seeing the ripple effects. C.O. Bigelow can't keep its headbands in stock. The clean 90s aesthetic is now Gen Z's favorite look. I'm seeing a lot of black on the streets of L.A., a lot of very simple dressing. But the most exciting part of the show, at least to me, is the incredible star turns of the two leads.

2:21So please join us in welcoming those stars and our guests today, Paul Anthony Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon.

2:34Thank you guys for joining us. Thanks for having us. Thank you. All right. We've said this a lot, but obviously the show is a breakout for FX. I've heard it described as made in a lab for Vanity Fair because it has all the things we love in one show. And a lot of its success, I think, is due to the two of you and your amazing performances. Can we go back to the audition process? Sarah, I know you got the role pretty quickly. Can you talk about how that process was for you and the chemistry reads that the two of you did early on? Yeah, I mean, it came in like every audition does. and I was immediately struck by the log line that Carolyn was this, they didn't want to make her out to be like the tabloids did in the 90s, that she was so much more than this ice queen, which was oftentimes what she was called in the press.

3:26I knew very little about her. I knew she worked at Calvin Klein and knew she was married to John F. Kennedy Jr. But when I read the audition scenes, I think it was two scenes, there was so much life on the page of this very enigmatic woman. She was sensitive. She was guarded, incredibly compassionate, very funny. And it just felt like such a, regardless of it being based off of a real person, it felt like such a meaty role to take on. And then having that extra layer of changing myself physically and her voice, which was based off of very little footage available. But I put it on tape. And then a few weeks later, I happened to be in LA finishing up a project I was working on here and was told that the producers liked it and I was going to go in for my callback.

4:13But then within like 24 hours, that changed to a test. And I went in and I totally blacked out. And, you know, I only did the scenes once each time. And I thought, you know, as soon as I finished the first scene, Ryan was like, okay, I'm moving on. And I was like, oh, shoot, I definitely didn't get this. They like want me out of this room so fast. I did the scenes he asked me a few questions where I was from and then I called my team and I was like I think I did what I wanted to do but I I don't think I got that job and three days went by Friday came and went and I woke up Saturday morning in my hotel room I was brushing my teeth getting ready and my team called and told me that I got it and then the real process started of trying to find JFK Jr and it was such a wonderful moment when Paul walked in the door and I feel like I'll let you take that part away.

5:10Thank you. You had a longer process. Yeah, I had an interesting process. Um, I had been trying to break into the industry for about 13 years. So after that one, I was like, okay, you know, this isn't really working out for me. I told my wife, I thought I was going to quit. She said, don't do that. A week later, I get a call, um, to do my callback for the show just over zoom. that went well. And then I had the chemistry read with Sarah the following week. And there was just something so palpable when we saw each other on the lot. It was just like this instant bond and trust with each other. Then we had the chemistry read and they asked me to stay after that.

5:50They saw several other gentlemen for that too. What scene did you read? The first, the date scene. The date scene. What did the date scene? The bike scene. Oh, and the bike scene, when the bike is stolen. So we did those. Ryan asked me to stay behind. Came back into the room after the other gentleman had done their thing. They said, you were great. Are you available for a screen test tomorrow? And I said, yes. So they, of course, yeah. No, sorry, sir. I'm not available. I have other things. So we did the screen test. And that was a really fantastic experience. I was sweating bullets the entire time.

6:30You know, just so nervous. But at that point, I was like, okay, cool. I'm here this far. I felt like it was a great stepping stone and definitely a little feather in my cap. But we did the screen test, and it was a lot of fun and great, and Max Winkler directed it. And they added a scene as well. Yeah, they did. They added a scene right before. One of the scenes from Battery Park. And we got it, I think, later that night. Yeah, it was like 9 p.m. that night. But I think also such a great representation of so much of, especially some episodes were different than others, but just sort of learning it on the fly.

7:03And I know that you were still auditioning, but I also very much felt like I was still auditioning and having to do this scene where they wanted to see if we could bring the intensity that both of these people had in their relationship. So I think I was still shaking in my boots as well. And yeah, a wonderful, wonderful day. Shaking your Prada boots. Shaking. Have people said that you looked like JFK Jr. before? Yeah, previously I was a model for a long time. I worked with Brooks Brothers pretty early in my career, and they would kind of do me up and shave me down, shorn my face, and I got, you look like a young John F.

7:43Kennedy, and at that point I wasn't overly familiar with John F. Kennedy Jr., so in my head I was like, I look nothing like John F. Kennedy. But then I saw a photo of Jr. later on and was like, oh, okay, but never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that I would be in these shoes portraying him as a character. Did you have the voice going into the audition or did you have to do it after? No, I didn't. I had to figure it all out. I worked with a really great dialect coach and then I listened to John F. Kennedy Jr. narrates his father's book, Profiles in Courage. So I listened to that religiously.

8:16religiously. It was when I got up in the morning, when I was in the gym, before work, during work, in between setups, after work, sometimes overnight sleeping, just so it would sink into my psyche. And I would learn how he, you know, he uses his tongue in a totally different way than I do, the way he speaks. So I really had to change everything, change the way I spoke. I got a little bit bigger for the role. John's left-handed, I'm right-handed. So for the six months I had to do everything left-handed, which was a learning curve. Yeah, I just really did the work. I leaned into it. I had all these wonderful things to learn about myself in order to portray this character the best of my abilities.

9:00Obviously, it sounds like there was chemistry in the room when you met, but how much time did two of you have before shooting to get to know each other? Was it about Was it just spending time together? It was like three weeks before we started filming. It was like an arranged marriage. But I remember when you got to New York, we took a walk and went to the Odeon. And then we got some flowers and we went to Northmore and walked around Carolyn and John's neighborhood. And, you know, I think if there's like a formula for building chemistry with someone, then I have yet to hear it. You know, it's I think it just sort of happens.

9:43I said this the other day. I feel like what was so beautiful about filming this episode by episode is that as John and Carolyn sort of met and had that instant chemistry, they also got to fall in love with each other throughout it. You see these sort of different stages of getting to know each other and having these lived experiences. And by portraying them, I think, and then experiencing this very unique experience of making a television show together. And I think Paul really knows me in a way that no one else does because no one else really understands it like you do. But we were also able to, you know, sort of fall in love as actors.

10:21And even just from the very beginning, there was a sense of trust and like, you know, we're in it together and it only works if we both show up. Did you ever have any concerns or misgivings or feel intimidated by the certain like tragic or news making elements of this family you'd be representing? Obviously, you know, people know their story and it's a lot of responsibility to take that on, I think. Yeah, of course. I mean, that was such a huge element of something that gave me pause and was always on my mind. And obviously that part of the stories was one of the last things we filmed. but I think immediately like I said in the initial audition in those scenes without even having conversations at that point with Ryan Murphy and Connor Hans, our writer there was such a kindness and I think everyone was trying to avoid a sense of sensationalism but I think the premise of the show was what can we take of these moments that we know of their timeline and infer what the conversations behind closed doors might have been.

11:34And I think that there was always a very delicate kind and like investigative with the sense of what felt the most true. I don't know, I guess it could have gone cheap, I guess, in a way. And I don't think that was what was interesting to us or interesting to the creative team behind it. But I certainly was nervous to film those scenes toward the very end. And it's always strange as an actor trying to finish a story. You know, how do you bring a sense of finality to these people's lives that were completely interrupted? So I think that was, I would just go to bed thinking about that. And, you know, even after we did the scenes as well, you know, there's just a sense of wonder of what they actually were experiencing and, you know, leading up to that as well, of what the truth really was.

12:27More with Paul Anthony Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon after a quick break.

12:46So let's talk about when you started doing those test shoots outside. There was a lot of noise about the hair and makeup, costumes. can you talk about how that informed the creation of both of your characters especially I mean this might come as a surprise but Sarah's not a blonde if you haven't heard

13:17yes that was interesting it was something new for me you know I've I've been working a bit but I've never had outside interests. Well, you know, the cake isn't even made. Like I'm barely getting the ingredients together and I'm trying to figure out what it is I'm doing. But it was never lost on me that there's, you know, a kinship to what Carolyn experienced and a heightened sense of interest in one's sartorial choices, what color their hair is. You know, we would be out and about in New York filming and there would be, just by nature of filming in the streets of New York, everyone has a phone and before they even know what project it is, they're capturing what this might be.

14:01It's so interesting. And then the paparazzi would come as well and my body would change. You have this, despite being captured on a camera during your performance, to be watched in that other way is very different. I don't particularly enjoy being perceived as Sarah, but there's something a bit more freeing when you're able to be behind this mask. And I think, wow, it's so different that Carolyn was just trying to exist in her everyday life, walking her dog, going out to dinner with her husband, and I was making a TV show. It was nice, I think, to have this shared understanding, which certainly fueled those later episodes.

14:42Can you talk about the hair journey, though? So where did you... Are you trying to go blonde? Because it takes so long. Yeah. But did you audition blonde? I had jet black, not jet black hair, but I have like Paul's coloring. And to be able to be in conversation and also have it as a tool to play with, because there are some videos of her and some photos of her that are candid from her years before she became John's girlfriend, fiance and wife. and then there's some paparazzi videos, but you carry yourself so differently when you're being stalked by a strange man. But seeing those early videos of her, she was always running her hands through her hair.

15:28She had these eyes, like her eyes were the center that she moved from. And people described her as being so compassionate and could make strangers feel like they had known each other for years. And using all this information, sort of layering that on top of each other and then looking at her physical transformation. And a lot of that was her hair. I think that was the biggest transformation that you can see. It was, she had a darker hair. It was curlier. It was wild because she had this anonymity. She was 26 years old, like running around the streets of New York City. And then as she became more and more in the public eye, it got lighter and lighter and lighter and straighter and straighter and straighter and more controlled.

16:08And I just thought that was such an interesting stone to turn over in my head of, and that impacted my physicality. And being able to see the transformation as well in the hair chair, how to take this wild, exuberant young woman and how she just gets the walls start caving in on her and how does that affect someone? And, you know, now I'm keeping it, I guess, for a while. I know a great colorist if you guys need one. Well, then you can answer for me, do blondes have more fun? Is it true? I'm still figuring that out. I'm having a great time right now. Well, obviously the show's been such an incredible hit.

16:48I always ask actors if they knew it was going to be a hit, and they always say, no, of course not. But when was the moment you realized this was catching on? Like, what was that first thing that happened that made you think, oh, people are paying attention, it's working? I think for me, when I really started to realize that it was, we had something, maybe like halfway through production, and, you know, everyone's like really in their stride, all the actors, everybody from the top down was really giving 150 % the entire production. But once we started to gather like big crowds outside, I was like, okay, people are catching on.

17:24The finished product far surpassed any idea that I had, it would be, which I'm incredibly proud of, and also very, very excited for. But, you know, you just, you go in, you want to do the best job that you can and you work with what you've got and who you're with. And just, you know, there was magic. The whole thing was lightning in a bottle. And I think we captured something really amazing. I think about halfway, we were filming episode five and we were out in Hyannis. And I was in a cashmere turtleneck and jeans. And it was like 95 degrees outside because it was August in New York. and I heard that they had gotten their first rough cut of episode one and I immediately broke out in head-to-toe hives.

18:12And I don't know if that was because it was a heat rush, but I do think, like you said, most actors, you know, we never knew. And I really, I became so fearful. It's like Schrodinger's cat, you know, it's either alive or dead. And like when I heard that they got the first draft, I was like, oh God, that cat is definitely dead. And then being able to see it, you know, it's such a different experience watching something versus being inside of it. And yeah, the finished product was so beautiful and such a tender story that was told. And it's been so exciting to see so many people react so positively.

18:44I feel very honored to embody these people that this new generation is now learning about and becoming interested in. The show explores fame, especially fame in the 90s. And then watching it now, it feels very different than how we embrace fame in 2026. Carolyn hated it, it seems. So how have you approached it, like personally playing a character for six months that really shied away from being famous and now you're famous? yeah it's understanding and then and then embodying that circus and at times like torturous experience in her life I understand that privacy is so sacred and that's harder to come by nowadays and I think in terms of fame, I don't know, I feel like I've been so busy and if I'm not out doing something like this, I'm holed up in my Brooklyn apartment and walking around my neighborhood and going to the park.

19:58So I guess I really haven't felt these, like there's way more famous people than me. so I haven't really felt this overwhelming surge of my life being changed but I think overall it's been quite positive in the sense that I feel like I've maintained a sense of self and it's been a positive response from people that it's been lovely being recognized for something that people have resonated with versus thinking about Carolyn and that her feet were held to the fire for pursuing a relationship with a man that she loved. And Paul, so JFK Jr. was great at being famous. Did you learn from him in this experience?

20:46Do you ever cosplay as him? Every time I do something like this, I really channel him. Yeah, you know, there's a lot of things from John that I carry with me on a daily basis now. I mean, I live under a rock when I'm not doing things like this in the Pacific Northwest, and I love it. But coming out and being at the forefront and being with people and getting this praise for this job that I did, I really try and channel my inner John of it all. You know, it's a confidence. It's a confidence. It's charisma. It's just having fun with people. You know, it's pretty great, really. so I'm so curious which what happens after you have a breakout performance like this what are the next steps in your career you both have signed on or are already working on your next projects but did you take a minute to talk to your teams and be like this is what I want to do next did anyone give you advice about what to do after a breakout moment like this um I definitely talk to my team about things that I would like to do next uh and they're all totally different than this yeah like oh i really want to play a villain oh like really badly i would love to do that or like a period piece in the year 1100 or you know like something something totally different i feel like i i did pretty well here and because of this i now am more of a confident actor and confident human just overall um so now i want to take bigger swings and and explore creative and complex characters and great storytelling.

22:26Sarah, I love you. Yeah, I think it's, there's this like sense of preciousness that I had to work through because, you know, how do you follow up something that was so fulfilling and meaningful and made an impact? But the advice I got was, you know, go with great filmmakers, go with a script that excites you. I mean, I guess pretty basic stuff. But I think what I've been finding, because life has changed a little bit, I guess I've been doing this since I was 21 professionally. I'm 30 next month. um no thank you um uh so i guess eight nine years and you know but before this i really had to fight and i would go into so many auditions and i wouldn't get them and i'd ask my team for the post-mortem and they'd be like oh you're making fans and i go when is are these fans going to give me a job you know but then you work and work and work on these auditions and i felt like the time period of you know getting the audition and then getting the job felt much longer.

23:30Whereas now I feel very grateful that I can, whether or not I still have to fight for jobs, whether or not I actually get them, you get in a bit earlier. And I've been having to ask myself, like, what type of artist do I want to be? What type of career do I want to have? And that's been happening, gratefully, in quicker succession, which I think has made it a bit more intense, you know, because I rarely have the answer to that. You know, it's so, this career is so funny because it's not a corporate ladder. It's so nonlinear. And there's no crystal ball. You don't, every single time you say yes to a job, you say no to however many others.

24:06And you never know if, even with a great filmmaker, great cast, great script, it might not work out. So I think just trying to go towards something that also feels like the experience of making it feels very fulfilling and like a growth opportunity and an inspired moment in my life.

24:28We're going to take another break. Stick around for more of our live conversation with the stars of Love Story.

24:50Welcome back to Little Gold Men. Well, we're going to jump to audience questions. So this is from David. After living under the skin of real life celebrities, how has your own personality as actors slash people changed over the course of before, during and after filming love story? Well, that's a good question. You know, living in the skin of these characters, I think really for me, I can't speak for you, but for me really, you know, built my confidence. and that's something I keep going back to because I always knew I wanted to do this and I tried for a heck of a long time to do it and there was a lot of years of no's until finally it was yes and then I didn't really have this confidence because of that but I knew I was capable but then I got to put on this mask of someone who was extremely confident and charismatic and in that it kind of instilled that within myself and now there's this celebrity aspect of the whole thing, but it's really just being comfortable in your own skin, knowing your own worth, knowing what you're capable of and where you want to excel and learn and strive to be better.

26:04I think that was something that was ongoing through the whole process for me, and now it's something that's ongoing through life as I try to excel in other roles and realms. um playing john f kennedy jr was really like the wings i needed um yeah it's incredible really cool i am so grateful to have played carolyn because she was so vivacious so self-possessed um had strong opinions and really uh fought for them to be heard and i think i'm from the midwest I'm very people-pleasy I feel like I in a way by by embodying Carolyn I was able to take on some of those characteristics that she had to be able to be the advocate that I think she you know I wanted to be for her and this is what I want to show this is what I think is important we only have nine episodes and how do you encapsulate six and a half years of someone's life let alone a whole entire person in nine episodes of a miniseries or limited and so I think you know I'm so grateful and if I if like half of her amazing qualities rubbed off onto me then I would you know consider myself even just a very lucky girl but I think anytime you play a character you know because it is such a it's a practice of empathy you inevitably come away being influenced by them and your your mindset and attitude being altered this question is for Michelle Wow.

27:39Sarah, you starred in Stereophonic. Has there been any talk about doing a movie version or filming the show for TV? There's certainly, it's certainly been talks. I mean, that play really just went to Off-Broadway and I had no idea that it was going to go to Broadway. And then, I mean, the idea of maybe making it into a movie would be, I wouldn't put it past them. I think it is in discussion. it's about the making of an album and it all takes place in a recording studio so i think it would be very i'd be so interested to see the creative decisions that are made to you know how do you take something that is quite theatrical and and turn that into a movie but i yeah if anyone can do it it's david adjami who wrote the play all right we've got one from ben here uh what roles would you like to see each other take on in the future oh oh wait what's that biopic you want to do?

28:32Shoot. Not Gene Kelly. No, but that would be fun. I mean, I think he could play Paul Newman as well. I mean, like the movie star looks. But who's the guy? Dean Martin. Oh, yeah. That's what I want for Paul. What would I want to see you in? Yeah, I don't know. I'd love to see you in some sci-fi. Okay. Yeah. Some futuristic sci-fi space wars. I'll take it. Yeah. Perfect. There you go. All right. Let's get a project on. Strength of numbers. This question is from Rachel. Did playing these characters make you think at all about how you protect your own private lives as you get into the spotlight? My gosh.

29:17Yeah, absolutely. Privacy for me is incredibly important. It's certainly at this time in my life where the career is starting to take off. I'm definitely more in the public. And then I just had a child. So this is very, thank you. Yeah, firstborn. So we really want to protect them at all costs because they have no agency at the moment. So yeah, it's nice. I love to be able to, I look at myself as an introverted extrovert where I love to come and do these things with fine folks like yourselves and be out there and get recognition for the hard work that we all put into this show. And we're all so proud of it.