Sarah Pidgeon Embraces Carolyn Bessette Iconography Despite Style Backlash
Here’s the primer on Sarah Pidgeon’s latest transformation: stepping into Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s minimalistic wardrobe for Ryan Murphy’s FX series, American Love Story. The 29-year-old actress, best known from I Know What You Did Last Summer, sat down with E! News to share what it’s like to portray one of the fashion world’s most enduring style icons alongside Paul Kelly’s John F. Kennedy Jr.
Pidgeon described the journey as both exhilarating and humbling. She told E! News that from day one of filming she felt “very honored to take on this role and learn about such an incredible woman who’s endured for close to 25 years now.” The gravity of embodying a public figure who, alongside JFK Jr., tragically perished in a 1999 plane crash weighed heavily on her—yet she embraced it with gratitude. “It feels very special to become part of their legacy,” she noted, emphasizing the responsibility she feels toward Carolyn’s memory.
Inevitably, Pidgeon’s early on-set snapshots have drawn criticism from fans convinced no one could match Bessette-Kennedy’s effortless chic. Pidgeon isn’t fazed by the commentary, instead inviting skeptics to “wait and see” the final cut. Her measured response signals confidence that the full series will reveal the depth of Carolyn’s character—beyond the hats and crisp monochromatic ensembles that sparked debate on social media. As Pidgeon reminded, “Her influence goes far beyond what we wear.”
Meanwhile, audiences can also anticipate Pidgeon’s reprisal of her horror roots. She’s starring in the 2025 reboot of I Know What You Did Last Summer, due in theaters July 18. The new installment reintroduces Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Tyriq Withers, and Jonah Hauer-King, and features original franchise stars Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt returning as Ray Bronson and Julia James. Pidgeon praised their mentorship, revealing that having their blessing “really meant a lot,” while Chase Sui Wonders echoed that the returning cast’s warmth “totally dispelled the pressure.”
Beyond Pidgeon’s projects, the conversation has circled back to the broader Kennedy clan. For context, Joe and Rose Kennedy raised nine children, including John F. Kennedy, whose presidency ended abruptly in 1963, and their youngest, John F. Kennedy Jr., born in 1960. Carolyn Bessette married John Jr. in 1996, just three years before their untimely passing. The couple’s influence on politics, culture, and fashion still resonates, punctuating why this portrayal carries such weight.
That brings you up to speed. What remains to be seen is how Pidgeon will weave her own strengths into Carolyn’s poised persona—and whether viewers will crown her the new steward of a ’90s style legend. And that’s your runway report. Judge at will.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and E! News, E! Online, People Magazine
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
