# Paul Anthony Kelly
**Paul Anthony Kelly** (born 1988) is a Canadian actor and former fashion model who made his screen debut starring as [John F. Kennedy Jr.](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-f-kennedy-jr) in the 2026 FX limited series *[Love Story](https://www.edgepedia.org/love-story-2026-tv-series): John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette*, created by Connor Hines and executive produced by Ryan Murphy.[1](https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/paul-anthony-kelly-love-story-interview-80231/) Before that role, his only screen credit was a two-episode part in the HBO Canada series *Body Language* (2008–2010).[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/459863/paul-anthony-kelly)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1988, Port McNicoll, Ontario, Canada[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4034850/) |
| Breakout role | John F. Kennedy Jr. in *Love Story* (FX, 2026), 9 episodes, opposite Sarah Pidgeon[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4034850/) |
| Modeling career | Nearly two decades; runway for Vivienne Westwood (Spring 2014 menswear) and catalog work for Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer, and others[4](https://www.marieclaire.com/fashion/celebrity-style/paul-anthony-kelly-jfk-junior-love-story-runway-model/) |
| Earlier screen work | *Body Language* (HBO Canada, 2008–2010), two episodes as Photo Model / Aaron[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/459863/paul-anthony-kelly) • [5](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/live-roster/paul-anthony-kelly/) |
| Follow-up roles | Mr. Nas in *American Horror Story* season 13 (2026); Douglas Garrick in *The Housemaid's Secret* (2027)[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4034850/) • [5](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/live-roster/paul-anthony-kelly/) |
| Personal life | Married Sydne Widziszewski on May 1, 2023; one child[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4034850/) |
## Early life and modeling career
Kelly grew up in Port McNicoll, a small town in Ontario, and moved to Toronto, where he was scouted for modeling while working at an [American Apparel](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-apparel) store on Queen Street East.[6](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/culture/paul-anthony-kelly-tells-mel-ottenberg-how-he-became-john-john) • [4](https://www.marieclaire.com/fashion/celebrity-style/paul-anthony-kelly-jfk-junior-love-story-runway-model/) A contract with [Ford Models](https://www.edgepedia.org/ford-models) secured him a spot on the Vivienne Westwood Spring 2014 menswear runway, and he worked in Tokyo and Hong Kong as well as in catalog and print campaigns for [Brooks Brothers](https://www.edgepedia.org/brooks-brothers), Bonobos, Banana Republic Factory, Rhone, Marine Layer, and Eddie Bauer.[4](https://www.marieclaire.com/fashion/celebrity-style/paul-anthony-kelly-jfk-junior-love-story-runway-model/) • [7](https://www.gq.com/story/how-love-storys-paul-anthony-kelly-became-jfk-jr) He has said clients often remarked on his resemblance to John F. Kennedy Jr. during his early modeling years, particularly at Brooks Brothers.[4](https://www.marieclaire.com/fashion/celebrity-style/paul-anthony-kelly-jfk-junior-love-story-runway-model/)
Modeling took him to New York, where he wanted to move into acting.[6](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/culture/paul-anthony-kelly-tells-mel-ottenberg-how-he-became-john-john) He signed with the agency Innovative Artists and pursued acting while continuing to model; the agency kept him on for about ten years.[5](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/live-roster/paul-anthony-kelly/) • [4](https://www.marieclaire.com/fashion/celebrity-style/paul-anthony-kelly-jfk-junior-love-story-runway-model/) His screen work in this period was limited to two episodes of *Body Language*, credited as Photo Model and Aaron, and a completed but unreleased part as Spencer Duffy in *The Venery of Samantha Bird*.[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/459863/paul-anthony-kelly) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4034850/) He also acted in Los Angeles stage productions, including *Mourning Son* and *You Can't Take It With You* in the summer of 2024.[4](https://www.marieclaire.com/fashion/celebrity-style/paul-anthony-kelly-jfk-junior-love-story-runway-model/)
## Love Story and the JFK Jr. role
Kelly auditioned for *Love Story* in February 2025, first with a self-tape, then a callback, a chemistry read with Sarah Pidgeon, and a screen test the following day.[4](https://www.marieclaire.com/fashion/celebrity-style/paul-anthony-kelly-jfk-junior-love-story-runway-model/) • [8](https://manabouttown.tv/features/paul-anthony-kelly) According to pop culture journalist Evan Ross Katz, the production auditioned more than 1,000 actors over six months for the role.[9](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/who-is-the-hunk-ryan-murphy-cast-as-jfk-jr/) Pidgeon, who had more on-set experience, became something of a mentor to him during the process.[10](https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/sarah-pidgeon-interview-2026/)
**Preparation.** Kelly was cast about three weeks before filming began in early June.[1](https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/paul-anthony-kelly-love-story-interview-80231/) • [6](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/culture/paul-anthony-kelly-tells-mel-ottenberg-how-he-became-john-john) He has described the hardest part of the role as becoming left-handed, since Kennedy was a lefty and Kelly is right-handed; he did everything with his left hand through six months of filming.[1](https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/paul-anthony-kelly-love-story-interview-80231/) He worked with a dialect coach and a physical trainer, listened repeatedly to Kennedy's audiobook narration of *Profiles in Courage*, and collected back issues of *[George](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-magazine)*, the magazine Kennedy co-founded.[1](https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/paul-anthony-kelly-love-story-interview-80231/) • [7](https://www.gq.com/story/how-love-storys-paul-anthony-kelly-became-jfk-jr)
**Reception.** The series premiered in February 2026 and its season finale set series records on Hulu and Disney+, with viewership nearly 20 percent ahead of the prior week's episode and more than 90 percent higher than the premiere.[11](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Paul-Anthony/) Kelly's performance drew both praise for capturing Kennedy's mannerisms and some criticism, and he appeared in press rounds including *Variety*'s Actors on Actors with Patrick Ball and *The Kelly Clarkson Show*.[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/459863/paul-anthony-kelly)
## Nearly quitting
Kelly has said he was ready to give up acting days before receiving the *Love Story* callback. A year earlier, he and his wife had evacuated after wildfires and moved to [Portland, Oregon](https://www.edgepedia.org/portland-oregon), and he was weighing a return to Canada, where health care and education were free or affordable and they had family.[12](https://www.justjared.com/2026/06/13/paul-anthony-kelly-reveals-he-was-ready-to-give-up-on-acting-before-love-story/) The callback email arrived the same day the couple learned they were expecting a child.[12](https://www.justjared.com/2026/06/13/paul-anthony-kelly-reveals-he-was-ready-to-give-up-on-acting-before-love-story/) He has described the show's success as like "strapping yourself to a rocket" and said modeling had kept the lights on but was not fulfilling.[12](https://www.justjared.com/2026/06/13/paul-anthony-kelly-reveals-he-was-ready-to-give-up-on-acting-before-love-story/)
## After Love Story
Following *Love Story*, Kelly booked two further roles. He joined the cast of Ryan Murphy's *American Horror Story* season 13, playing Mr. Nas (also credited as Young Nas) across several episodes airing in late 2026.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4034850/) • [2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/459863/paul-anthony-kelly) He was also announced in June 2026 as Douglas Garrick in *The Housemaid's Secret*, a 2027 film sequel starring [Sydney Sweeney](https://www.edgepedia.org/sydney-sweeney) and [Kirsten Dunst](https://www.edgepedia.org/kirsten-dunst).[5](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/live-roster/paul-anthony-kelly/) His shift in public profile has extended to fashion: after a year of dressing in a Kennedy-inspired register, he attended the *[American Horror Story: 13](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-horror-story-13)* premiere at New York's Hotel Chelsea in an all-black Hermès look with leather pants, styled by Warren Alfie Baker.[13](https://www.vogue.com/article/paul-anthony-kelly-american-horror-story-13-premiere)
## Personal life
Kelly married Sydne Widziszewski on May 1, 2023, and they have one child.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4034850/) He stands 6 feet 2 inches tall.[9](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/who-is-the-hunk-ryan-murphy-cast-as-jfk-jr/)
## References
1. [Suzy Woltmann (2026). "Paul Anthony Kelly on 'Love Story' + Why 'Perseverance Is Key'." Backstage.](https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/paul-anthony-kelly-love-story-interview-80231/)
2. ["Paul Anthony Kelly," TVmaze.](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/459863/paul-anthony-kelly)
3. ["Paul Anthony Kelly," IMDb.](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4034850/)
4. ["Before Playing JFK Jr. in 'Love Story', Paul Anthony Kelly Was a 'Pigeonholed' Runway Model," Marie Claire.](https://www.marieclaire.com/fashion/celebrity-style/paul-anthony-kelly-jfk-junior-love-story-runway-model/)
5. ["Paul Anthony Kelly," MN2S booking agency profile.](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/live-roster/paul-anthony-kelly/)
6. [Mel Ottenberg (2025). "Paul Anthony Kelly Tells Mel Ottenberg How He Became John-John," Interview Magazine.](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/culture/paul-anthony-kelly-tells-mel-ottenberg-how-he-became-john-john)
7. [Raymond Ang (2026). "How Love Story's Paul Anthony Kelly Became JFK Jr.," GQ.](https://www.gq.com/story/how-love-storys-paul-anthony-kelly-became-jfk-jr)
8. [Sofia Ferreira (2026). "I Would Have Been Happy Doing Bit Parts, And All Of A Sudden I'm The Guy," Man About Town.](https://manabouttown.tv/features/paul-anthony-kelly)
9. [Clare Donaldson (2025). "Who Is the Hunk Who Was Just Cast as JFK Jr.?" The Daily Beast.](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/who-is-the-hunk-ryan-murphy-cast-as-jfk-jr/)
10. ["Sarah Pidgeon Steps Into the Spotlight," Marie Claire.](https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/sarah-pidgeon-interview-2026/)
11. [Paul Anthony - Broadway & Theatre Credits, Current Shows, News, Bio, BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Paul-Anthony/)
12. [AJ Pitts (2026). "Paul Anthony Kelly Reveals He Was 'Ready to Give Up' on Acting Before 'Love Story'," Just Jared.](https://www.justjared.com/2026/06/13/paul-anthony-kelly-reveals-he-was-ready-to-give-up-on-acting-before-love-story/)
13. [Anna Cafolla (2026). "Paul Anthony Kelly Swaps JFK Jr.-Core for the Leather Daddy Uniform," Vogue.](https://www.vogue.com/article/paul-anthony-kelly-american-horror-story-13-premiere)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › Canadian actors › Surnames J to L*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license