Paul Anthony Kelly knows what a big deal it is to portray John F. Kennedy Jr.
Paul plays the beloved figure in Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette portraying the titular beloved figure JFK Jr. alongside Sarah Pidgeon as Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy.
The 37-year-old is "nervous for [the show] to come out."
"For this to be my first big production, playing someone so beloved, I mean, it's definitely not lost on me," Kelly, 37, told People. "I really had to tighten up my bootstraps and do deep dives, learn everything I could."
Paul "knew a little bit about" the real-life couple before getting cast in the Ryan Murphy series, but "definitely, during this whole process, I really got to know them, I think, pretty well. Within reason, of course."
"I'm from Canada, so it's not necessarily our cultural zeitgeist," he explained. "But I was familiar with who they are — or were."
The actor, who’s making his debut with the project, felt "very, very fortunate" that there was such a "wealth of information" available on JFK Jr. so he could prepare well.
"He's a very well-documented individual, so I was able to consistently go back and rely, review, interpret that information," he said.
"The whole experience was like lightning in a bottle," the actor added. "The whole process in making it was an incredible experience. A wonderful cast, wonderful crew, producers, writers — everything."
Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessettepremieres on FX and Hulu on Feb. 12.