I WAS TERRIFIED - NAOMI WATTS ON PLAYING JACKIE KENNEDY AND THAT UNEXPECTED CALL. (PHOTO).

 I was terrified - Naomi Watts on playing Jackie Kennedy and that unexpected call

Naomi Watts almost turned down one of her most talked-about roles, until a call changed everything.

Speaking at an FYC panel on April 29, the actress opened up about stepping into the role of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in FX’s Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. 

According to Watts, the opportunity came directly from longtime collaborator Ryan Murphy, and her first reaction was uncertainty.

She admitted the casting did not feel obvious to her. From her perspective, she did not physically resemble the former First Lady and also felt out of place taking on such a distinctly American figure.

“I was confused at first,” she shared, questioning why she had been approached for the role at all.

Beyond her doubts, timing also stood in the way. Watts explained that she had been working non-stop and had already planned a long-delayed honeymoon with her husband, Billy Crudup, after their 2023 wedding.

Technically, she said, she was not available.

Still, Murphy remained persistent. Watts described how his encouragement gradually shifted her thinking, making the role feel achievable despite her fears.

“He makes it feel possible,” she said, adding that the idea of portraying such a widely admired public figure came with real pressure.

She acknowledged the weight attached to the role, noting that Jackie Kennedy remains one of the most recognizable and respected First Ladies in American history.

Watts also reflected on Murphy’s impact on her career, comparing his influence to that of David Lynch, who helped shape her early years in the industry. 

She credited both creatives with opening doors at different stages of her journey.

The series itself focuses on the relationship between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, tracing their romance up to the plane crash in 1999 that claimed their lives.