Who Is Paul Anthony Kelly? All About the Actor Playing John F. Kennedy Jr. on 'Love Story'

Paul Anthony Kelly steps into the shoes of America's once most eligible bachelor, John F. Kennedy Jr., on FX's Love Story.

The 37-year-old actor, who was born in Port McNicoll, Ontario, on October 1, 1988, is the eldest of four children.

"I'm from Canada. Small town. Port McNicoll. Middle of nowhere. Moved to Toronto, got scouted for modeling, did that for a long time, which got me to New York," he told Interview Magazine. "From there, I really wanted to start acting."

Long before he launched his acting career, Kelly began turning heads as a model. He previously worked for brands like Brooks Brothers and Bonobos while appearing in commercials.

He was then signed to Innovative Artists in the U.S.

"Moved to Toronto. Got scouted for modeling. Saw the world. It's great work but I felt pretty pigeonholed. I started doing commercials and got picked up by Innovative [Artists]. They took me under their wing for talent and held on to me for like, 10 years, just knowing something would hit. Then I auditioned for this in February," he told Interview Magazine.

His contract with Ford Models helped him secure a spot on Vivienne Westwood's Spring 2014 Menswear runway.

"I wore eyeliner and I was wearing the tightest jeans and pointy shoes I could find, and it was quite a look," he revealed to GQ. "And they saw past it."

Based on an Instagram post, the model-turned-actor tied the knot with his wife, Syd Widziszewski-Kelly, in May 2023. The couple made their red carpet debut at the Met Opera Opening Night Gala in New York City on September 21, 2025.

In a February episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, Paul Anthony confirmed he and Syd welcomed their first child.

He told Interview Magazine they found out they were expecting a child on the day of his producer callback.

"We're in Portland. That's our home base now, my wife and I. So I do the Zoom, and right before we're about to go for dinner for our second wedding anniversary, she tells me we're pregnant," he shared.

Paul Anthony has more than 30 tattoos — some of which, he said, are "aggressive" inks.

"I don't think I was ever that person, just finding myself in dark days, going through relationship woes and traveling all the time," he told GQ, admitting he had thought of having them removed. "Just being in this little box as a model but meant to just fit the bill—this was my way of like, acting out."

The Canadian model had a minor role in two episodes of Canadian TV drama Body Language, which aired from 2008 to 2010. He also performed in productions, including You Can't Take It with You and Can’t Live Without 'Em, under The Group Rep theatre company.

Ten years after setting out to pursue acting, he was tapped to portray JFK Jr. on Love Story — marking his first major role.

"Stepping into the characterization of John F. Kennedy Jr. definitely has a lot of weight to it," he admitted to The Hollywood Reporter.

"Because of that, the care and integrity that I had to bring — to find the truth in the whole story — was essential. A lot of it is imagining what would happen behind closed doors given their circumstances," he added. "We tried to be as conscientious and truthful as possible about what that would look like. He's just such a beloved figure — you want to do right by him."