Netflix has announced 'Kennedy,' an eight-episode drama series based on Fredrik Logevall’s book 'JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917-1956,' which depicts the rise of America’s most storied political dynasty.
The series will star Michael Fassbender as Joe Kennedy Sr. and begins in the 1930s, tracing the ambitions and family dynamics that shaped future President John F. Kennedy. Promising to explore both the triumphs and tragedies that fueled talk of a “Kennedy curse,” the show delves into the myth and humanity behind the iconic family.
The Kennedy family tree is extensive, complex, and powerful. The first generation of 'celebrity' Kennedys was that of JFK and his eight siblings—which included his brothers Robert and Ted, who joined him in politics.
John F. Kennedy was first elected to the US House of Representatives in 1947, and since then there hasn’t been more than a two-year period where a Kennedy wasn't holding office. The Kennedys are politicians, ambassadors, captains of industry, philanthropists, and environmental activists. At the same time, they’re seen as reckless philanderers, drug abusers, scandalmongers, and, perhaps, the victims of a curse.
Click through the following gallery to see why the Kennedys have such a complicated reputation and why many believe them to be cursed.