In your new profile, GQPaul Anthony Kelly is at a crossroads: a model who has worked for many years is suddenly thrust into the realm of leading roles as the face of a love story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. The timing couldn’t be more acute. With the series now available to stream and dominating the headlines, Kelly is no longer a secret among industry insiders, but the internet’s latest hot topic.
And yes, chest hair has its own fan base.
Kelly, 37, was cast by Ryan Murphy to play John F. Kennedy Jr., a charismatic political heir who blurs the lines between civil servant and tabloid prince. This role requires more than just a resemblance. Kennedy remains frozen in the memory of biking around Tribeca, jogging in compression shorts, and turning fleece and headbands into fashion themes. To Gen Z’s “old money” aesthetic, he’s more of a Pinterest board than a historical figure.
Murphy’s team needed someone who could evoke that appeal without parody. Kelly is a Canadian model who has worked on runways and catalogs for nearly 20 years, but is not a household name. That anonymity was part of the appeal. No luggage. There is no pre-written story.
The result is a star born that emphasizes Kennedy’s physicality while also building on him as a human being. The pilot wastes no time establishing the fantasy. Biking around downtown Manhattan in a suit, then shirtless at the gym, then fully conscious of the camera’s gaze. The show understands that JFK Jr. was one of the first modern people to be both a political scion and a pin-up.
What they probably didn’t expect was how much attention viewers would pay to Kelly’s body hair.
In an interview with GQ, Kelly didn’t ruffle her hair when asked about being the object of online lust, especially when it comes to the topic of breasts. he accepted it.
“Why not? Listen, every saddle has a butt.”
This is the kind of line that instantly escapes its original context and becomes meme-ready. But beneath the humor is something much sharper. In an era where male leads are often waxed, filtered, and manipulated into algorithm-approved physiques, Kelly offers something less constructed. Broad shoulders, athletic ability, and distinctly human.
He talked about spending years modeling according to clients’ requests, including shaving and trimming to match the campaign’s aesthetic. For him, acting means change. Expectations are not perfect. It’s presence. And if that includes chest hair that sends TikTok into a spiral, so be it.
ryan murphy launchpad
Murphy has built a reputation for anointing new internet boyfriends. From Glen Powell to David Corenswet to Charles Melton, his projects often serve as a fascinating introduction to leading men with classic charm.
Kelly fits that pedigree, but arrives with an edge. Before there were tailored suits and presidential posture, there were goth teenagers in Toronto experimenting with eyeliner and punk elements. He still has nearly 30 tattoos under his JFK Jr. wardrobe. That contrast works in his favor. He can sell Brooks Brothers polishes without feeling like a museum.
This duality may explain why this performance resonates so well. Rather than imitating Kennedy as a marble statue, Kelly plays Kennedy as a human being who survives intense scrutiny, is worshiped, photographed, critiqued, and, ultimately, human.
Legacy and scrutiny
Painting JFK Jr. means inheriting decades of projection. His image as an American royal was temporarily suspended when he and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy died in 1999. The series revisits not only their romance, but also the mechanics surrounding it, media attention, public feuds, fashion analysis, and political speculation.
The film has faced criticism from members of the Kennedy family, including Jack Schlossberg. Kelly largely avoided direct confrontation, instead framing the project as an attempt to tell a love story rather than capitalize on heritage. This is a line to walk carefully, especially for actors stepping into their first major role.
Still, early responses suggest the gamble paid off. The show has topped the streaming charts, and Kelly’s follower count has skyrocketed accordingly. Fan edits, thirsty tweets, and speculative casting threads are already circulating. The internet got a new boyfriend.
older, wiser, indifferent
What makes Kelly’s climb feel different is the timing. At 37 years old, he’s not a rising star who just graduated from drama school. He survived the instability of modeling, overcame body standards, overcame growing up stages, and now sees himself objectively. That maturity seems to soften the whiplash of sudden fame.
in GQhe comes across as someone who is aware of the moment but not obsessed with it, rather than a guy rushing to capitalize on momentum. There’s certainly ambition, with executive producers hinting at the possibility of a Cary Grant-style screwball comedy, but there’s also a sense of stability.
And maybe that’s what quiet sabotage is all about. In a culture obsessed with optimization, Kelly’s appeal lies in something much simpler. It’s just that he looks comfortable the way he is.
Chest hair is also included.
If Hollywood was looking for the next sophisticated superhero, it might have found someone more interesting, a leading man who doesn’t have to strip down details to fit into a box.
Source: Gayety – gayety.com
