You know the name. You know the triumphs and tragedies. Now it’s time to go beyond the headlines and textbooks with Kennedy, an upcoming drama series that uncovers the intimate truths at the heart of one of America’s most notorious dynasties.

Two-time Oscar nominee Michael Fassbender will star in Kennedy as Joe Kennedy Sr., the patriarch of the infamous family. Joining Fassbender as series regulars are Laura Donnelly as Rose Kennedy, Nick Robinson as Joe Kennedy Jr., and Joshuah Melnick as Jack Kennedy. Kennedy will feature recurring cast members Ben Miles as Eddie Moore, Lydia Peckham as Rosemary Kennedy, Saura Lightfoot-Leon as Kick Kennedy, Cole Doman as Lem Billings, and Imogen Poots as Gloria Swanson. You can see the full cast list of the series, below.

Inspired by Fredrik Logevall’s book JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917–1956, the historical drama kicks off long before a Kennedy lived in the White House. Instead, Kennedy takes viewers to the 1930s as Joe Sr., his wife Rose, and their nine children begin to capture the attention of a nation. Kennedy, from showrunner and executive producer Sam Shaw (Manhattan, Masters of Sex), follows its titular brood through the romances and rivalries that molded them — and American culture’s very DNA.

“The story of the Kennedys is the closest we have to American mythology — somewhere between Shakespeare and The Bold and the Beautiful,” Shaw tells Tudum. “But Fredrik Logevall’s stunning, nuanced biography pulls a veil on the human strivings and burdens behind the myth, revealing as much about our present moment, how we got here and where we’re going, as about the Kennedys themselves. I’m thrilled to be able to explore this saga of a family and a world in transition with Eric Roth, Thomas Vinterberg and our incredible band of artists and partners, at a moment when our past feels urgently present.”

Production on the series has just kicked off, and the drama is currently filming in London. You can take a peek behind the scenes with the photo above of Fassbender as Joe Kennedy Sr. Keep reading below for a seat at the Kennedy family table, and learn the series’ plot, cast, creative team and more. 

What is Kennedy about? 

Kennedy reveals the intimate lives, loves, rivalries, and tragedies that shaped the most iconic dynasty in modern history, and helped create the world we live in today. Beginning in the 1930s, the first season charts the improbable ascent of Joe and Rose Kennedy and their nine children, including the rebellious second son, Jack, who struggles to escape the shadow of his golden-boy older brother. 

Who is in the Kennedy cast? 

The Killer’s Michael Fassbender will lead the series as the head of the sprawling family, but here’s a list of everyone who will be joining the Kennedy clan, as part of the family or adjacent to it.

• Michael Fassbender (The Agency, Black Bag) as Joe Kennedy Sr., the patriarch of the Kennedy family and a self-made multimillionaire who served as the US Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 1938 to 1940.
• Laura Donnelly (The Nevers, Sugar) as Rose Kennedy, the matriarch of the Kennedy family, who raised nine children while managing the household’s transition into the global political spotlight.  
• Nick Robinson (A Teacher, Maid) as Joe Kennedy Jr., the eldest child and first son of Joe Kennedy Sr. and Rose Kennedy, who served as a naval aviator during World War II and was the first in the family to be groomed for a political career. 
• Joshuah Melnick as Jack Kennedy, the second child and second son of Joe Kennedy Sr. and Rose Kennedy, who served as a commander in the US Navy before his eventual election as the 35th President of the United States. 
• Ben Miles (Andor, The Crown) as Eddie Moore, a longtime confidant and personal secretary to Joe Kennedy Sr., who also served as a key administrative and political aide during the family's rise in Boston and London.
• Lydia Peckham (Robin Hood, Nuremberg) as Rosemary Kennedy, the third child of Joe Kennedy Sr. and Rose Kennedy.
• Saura Lightfoot-Leon (The Agency: Central Intelligence, Hoard, American Primeval) as Kick Kennedy, the fourth child of Joe Kennedy Sr. and Rose Kennedy.
• Cole Doman (The Mastermind, Mutt) as Lem Billings, a close friend and preparatory school roommate of Jack Kennedy, who remained a lifelong associate and fixture within the Kennedy family inner circle.
• Imogen Poots (The Chronology of Water, All of You) as Gloria Swanson, a legendary star of the silent film era and early Hollywood who became a significant business associate of Joe Kennedy Sr. during his tenure in the film industry. 
• Georgina Bitmead (Heartstopper, The Assassin) plays Eunice Kennedy, the fifth child of Joe Kennedy Sr. and Rose Kennedy.
• Miley Locke (Amandaland, There She Goes) plays younger Kick Kennedy, the fourth child of Joe Kennedy Sr. and Rose Kennedy.
• Tipper Seifert-Cleveland (Crookhaven, Cruella) plays younger Rosemary Kennedy, the third child of Joe Kennedy Sr. and Rose Kennedy.
• Hera Hilmar (See, Reykjavik Fusion) plays Inga Arvad, a Danish journalist and former motion picture star who was a close associate of Jack Kennedy during the early 1940s.
• Wyatt Russell (Monarch, Thunderbolts) plays Charles Lindbergh, the American aviator who achieved international fame for making the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight in 1927.
• Patrick Fischler (Barry, Paradise) plays Arthur Krock, an influential American journalist who served as the Washington bureau chief for The New York Times from 1932 to 1953. 
• Caitlin FitzGerald (Succession, Station Eleven) plays Clare Boothe Luce, a prominent American writer and socialite in the Kennedy circle during the late 1930s, who went on to serve in the US House of Representatives from 1943 to 1947.
• Louis Landau (Rivals, Butterfly) plays Billy Cavendish, the Marquess of Hartington and a member of the British aristocracy.
• Robin Soans (Victoria & Abdul, The Queen) plays Neville Chamberlain, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1937 to 1940, known for his leadership during the years leading up to World War II.
• Denis O’Hare (The Boroughs, American Horror Story) plays Raymond Furness, a career official within the US State Department who served at the US embassy in London during the late 1930s.
• Albert Welling (Succession, Mr Bates vs. the Post Office) plays Sir Winston Churchill, the British statesman and First Lord of the Admiralty, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955.
• Toby Huss (Weapons, Halt & Catch Fire) plays Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States who served from 1933 until his death in 1945.
• Eddie Marsan (No Ordinary Heist, Ray Donovan) plays J. Edgar Hoover, the first director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), who led the agency from its inception in 1935 until 1972. 

Who is on the Kennedy creative team? 

Castle Rock creator Sam Shaw is Kennedy’s showrunner and executive producer. Thomas Vinterberg (Festen, The Hunt, Another Round) is also an EP, and will direct the first and last episodes. The other executive producers are Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping and Kaitlin Dahill for Chernin Entertainment, Eric Roth, Fredrik Logevall, Lila Byock, Anya Epstein, Dustin Thomason, and Anna O’Malley.  

When is Kennedy coming to Netflix?

There’s no word yet on when the drama’s eight episodes will stream, but you can keep coming back to Tudum to learn more about Kennedy’s family secrets and find out everything there is to know about the series. 

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