Cinema News: Love and tragedy under the ‘90s spotlight

February 20, 2026 | View in browser

A man and woman slow dance surrounded by lit up lanterns

By Yvonne Villarreal, Maira Garcia and Robert Lloyd

Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone who is feeling mighty nostalgic about the '90s and early aughts.

On Thursday night, we learned that Eric Dane died at 53 after a battle with ALS, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig's disease. The actor was known for his mid-2000s role on ABC's medical drama "Grey's Anatomy," where he earned the moniker "McSteamy" as Dr. Mark Sloan, a plastic surgeon. Coincidentally, yesterday marked the 20th anniversary of his first appearance on "Grey's." More recently, he appeared in HBO's teen drama "Euphoria" as Cal Jacobs, a very complex father to Nate (Jacob Elordi), one of the central characters. The actor will appear posthumously in the show's third season when it returns in April. Dane remained busy in the past couple of years, having also appeared in the one-season action series "Countdown" on Prime Video and in an episode of ABC's "Brilliant Minds." If you want to go further on Dane, Netflix announced this morning that an episode of the docuseries "Famous Last Words" featuring the actor was available. The show consists of an interview with a notable subject, and is only released posthumously.

If you want another trip down memory lane, last week saw the arrival of FX's "Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette," which takes a closer look at the famous couple who unexpectedly met a tragic end. The show fully immerses you in the culture of New York in the '90s, complete with Calvin Klein ads, tabloid magazines with zany headlines and partying at the Roxy nightclub. Connor Hines, the creator of "Love Story," spoke to us about the show, which you can read below.

Also in this week's Screen Gab, we recommend an Irish series on Netflix from the creator of "Derry Girls" and another nostalgic docuseries about "America's Next Top Model."

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Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times

"How to Get to Heaven From Belfast" (Netflix)

Lisa McGee, whose "Derry Girls" was the toast of 2018, returns with another comedy of Irish women in a mad place. Three friends since school travel to a one-taxi, one-hotel town for the wake of an estranged fourth: Saoirse (Roisin Gallagher), an award-winning television writer who can't seem to keep her engagement ring on her finger; Robyn (Sinéad Keenan), a busy, bored rich wife and mother; and Dara (Caoilfhionn Dunne), who has been stuck, or has stuck herself, caring for her mother. All share a dark secret they hope to keep buried, but which has begun to poke its head above ground. What, and who, they find, and don't find, kicks off a manic mystery, served with a side of car trouble, hangovers, a storm, a blackout, oddball supporting characters and a little romance, not necessarily in that order, with sharp, funny dialogue driving it along. And that's just the beginning. — Robert Lloyd

"Reality Check: America's Next Top Model" (Netflix)

"We were all rooting for you!" was the cry heard 'round the world from Tyra Banks, the host and creator of the reality TV series that aimed to find the next fresh face of magazine covers and fashion runways. But viewers learn in this docuseries that what we saw on screen didn't tell the whole story. From allegations of sexual assault to discord among the judges, "America's Next Top Model" had a lot of problems, many of them relating to the fact that a show like it hadn't been done and producers were inexperienced in handling serious issues on set. "Reality Check" features candid interviews with former contestants including Shandi Sullivan, Keenyah Hill, Tiffany Richardson (recipient of that famous "rooting" speech) and Banks herself. — Maira Garcia

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The latest anthology series produced by Ryan Murphy dramatizes the true-life romance between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette that gripped the culture in the '90s. Nearly three decades after their tragic deaths, FX's "Love Story" revisits the tumultuous seven-year relationship between the pair. JFK Jr. (Paul Anthony Kelly) spent his life navigating the public spotlight as the son and namesake of an assassinated (and beloved) president, and Bessette (Sarah Pidgeon) was a publicist working at Calvin Klein. Inspired by Elizabeth Beller's book "One Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy," the nine-episode series chronicles the couple's whirlwind romance and their struggle to maintain their relationship under intense media scrutiny before their deaths in a 1999 plane crash. The first four episodes are streaming now on Hulu and Disney+, with new episodes released weekly on Thursdays. Connor Hines, who created the series, stopped by Guest Spot to discuss what intrigued him about the couple's plight and the early aughts rom-com that he admires. — Yvonne Villarreal

You were a child when the love story of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette — as well as that fateful flight — generated intense media attention. What do you remember about their story? What stood out then?

My father commuted into Manhattan every day for work and always brought home the New York Post. I have vivid memories of seeing photos of them splashed across the cover. I knew about the Kennedy family, of course, but I couldn't fully grasp the choke hold John F. Kennedy Jr. had on the country at the time. The scale of the fascination was something I only truly understood later.

Why does this story feel worth revisiting now? And did any modern couples in the spotlight become reference points as you unpacked questions about public fascination while weaving together this story?

We're living in an attention economy, so a couple beset by obsession and scrutiny feels especially resonant right now. There are, unfortunately, far too many examples of women who marry high-profile figures only to be harangued for expressing anything other than gratitude and graciousness. That dynamic hasn't disappeared — it's simply evolved.

The series grapples with the media invasion that swirled around them. Some critics contend that dramatizing their story for television reignites it. How do you see it? And how did that inform your approach to telling this story?

They've been memorialized as these beautiful, one-dimensional fashion figures whose marriage buckled under immense pressure. The series felt like an opportunity to course-correct a dated and misogynistic narrative, especially surrounding Carolyn — and to add dimension to two people who were far more complex than the images and tabloid stories written about them.

You seemingly had a lot of material to draw from and public moments in their relationship timeline to focus on. What was a moment that most fascinated you?

I was personally drawn to Carolyn's rich life before she became a public figure. She was incredibly sharp, savvy and dynamic — she ascended from folding sweaters at a Calvin Klein store in the mall to becoming a muse and trusted advisor to Calvin Klein himself. I don't think people fully appreciate how much she gave up to be with John.

What have you watched recently that you are recommending to everyone you know?

"Dying for Sex" [Hulu, Disney+]. "Adolescence" [Netflix].

What's your go-to "comfort watch," the movie or TV show you go back to again and again?

"Something's Gotta Give" [Tubi], or anything by Nora Ephron. I'm also an unapologetic champion of the Bravo network.