Michael Bergin’s Controversial Memoir Returns to Public Eye as New Series Revisits Carolyn Bessette Era
The premiere of the dramatized series Love Story on Feb. 12, 2026 (ET) has refocused attention on Michael Bergin, the model-turned-actor who later published a memoir alleging a personal relationship with Carolyn Bessette. The on-screen depiction and Bergin’s own past statements have reignited debate about memoir ethics, privacy and the line between memory and public narrative.
On-screen portrayal sparks renewed scrutiny
The new series dramatizes the courtship and early romance that captured headlines decades ago and includes a portrayal of Bergin in the period before Bessette’s high-profile relationship began. The show frames Bergin as an aspiring model who later rose to prominence in underwear campaigns and television, and the brief scenes have prompted viewers to revisit Bergin’s version of events from the 1990s and early 2000s.
The memoir that stirred controversy
In early 2004, Bergin published a memoir titled The Other Man: A Love Story in which he laid out claims of a romantic relationship with Bessette. In the book he described a relationship that he said overlapped with key moments in her life. At the time he explained, "I just wanted closure... I’m the only one left in this, like, love triangle still living, and I want to just move on with my life, with my kids, with my fiancée, and get on with my life. " The memoir’s release provoked immediate debate about motive, timing and propriety.
Pushback, denials and the problem of posthumous claims
Questions greeted Bergin’s assertions from the start. Critics argued the claims could not be tested against Bessette’s account because she died in a plane crash on July 16, 1999 (ET). Prominent commentators at the time labeled the book an invasion of privacy, and friends of Bessette later disputed the idea that she had an affair during her marriage in a 2024 biography of Bessette. Those rebuttals left the public with competing narratives and no definitive way to reconcile them.
Where Bergin is now: family life and a career pivot
More than two decades after the memoir, Bergin has shifted away from the spotlight. He works in real estate in Southern California and is married to Joy; the couple share two children. Their son is a pitcher in the minor leagues and their daughter has followed her father into modeling. Bergin has said he stepped back from acting by choice: "I’ve been out of the spotlight for a while, and that’s because I chose to be out of it, " he has commented, noting a focus on family and building his real estate business with his wife.
Why the debate continues
The recent dramatized retelling of the era has reopened conversations about memory, celebrity and accountability. Memoirs that make personal allegations about people who cannot respond raise enduring ethical questions: when is sharing a private past a bid for closure, and when is it an exploitation of public curiosity? For now, the release of the series has simply returned Michael Bergin’s story to public view, reminding audiences that some chapters of public life remain unsettled long after the headlines fade.
