And we’ve got an exclusive excerpt.
The pair have a glamorous, passionate romance, tailed by the ever-present paparazzi.
(Sound familiar?)
John F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife Carolyn in 1999 in New York.Evan Agostini/Liaison
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: The story is loosely inspired by John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette’s romance.
Anyone who follows you on social media knowshow much you love those two.
How did you go from personal admiration to basing a novel on them?
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine Duchess of Cambridge, and their children George, Charlotte, and Louis.BBC Children in Need/Comic Relief via Getty
Of course, as we all know, their story ended just as tragically as his father’s.
And it was that unfulfilled promise and those questions of “What if?”
that really inspired this book.
Author Emily Giffin; the book jacket for Meant to Be.Harold Daniels
What kind of research did you do?
Was there anything you learned that you didn’t know about them before?
You lived in New York during the heyday of their relationship.
How did your experience then inform the book?
How is it different?
What do you think it is about the ’90s that seems to be resurging in pop culture now?
How were you able to reimagine their story?
Was there some wish fulfillment involved?
Who do you see as modern icons today?
Do you think it’s possible to be icons now in the way John and Carolyn were?
How is fame different now than it was in the timeMeant to Beis set?
What’s next for you?
Anything going on in the film adaptation world?
I’m also hopeful that we’ll seeMeant to Beon the big (or small) screen.
I can’t wait to hear your casting ideas for Cate and Joe!
Read an excerpt fromMeant to Be, out now.
Order thefull book here.
In the spring of 1995, I was in the Hamptons on yet another Obsession shoot.
That day was actually sunny and sixty, but the wind still made it feel like winter.
The one and only Joe Kingsley.
Curtis, my favorite makeup artist and close friend, saw him at the same time.
“Holy shit, girl!
Is that who I think it is?”
he whisper-shouted, grabbing my arm.
In fact, almost everyone I knew had encountered him at some point.
Look at those legs.
It was equal parts adorable and absurd.
“And I love Thursday,” Curtis said.
That’s the name of his dog."
We kept staring as Joe flung a Frisbee toward the ocean and Thursday bounded after it.
The latter seemed more likely.
“Mercy,” Curtis breathed.
“That’s thesexiestman to ever walk the Earth.
Dead or alive.”
“Dead men can’t walk,” I said, blowing my nose.
I was starting to catch a cold.
“I wonder if he’s still with Margaret Braswell "
“Margaret Braswell?”
I said, remembering the petite brunette Joe had dated when he was at Harvard.
I hadn’t heard her name in years.
“I thought he was dating Phoebe Mills?”
“God, girl.
He got back together with Margaret ages ago.”
I didn’t know,” I said, memories returning of my Joe Kingsley stalking days.
My thirteen-year-old self wouldn’t have believed it.
It sailed through the air, landing just feet away from us.
“Oh my God,” Curtis said.
“He did that on purpose.”
“Hesodid,” Curtis hissed under his breath, barely able to contain his excitement.
“He wants to meet you.”
“You just said he’s dating Margaret?”
Maybe they just broke up.
Or maybe they’re about to break up.
If you get my drift."
Curtis kneeled to pet him, saying, “Good boy, Thursday!
The best boy, aren’t you?”
“Get over here, you rascal,” Joe said.
Then he looked up at us and said, “Gosh, I’m sorry.
He never listens!”
“Don’t be sorry.
He’s adorable!”
“What’s his name?”
Shameless,I thought again, as Joe told him what he already knew.
What a cute name!
How’d you come up with that?"
“‘Cause I adopted him on a Thursday,” Joe said.
“And it’s the best day of the week.
You have the whole weekend to look forward to.”
“Oh my God.
Today’s Thursday!”
“What are the chances?”
“About one in seven,” I deadpanned.
Joe laughed, his face lighting up, then looked directly into my eyes.
I held his gaze, feeling a little light-headed.
I’d met celebrities before, but no one near this famous or handsome.
Overwhelmed, I had to glance away for a second.
When I looked back his way, he was still staring at me.
“I’m Joe, by the way,” he said, extending his hand.
I gave him a half smile, then shook his hand.
“I’m Cate.
And this is Curtis.”
“It’s great to meet you both,” he said, nodding earnestly.
“Oh, my goodness.
Same,” Curtis said.
“I’m a big fan.
“Thanks, man,” Joe mumbled.
A fleeting but unmistakably uncomfortable look crossed his face.
what are you guys working on today?
“Cate is our talent.
I’m sure you recognize her?”
I rolled my eyes and said, “I’m sure hedoesn’t.”
“Actually,” Joe said, staring at me with a look of deep concentration.
“Youdolook familiar.”
“Yeah, right,” I said.
He wouldn’t have been the first person to recognize me.
But it was almost always girls or gay men, with an occasional creeper thrown in.
“I’m serious,” Joe continued, his face becoming more earnest by the second.
“You lookreallyfamiliar.”
He squinted a little and then said, “Wait.
Are you on a billboard near LaGuardia?”
“Oh my God, yes!
Joe looked smug as he gave me a wink.
I never forget a face.
Not one as pretty as yours anyway.”
“So where are you from?”
“New Jersey.”
“You live there now?”
I shook my head and said, “No.
Not since high school.
I live in the city.”
Joe nodded and said, “And how long have you been modeling?”
It was something a lot of people tried to figure out by asking the same sorts of questions.
“But she’s way more than just a pretty face,” Curtis chimed in.
I shot him a look to tone it down, but he ignored it and continued to promote me.
“She’s a whole mood and nobody has more style.
She could be the next Anna Wintour.
Only not as mean.”
“Maybeas mean,” I said with a smile, hoping to shut Curtis up.
Joe laughed, then bit his lip and lowered his voice.
I’ll keep my eye out for you, for sure.”
He seemed to be flirting with me, and I suddenly felt weak butterflies-in-my-stomach and clammy-hands weak.
I told myself to get a grip.
“Yeah,” I said, glancing over at the crew who were clearly getting restless.
“Hopefully,” he said, staring into my eyes again, his face so serious.
As he held my gaze, I felt the strangest sensation.
Wefeltlike we knew him, but that was obviously only one-sided, illusory.
“Thanks, man,” Joe said, grinning at Curtis.
Then his face grew serious again as he gazed back at me, holding the card up.
“So I can call you?”
“Sure why not?”
From the bookMeant To Beby Emily Giffin.
Copyright 2022 by Emily Giffin.
