They had seen all male actors between 25 and 38 years old, also checked out Instagram models, and even approached people on the street and in gyms. But nothing.
As confirmed by People magazine, it was successful producer Ryan Murphy who suggested reviewing all the self-tapes received and, after careful selection, Paul Anthony Kelly appeared.
This way, the 37-year-old Canadian makes his debut as an actor in the role of one of the most attractive characters in recent American history. The first three episodes of the nine that make up the series premiered in Spain on February 12 on Disney+.
Born in Port McNicoll (Ontario), a small town "in the middle of nowhere," as Paul Anthony has stated in his recent interviews, his childhood and adolescence passed without major ups and downs. In high school, he was very popular due to his physical attractiveness that he maintains through gym workouts.
Aware that he could make a living as a model, he moved to Toronto, where he signed with an agency that got him jobs to walk the runway for brands like Brooks Brothers and Bonobos, as well as in advertisements. Gradually, he began to feel too typecast, so he expanded his horizons in search of professional opportunities, which led him to pursue acting.
After signing with the agency Innovative Artists, he moved to New York and later to Los Angeles, where for a decade he kept auditioning without achieving the expected results. Paul Anthony considers himself a positive and resilient person, so he continued to bet on his future. He finally landed a role in The Venery of Samantha Bird, but it was never released.
Meanwhile, he participated in theatrical productions like You Can't Take It With or Can't Live Without 'Em, but none of them managed to attract producers' attention. Along the way, there were many disappointments, the competition was fierce, but he never gave up.
In recent years, he found special emotional support in his girlfriend, Syd Widziszewski, a production manager for several films like Don't Worry Darling and Black Maria.They got married in 2023 and a year later, Paul Anthony wrote a beautiful dedication to his wife on Instagram: "A year ago, we got married, and since that day I have been the happiest and healthiest person I could be. I love you more than words can do justice. For several more lives...".
This 2026 is going to be his year. Not only for portraying John Kennedy Jr, but also because he is debuting in fatherhood. In fact, the baby could have already been born, but there is no official confirmation yet because Paul Anthony and Syd want to continue protecting their privacy.
Undoubtedly, this January is nothing like that of 2025, when the couple lived between Altadena and Pasadena, one of the areas affected by the devastating California wildfire. Following this scare, the actor and the producer moved to Portland with their beloved dog Malcolm.
Last September, they walked the red carpet together for the first time at the opening season gala of the Metropolitan Opera in New York.