Christina Haag, JFK Jr.'s Former Love, Talks Gaining Jackie O's Trust

By Nicki Gostin Posted Apr 12th 2011 11:40PM

Christina Haag first met John F. Kennedy Jr, when she was a teenager growing up in the cloistered world of New York's tony Upper East Side. At first friends, it was not until a decade later, after they had both graduated from Brown University and were living in New York City that they connected romantically. The pair was cast in an off-Broadway play as a young couple in love. Art imitated life and the two embarked on a tumultuous five-year relationship that was played out in society columns and tabloids. Haag, a TV actress, has penned a deeply personal and passionate memoir about their time shared, called 'Come to the Edge: A Memoir,' and spoke with PopEater about what drew her to the "gorgeous ... fun ... curious" and tragic Kennedy, whose life was snuffed out in a plane crash in 1999. She also opens up about the iconic Jackie O and about the time she and John almost died kayaking.

Why did you decide to write this book?
It's my story and I wanted to tell it. It was a long time in coming. I began it in 2003. I had always written and it was a very resonant time in my life. After John died the memories were very, very present with me. It was a way of remembering and letting go.

Was John the love of your life?
I think in my 20's I would have believed there was a love of my life but I have a different perspective now but I certainly loved him very deeply.

Your book implies that you two would have still been together had it not been for bad timing.
I think it was timing that broke us up.

Did you keep in contact after you broke up?
We did. Our lives took different paths and I was more in L.A. but we would run into each other once in a while.

Describe John.
Fun, exciting, romantic, original, very, very curious about life and people.

He seemed like he was down to earth.
He was. We met when we were 15, so yes he was the son of a President but we were teenagers. Knowing each other with a group of friends, it wasn't like meeting a famous person, he was a guy in our group.

Was it intimidating to meet his mother, Jackie O?
At first I met her in high school but I didn't know her well then. She was extraordinarily beautiful and charming and welcoming to John's friends. But when I met her later she was great. There wasn't a trust right away for either of us but we really grew to care about each other. We had things in common and we spent time together aside from John.

She was incredibly poised and eloquent and yes, she was John's mother, but she was also this extraordinary woman who you wanted to be on your toes for and have a great conversation with. She loved great stories; she loved hearing great stories at her house in Martha's Vineyard. She loved laughing.

It's got to stick in your craw that John got married on Cumberland Island a place you introduced John to.
It was a long time ago. Yes it was painful at the time. Clearly the place was important for both of us.

Did you ever meet Carolyn Bessette?
I met her once at a party and I thought she was lovely and very beautiful.

Have you heard any reaction from John's family?
I haven't. I can't speak for Caroline. I have a great respect for her. I think if there was a problem I would have heard about it. We have people in common and I'm really writing about my life.

You write about a kayaking experience in Jamaica where you both nearly died. Do you think John had a reckless streak?
I don't know anything about planes or aviation so I don't have a judgment. I just think it's a tragedy that three people are no longer here and I know other pilots who went up that night and did fine so I can't speak to that but what I was writing about was an earlier time, a more innocent time. It was when we were in our 20's and at that time in your life you do things that maybe later you would never do. You're younger and you think you're invincible. So we did have this frightening experience in Jamaica. I don't know, he was an adventurous guy.

What's your favorite memory of your time together?
I don't know if it's my favorite but he loved red tail hawks. He loved nature. Any time we were somewhere he would point them out. They were so special to him.

How about favorite romantic memory?
At this time there were no cell phones and I checked my answering machine and there was a message from him to go downstairs to my bicycle which was outside my acting school, Julliard. I went downstairs and there were two dozen red roses tied to the bike and there was a card of a painting of a French courtesan from the 19th century and it said, 'You Rule My World,' and it was unsigned.

On a shallow note were you ever like I can't believe how hot my boyfriend is?
He was gorgeous. I think it's something I think about more now. He was beautiful but what was so great about him was he had such a funny, goofy, unaffected manner and that made him all the more attractive.

'Come to the Edge: A Memoir' is out now.

Tags: Christina Haag, John F. Kennedy Jr.

Comments

(134)

Tuesday 12 April

By simpsonsimpmike

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Talk about digging into the past for a story

Sunday 17 April

By lisa

Shame on this woman for capitalizing on the these people. And shame on those that buy the books. Enough already! If the public would stop buying these books she would stop writing them! They were an interesting family but give them some peace for pete's sake.

By Jim

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Sounds like a wonderful, romantic story about intelligent young people, and wonder and romance and intelligence are in very short supply in the world.

Monday 18 April

By katrina

Oh, gosh, I would LOVE to read about how gorgeous, goofy, romantic and CURIOUS John was. For a family with so much to offer the world, they certainly had more than their share of pain and heartache. I STILL miss John and my heart hurts a little remembering how tragically he, his lovely wife and sister-in-law died. Those of you who are so negative about this simply don't have to read the book. Geez.

By Donna

That's kind of what you do...when you write a book about your life!!!!!!!!

By Kevin

After reading this I would not be interested in her book. I don't think she has anything interesting to say that we don't already know about John.

By dc walker

...right. Tell all books are disgusting. Why didn't she do this when John was still alive??? People are cowards they wait until people die how do we know what she says is true?? Who corroborates her story??? Can you imagine having relationship to be plastered so that your family and friends can read it. The woman is a tramp, don't make her a rich tramp.

By Sarah

What's wrong with you people? That's what an autobiography is - you write about your own life! Book stores are full of autobiographies. From the piece here, it sounds like she has a lot of integrity and presents the Kennedy's in a very positive and favorable light and that she loves her life from the past and the present. And what the h-ll is wrong with writing an autobiography, publishing it and selling it and making money form it. I think I remember John. F. Kennedy writing one of his own!

By I agree

Exactly! I was so turned off by the fact that she "gained trust" and "protected their privacy" until it was time to make a buck writing yet another book about John. Keep it to yourself and share it with your family but this...this is just pathetic

By GB

Cut the shame sh-t Lisa. Have you read the book? or the 50+ reviews on Amazon of people who actually read the book.

By Bfrjds1981

If you really meant that why did you even bother to read this story? Don't you just love these people who claim to hate something yet here they are.
I would bet anything they will read the book to.

By Beverly Hipkins

I don't think she invaded anyone's privacy. It was interesting to hear an adventure of a well known personality that Christina met when she was fifteen. She shared no intimacy but a times together and reactions to situations that gave the reader a insight to this young man as well as herself.

I thought it was thoughtfully done. I am sure John and his mother would approve of an interesting story about two people in love, which one is world wide known.

By Dan

I don't read tell-all books or watch any MFTV movies or mini-series about the Kennedys. However I respect this young woman's right to include her brief relationship with JFK Jr. in her book; it IS part of her life. To that let me add that both Christina Haag and Darryl Hannah are lucky to have not married JFK Jr. If he'd married either one, she would've been in that plane when it went down.

By Ann

No one's asking you to buy the book, sweetie. I'm sure you'll be surprised to know that there are other people in the world who might find it interesting instead of judgemental and hateful like you. Hmmm, you CAN read, can't you? Doubtful.

By Michelle

It's to bad that after all these years, she is putting JFK Jr business in the street. She must need the money... It is also disrespectful.. I will not be reading the book... You should not put anything out there, that the person can not respond to...

By stellabelle1

I agree with I agree & Michelle. If she felt the need to reveal this personal info. she should confide with a trusted friend or her therapist!

Wednesday 13 April

By John

Sour grapes. And it's a good thing you didn't decide to write this book if you can't spell "too" instead of "to"

By Trish

She has a right to tell her story from her perspective. She was involved with him for a long time therefore he IS part of her story.

By bengi

Oh here we go...JOHN we do not need a grammar lesson. Do you ever consider the fact that some make typos??? Why the need to point these little things out? Does it make you feel like a bigger man? No sour grapes here but this lady already wrote one book. Why the need for another?

Michelle: Folks who start a sentence with "It's to bad . . . " should avoid dabbling in literary criticism.

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