HOLLYWOOD — In what promises to be a deeply haunting look into the darkest chapter of America’s most famous political dynasty, Pretty Little Liars alumna Sasha Pieterse has signed on to portray Rosemary Kennedy—the hidden sister of President John F. Kennedy—in an upcoming feature film titled Rosemary.
Rather than a standard, detached historical biopic, the project is being developed as a contained psychological thriller designed to recount the harrowing, tragic life of the Kennedy patriarch’s eldest daughter entirely from her own perspective.
Reclaiming a Tragic Legacy
Rosemary Kennedy, who passed away in 2005 at the age of 86, was the third child of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. and Rose Kennedy. Born with developmental delays, she grew into a young woman navigating violent mood swings and behavioral challenges during an era when mental health was deeply misunderstood and heavily stigmatized.
Fearing her condition would bring public scandal or damage the carefully curated political aspirations of her brothers, her father, Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., secretly arranged an experimental prefrontal lobotomy for her in 1941. Rosemary was just 23 years old. The disastrous procedure failed completely, leaving her permanently incapacitated and hidden away in a Wisconsin institution for the remainder of her life.
The upcoming film aims to pull Rosemary out from the shadows of history, treating her as more than a tragic footnotes symbol.
”Rosemary’s story has been told in fragments,” Pieterse said in a statement regarding the casting announcement. “What drew me to this project is how it explores her as a person, not a symbol, but a fully realized human being with dreams and vulnerabilities.”
A Creative Team Formed from Prestige Cinema
The script—partially adapted from historical retrospectives, including the definitive profile “Rosemary Kennedy, JFK’s Sister Who Was Lobotomized And Locked Away”—is written and directed by filmmaking duo Cory Todd Hughes and Adrian Speckert.
The directors emphasized that Rosemary is being shot to challenge how audiences view bodily autonomy and institutional power.
”This isn’t just a historical biopic,” Hughes and Speckert noted in a joint release. “It’s a psychological journey told through Rosemary’s eyes, one that challenges the audience to reckon with how we define agency, dignity, and identity.”
Bringing a wealth of psychological suspense credibility to the project is veteran Hollywood heavyweight Mike Medavoy, who is serving as executive producer. Given Medavoy’s track record guiding dark, reality-bending masterpieces like Black Swan and Shutter Island, insiders anticipate Rosemary will lean heavily into the claustrophobic, intense isolation of its subject.
A Fresh Era for Pieterse
The role marks a massive dramatic pivot for 30-year-old Pieterse. Best known for her iconic portrayal of the manipulative teen queen bee Alison DiLaurentis in the global pop-culture phenomenon Pretty Little Liars and its spinoff The Perfectionists, Pieterse has been steadily building a mature resume. Her most recent feature credits include the 2024 thriller The Image of You.
The announcement coincides with a broader, renewed Hollywood fascination with the mid-century dynasty, coming as Netflix concurrently develops its own sweeping dramatic series centered on the rise of the political family.
Rosemary is produced by The Motus Studios alongside Emanuele Moretti, Nick Medavoy, and Kaan Karahan. Principal photography is expected to begin later this year.
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