Did the Real Kennedys Get the Controversial 'The Kennedys' Miniseries Cancelled?

Did Caroline Kennedy and Maria Shriver influence the History Channel in its shelving of the controversial 'The Kennedys' miniseries? According to The Hollywood Reporter (THR), the two may have been instrumental in getting the Katie Holmes and Greg Kinnear starring miniseries off History's schedule.

It was previously reported that a network rep told THR in a statement regarding the cancellation, "After viewing the final product in its totality, we have concluded that although the film is produced and acted with the highest quality auspices, the dramatic license the series takes is not suitable for the History brand."

THR is reporting that Caroline Kennedy personally lobbied Anne Sweeney, co-chair of Disney Media Networks and president of Disney/ABC Television Group. Sweeney sits on the board of A&E Television Networks, the parent company of History.

Kennedy has a book deal with Disney's Hyperion publishing house and is editing a collection of unpublished interviews with her mother, Jackie Kennedy Onasis. She agreed to promote the collection on 'Good Morning America' and other media outlets. However, if AETN had gone through with the project, it's been suggested Kennedy would not have been as cooperative in promoting the Hyperion book.

Maria Shriver, a member of the Kennedy family and wife to Arnold Schwarzenegger, also lobbied to have the project shelved. Shriver used her NBC Universal ties and voiced her displeasure to Jeff Zucker and Jeff Gaspin. Gaspin sits on the AETN board as well. Shriver is also friends with Sweeney. The Disney executive serves on the board of the Special Olympics, which was founded by Shriver's mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver.

'Kennedys' co-producers Muse Entertainment and Asylum Entertainment issued the following statement about History's cancellation of the series: "We are proud of the work all of our talent put into the making of 'The Kennedys' and the painstaking efforts that went into creating a drama that is compelling while rich in historic detail. Although we regret this does not fit into the History Channel's plans, we are confident that television viewers in the United States will join viewers from around the world in having an opportunity to watch this series in the near future."

'The Kennedys' is still scheduled for international broadcast, airing in Canada on March 6. According to Deadline Hollywood, Showtime is reportedly mulling over airing the series.