In Feud: Capote vs the Swans episode 7, Lee Radziwill and Slim Keith talk about Truman Capote's new swan as the two dine at a busy restaurant. Lee called her Truman's protégé before finally deciding to approach her former friend.
But who is the new swan that Lee referred to and what is her relationship with Truman in real life? Find out here.
Spoiler Warning: This article includes spoilers for Feud: Capote vs the Swans episode 7, so proceed with caution.
Who Was Truman Capote's New Swan, Kate Harrington?
Although Kate Harrington was introduced as Truman Capote's new swan in episode 7, this actually wasn't the first time she was featured in the FX series. In fact, she makes a surprise visit to Truman in episode 4 entitled It's Impossible.
But who is she in real life? For starters, her name really isn't Kate Harrington. It's Kerry O'Shea. Just as Lee said in episode 7, Truman changed her name to "erase her dad."
As we learned in episode 4, Kate's father was John O'Shea, a bank manager who secretly dated Truman while he was married.
John eventually abandoned his family to be with Truman. But when they broke up, he returned to his family.
After some time, Kate reached out to Truman and asked if he could help her land a job. Instead of pointing her toward his former friends, Truman decided to let her stay in his apartment.
He convinced her to become a model under the Wilhemina Agency. But because they already had a model named Kerry O'Shea, he suggested she change her name. She picked her grandmother's name, Kate. Meanwhile, Harrington was her mother's maiden name.
She moved in with Truman indefinitely and genuinely loved him as her own adoptive father.
What Was Kate Harrington and Truman Capote's Relationship
When Truman invited Kate to move in with him, he asked her to keep a diary. This was her way of holding on to "who you really are," especially since her life was about to change.
Through the years, Truman brought Kate to lunches and dinners. He proudly introduced her as his protégé.
Aside from giving her life lessons, Truman taught her his trick of how to socialize at events: by simply listening and asking questions.
When she confided that she got bored by the lunch conversations, he told her "to listen to the conversation of the booth next to us."
Kate truly loved Truman and he loved her back. Even though he could not be a parent, he became one to Kate.
And even after all the negative things people said about Truman Capote, it's impossible to judge the man since he did a great job in raising Kate.
RELATED: Did the Swans Attend Truman Capote's Funeral? Was He Forgiven?
Were Truman and Kate Close Until His Death?
Truman and Kate remained close until he died in 1984. Even as he was going through a downward spiral in his life, Kate pleaded with him to become healthier.
She told Truman:
"I love you. Isn't that enough?"
Sadly, the author answered, "Oh darling, if only it were."
After his death, Kate stopped modeling and became a stylist and designer. This eventually led her to become a costume designer.
In 2003, she married Die Hard director, John McTiernan. The couple has a daughter whom Kate named after her adoptive father, Truman, since "he was an important person in my life."
Unfortunately, she divorced McTiernan in 2012.
As of late 2023, Kate's LinkedIn page says that she is based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and is working on a memoir.
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RELATED: Who Is Kerry O'Shea in Feud: Capote vs the Swans? The True Story behind the Character