VIDEO: Ted Kennedy Nearly Self-Destructs in Final ‘Chappaquiddick’ Trailer

U.S. senator Ted Kennedy is on the verge of self-destructing in the final trailer for “Chappaquiddick,” director John Curran’s dramatic retelling of a real-life political scandal that rocked the nation in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s.

Jason Clarke (“Zero Dark Thirty”) stars as the embattled Massachusetts senator opposite Kate Mara (“House of Cards”) as Mary Jo Kopechne, the campaign strategist who drowned after Senator Kennedy drove them off a bridge and into a tidal channel on July 18, 1969.

According to the film and Kennedy’s own sworn testimony, he swam free from the car, fled the scene of the accident, and waited 10 hours to report the crash to the proper authorities. The new trailer (above) seems to focus both on the night of the deadly car crash and the subsequent political scandal which Kennedy’s trusted friends (played by Ed Helms and 2015 Stern Show guest Jim Gaffigan) and domineering father Joe Kennedy Sr. (Bruce Dern) attempted to help him mitigate.

Kennedy eventually pled guilty to a charge of leaving the scene of a crash and receive a suspended jail sentence, which many experts believe prevented Kennedy from ever running for president like his older brothers had before him.

“Chappaquiddick” opens April 6. Watch the official trailer (above).