Is 'Nobody Wants This' Based on a True Story? Yes — And Here Are the Details
There are a few moments borrowed directly from their real-life love story, such as the sweet moment with the sunflowers.
Published Oct. 3 2024, 3:46 p.m. ET
Every now and then, a Netflix show comes along that captures the hearts and minds of millions. Such was the case with the recently released rom-com Nobody Wants This. The series stars Kristen Bell and Adam Brody and follows a sex podcaster and a rabbi who come from different worlds yet find themselves hopelessly in love.
Viewers themselves fell in love with the charming story, which prompted many to ask if it's based on a true story. And the good news is that yes, this too-sweet-to-be-real story is based at least in part on a real love affair.
'Nobody Wants This' is partly based on a true story, and it's just as sweet as you would expect.
Hollywood-worthy love stories are either everywhere or nearly non-existent, depending on who you ask. But one thing is clear: The Nobody Wants This love story is both charming and adorable, and Kristen and Adam convincingly play Joanne and Noah as they overcome the challenges of bringing two worlds together.
Their love was inspired by the real-life love story of the show's creator and executive producer, Erin Foster, and her husband Simon Tikhman. While real-life Noah, Simon, isn't a rabbi, he does have deeply Jewish family roots. And when they first fell in love, Erin and Simon, like Joanne and Noah, weren't sure how to make it all work. Erin is the daughter of famed music producer David Foster, while Simon is a music executive himself.
In an episode of her real-life podcast The World's First Podcast With Erin and Sara Foster, Erin explained, "We didn’t come from similar backgrounds. He came from a much more traditional place. I came from a more unconventional place. When we got together we were like, 'How’s this gonna work?'" Yet like Joanne and Noah, Erin and Simon somehow have made it all work.
There are a few moments borrowed directly from their real-life love story, such as the sweet moment with the sunflowers. And then there are differences, like Simon's lack of being a religious leader. Overall, Erin has called the series a "love letter" to her real-life husband and the story they've lived together.
Why has 'Nobody Wants This' become so popular in a sea of rom-coms?
It's adorable, it's heartwarming, but Nobody Wants This is hardly alone as it floats in a sea of rom-coms with earnest love stories of their own. So why has this series stood out so starkly, head and shoulders above the rest?
It doesn't hurt that Kristen and Adam are both well-known and well-respected actors who tend to bring that certain something to everything they star in.
Yet even more than that, it's perhaps the honesty of Nobody Wants This that has captured so many hearts. Knowing that the story is based on a real love affair lends that deeper connection, which allows fans to fall even more in love with Joanne and Noah.
And then there's the timing. Things are dark and difficult right now for many, but Nobody Wants This came along to offer people hope and a glimpse into a love that many people long for. And for fans who are wondering, there are some promising signs that there could be a Season 2.
