Netflix's 'Nobody Wants This' is currently in focus. Meanwhile, take a look at the real-life story that inspired the romantic series.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleNobody Wants This is currently the talk of the town. The franchise has returned with a bang. For the unversed, Season 3 of the romantic series premiered on Netflix on October 22, 2026. The series focuses on 'Joanne Williams' (played by Kristen Bell) and her love interest 'Noah Roklov' (played by Adam Brody). Amid the buzz surrounding the release of Season 3, people have grown curious to know whether the franchise is based on a true story.
According to reports, Netflix’s Nobody Wants This is loosely based on creator Erin Foster’s real-life love story with her husband, Simon Tikhman. For the uninitiated, Erin met her now-husband, Simon, at a Los Angeles gym in 2018. The couple got married during a New Year’s Eve celebration in 2019. Later, in May 2024, Erin and Simon welcomed their first child, a daughter.
The couple came from different backgrounds, which initially made them wonder how their relationship would work. Erin came from a less traditional background, while Simon hailed from a more traditional Jewish family. Before getting married to Simon, Erin converted to Judaism. This real-life relationship inspired the romance between 'Joanne', played by Kristen Bell, and 'Noah', played by Adam Brody.
Although Erin is not a sex podcaster like Kristen Bell's 'Joanne', she eventually launched a podcast with her sister, Sara Foster, in 2021. Simon is not a rabbi in real life. He owns a record label and works as a talent manager, whereas 'Noah' is a rabbi in the show. In the show, 'Joanne' and 'Noah' meet at a dinner party.
In Nobody Wants This Season 1 episode 6 titled The Ick, an unprepared 'Noah' meets 'Joanne's parents for the first time. To make a good impression, 'Noah' shows up in a sport coat over his gym attire, holding a huge bunch of sunflowers. However, the situation turns against him as 'Joanne's' attraction towards him soon changes to disgust. The sunflower scene was plucked from the creator Erin Foster and her husband, Simon’s own history.
When the couple started dating in 2018, Simon brought an oversized bouquet of sunflowers to meet Foster’s mother, Rebecca, for the first time, which subsequently freaked the creator out. Recalling the moment, in a September 2024 interview with Vulture, Erin said:
"The flowers were so long, and they kept falling over. Sitting there, I was like, 'Well, if someone cares this much, then that feels like a weakness.'"
'Joanne's' family is not exactly like Foster’s family, but there are some similarities. For those unaware, Erin’s parents got divorced when she was young and later moved on to new relationships. Her father, famous music producer David Foster, married singer and actress Katharine McPhee in 2019. They have a son named Rennie.
In the show Nobody Wants This, 'Joanne' has a younger sister named 'Morgan' who is her best friend and podcast co-host. Although Erin has a real-life sister, Sara Foster, 'Morgan's' character is not based on Sara’s personality. While 'Morgan' is a fun character, Sara is not like that. On The World’s First Podcast, Erin shared:
"The sister character is not like Sara at all. That was intentional, too. I wanted to create a fun sister dynamic."
In a June 2025 interview, Erin shared that both Season 1 and Season 2 of Nobody Wants This are a mix of her real-life experiences and fictional stories. She said that Season 2 is more fictional than Season 1. Both seasons include details of her relationship with her husband, Simon, especially how they brought their different backgrounds and lifestyles together. She said:
"I don’t feel like Season 1 was more true to my life, and Season 2 is more fiction. They both are really a mix."
What are your thoughts on the real-life story that inspired Nobody Wants This? Let us know.
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