Netflix’s Nobody Wants This dropped last Friday, and let’s just say — we’re obsessed. Did we binge-watch all ten episodes in one night? Absolutely. The show is that good. With Kristen Bell and Adam Brody leading the charge as Joanne, a fearless sex podcaster, and Noah, a charming rabbi, the chemistry between these two is off the charts. But what makes this rom-com even better? It’s inspired by a real-life love story, straight from the creator’s own experience.
Erin Foster, who created Nobody Wants This, didn’t have to look far for inspiration. The rom-com is a reflection of her relationship with her now-husband, Simon Tikhman — a love story that’s just as unexpected and heartwarming as what we see on-screen.
Falling For a “Nice Jewish Boy”
Foster has called Nobody Wants This a “love letter” to Simon, who is a co-founder of a music management company. Their journey began in Los Angeles, where the couple first met at a gym — hardly the setting you’d expect for a future rom-com plotline.
“We didn’t come from similar backgrounds,” Erin explained during an episode of The World’s First Podcast, which she co-hosts with her sister, Sara Foster. “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?'”
Simon’s family history also added layers of complexity to their relationship. As a Jewish man with parents who fled persecution in the former Soviet Union, Simon had a deep connection to his faith, even though he didn’t consider himself particularly religious at first.
“Whoever I marry, she has to be Jewish,” he once told Erin early in their relationship. That comment eventually led to Erin converting to Judaism, a move that both surprised and intrigued her as she dove into the cultural and religious practices with enthusiasm.
Unconventional Meets Traditional
Born to music producer David Foster and model Rebecca Dyer, Erin was raised without religion. Coming from a world filled with Hollywood glamour and divorce (her father married five times), the idea of traditional family values was foreign to her. And when she met Simon in 2018, their cultural and familial differences became clear quickly.
“His parents weren’t really used to someone being so unfiltered, and uncensored, and saying how I feel all the time,” she recalled to Harper’s Bazaar. Erin’s outspokenness took some getting used to for Simon’s more traditional family. “There was an adjustment period where they were like, ‘This is the person you chose to bring into our family? Are you okay, Simon? What are you thinking?'”
But like any great love story, things eventually worked out. Erin describes Simon’s family as “amazing” now, and they’ve formed a close-knit bond. As for her conversion to Judaism, Erin embraced the process with an open mind and heart. “When I went through the process and went to the converting classes at Wilshire Boulevard Temple, it was this really fascinating, expansive, cool world,” she explained. It’s a journey that’s mirrored in Nobody Wants This, where Joanne navigates unfamiliar territory for love.
From Real Life to the Screen
As if this love story couldn’t get any more rom-com-worthy, Erin and Simon tied the knot in Nashville on New Year’s Eve. And yes, they incorporated all the beautiful Jewish traditions that had become a part of Erin’s life. From the chuppa (the symbolic wedding canopy) to the Hora (the lively Jewish wedding dance), it was a true celebration of their blended lives.
Fast forward to May 2024, and the couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Noa. With a growing family and a beautiful love story, Erin took all of this personal experience and channeled it into Nobody Wants This. The show is more than just a funny, feel-good rom-com — it’s a love letter to Simon and the life they’ve built together.
More Than Just a Rom-Com
At its core, Nobody Wants This reflects the messy, complicated, and heartwarming realities of falling in love with someone who seems like your total opposite. It’s not just a rom-com for the sake of laughs (though it has plenty of those); it’s a tribute to the beauty of compromise, understanding, and embracing differences. Just as Erin and Simon’s love story evolved through moments of uncertainty and cultural adjustments, so do Joanne and Noah’s characters in the series.
Whether you watch Nobody Wants This for the witty banter, the romance, or the undeniable chemistry between Kristen Bell and Adam Brody, just know that you’re watching a story rooted in real-life experiences. And sometimes, those are the best kind of stories.
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