Summary
- Nobody Wants This series is inspired by creator Erin Foster’s real-life love story with her husband, Simon Tikhman.
- Erin converted to Judaism before their wedding in December 2019.
- The show reflects their different backgrounds and the cultural challenges they navigated together.
Nobody Wants This takes its heartfelt, humorous look at modern love from a very real source. The Netflix rom-com follows Joanne and Noah an agnostic podcaster and a devoted rabbi navigating faith, family, and unexpected connection. Behind the fictional romance is creator Erin Foster’s own relationship with her husband, Simon Tikhman, whose Jewish heritage shaped their love story and the series itself.
Nobody Wants This Real Story: Who Inspired Joanne and Noah’s Relationship?
Erin Foster has described Nobody Wants This as a “love letter” to her husband. Like Joanne in the series, Erin wasn’t raised with religion. She met Simon in 2018 at a gym in Los Angeles. Despite their instant connection, their cultural and religious differences raised real questions about their future.
Simon, who is Jewish, shared early in their relationship that he was expected to marry within the faith. While he didn’t grow up extremely religious, his parents’ history — fleeing the former Soviet Union in 1979 due to Jewish persecution — shaped his desire to honor their tradition.
Erin and Simon’s relationship mirrors key elements of Joanne and Noah’s dynamic:
- Different upbringings and worldviews
- Pressure from tradition and family expectations
- Humor as a way to navigate unfamiliar territory
The show dramatizes those themes, but the foundation is genuine: love that requires compromise, communication, and a willingness to grow.
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How Did Erin Foster’s Background Shape the Story?
Erin comes from a high-profile entertainment family. Her father, music producer David Foster, and her mother, former model Rebecca Dyer, divorced in 1986. Erin grew up with multiple step- and half-siblings through her parents’ many marriages.
She has openly described her childhood as “complicated,” shaped by constant shifts in family structure and little consistency when it came to religion or tradition.
That perspective informs Joanne’s character:
- Direct and unfiltered
- Skeptical of institutions and rituals
- Fiercely independent
Joanne’s discomfort and eventual interest in Jewish practices reflects Erin’s own evolution as she embraced Simon’s culture.
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Did Erin Foster Convert to Judaism?
Yes. Before the couple married, Erin completed the conversion process. She studied at Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles and found admiration for Jewish customs and community.
She has said the experience was:
- Challenging at times
- Deeply meaningful
- A doorway into a world she hadn’t fully understood before
Much like Joanne in the series, Erin went from skepticism to connection choosing Judaism for herself, not just for love.
READ MORE: Nobody Wants This Season 3: Will Netflix Renew the Romcom?
What Was Erin and Simon’s Wedding Like?
Erin Foster and Simon Tikhman married on New Year’s Eve in 2019 in Nashville. Their wedding included several traditional Jewish elements:
- Marriage under a chuppah
- The Hora dance
- Celebrations with family and friends from both backgrounds
Since then, the couple has welcomed a daughter, Noa Mimi, born in May 2024.
Their personal milestone parallels themes in the show — discovering what it means to build a shared future while honoring each partner’s history.
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How Does the Real Story Influence the Show’s Conflicts?
The heart of Nobody Wants This centers on two core questions:
- Can love thrive across major cultural differences?
- What does it take to blend two worlds without losing yourself?
Joanne and Noah face pressure from family, the expectations of Noah’s religious role, and the vulnerability of redefining belief systems for love. These conflicts are pulled from Erin and Simon’s real-life concerns when they first met.
The comedy softens the tension, but the emotional stakes remain real.
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