“Nobody Wants This” creator addresses criticism of Jewish depictions

It seems like few shows have been as successful this year as Nobody Wants This. The romantic comedy received almost unanimous praise from critics – one even called it “as funny as 'Harry and Sally'” – and it secured the top spot on Netflix's top 10 TV series list hours after its debut. (It's also already spawned hundreds of thirsty Adam Brody memes on social media.)

But amid the love for Erin Foster's new series, some in the Jewish community have raised questions about whether or not the show perpetuates problematic stereotypes about Jewish women.

“Nobody Wants This” centers on agnostic podcast host Joanne (Kristen Bell), who falls in love with Noah (Brody), a religious leader known as the “hot rabbi” in his temple. As the couple navigates their new relationship, Joanne is initially in love but is met with disdain by Noah's Russian immigrant parents – particularly his mother – for embracing her even after she explains to them that she is ready to convert to Judaism. And Noah's sister-in-law remains so loyal to his Jewish ex that she even yells “whore” at Joanne outside a bar (by the way, this ex was so desperate to marry Noah that she preemptively found an engagement ring he had hidden and began to wear it before he proposed marriage.)

“I can't imagine a man watching this show and saying, 'I really want to date a Jewish girl!'” wrote Jessica Radloff in glamour. “We seem like controlling, marriage-hungry women who plan dinner parties and want to alienate anyone who doesn’t share those dreams.”

The series was inspired by Foster real romance: She fell in love with a Jew who desperately wanted to marry someone who was also Jewish and converted. It's been nearly five years since Foster completed that process — she took a 10-week course at the American Jewish University in West L.A. — but as she walked into the writers' room, she said she intentionally surrounded herself with colleagues who were born as Jews. “I’m Jewish, but I didn’t grow up Jewish. This is something different,” said Foster, 42.

During the press tour leading up to the premiere of “Nobody Wants This,” questions were raised about the show’s portrayal of Judaism. In an interview with The Times – where she was later joined by her husband Simon Tikhman – Foster spoke about her approach to portraying the culture on screen.

What do you think about critics calling some of the Jewish characters on the show stereotypical?

Support financially: I think we need positive Jewish stories now. I think it's interesting when you have a rabbi at the helm, people focus on, “Oh, that's a stereotype of the Jewish people.” A hot, cool, young rabbi who smokes weed. That's the opposite of how people see a Jewish rabbi, right? If I made the Jewish parents look like two granola hippies on a farm, someone would write: “I've never met a Jewish person like that.” You obviously don't know how to write about Jewish people, you don't know what you do, and that doesn’t represent us well.”

This series is inspired by your relationship with your husband. Was it difficult for you to be accepted into his Jewish family?

Support financially: In real life, Simon's parents and I have a great relationship. We always did that, and honestly they never had a problem with me because it was a great honor for them to convert to Judaism. Bringing someone to the Jewish faith was the ultimate daughter-in-law move; It brought us together in such a great way.

But in a television show there has to be conflict. It is important that Noah's parents are immigrants in the series because the culture of immigrants is very different from the culture of American Jews. Simon's parents fled the Soviet Union because they were Jews. That's a very different experience than someone who grew up in LA and wasn't exposed to the kind of anti-Semitism that he was exposed to. It means something different. It's a much more sensitive topic and it's much closer to home.

That's why I don't have the feeling that the parents have so many stereotypical ideas. Immigrant culture can be very insular and fearful of outsiders, and there is a good reason for this. I wanted to address this because it represents an additional layer of cultural differences between these two people.

“What I really wanted to do was shine a positive light on Jewish culture,” Foster said.

(Christina House/Los Angeles Times)

Was it important to you that the actor playing Noah was actually Jewish?

I thought it was really important. We literally auditioned every Jewish actor on the face of the earth.

I think it's okay to talk openly about it and make it clear that you're looking for a Jewish actor to play a rabbi. And the truth is, no one felt right – not even close [but Brody].

And I think it's ridiculous to think that an actor has to be everything he plays. I believe that a gay man can play a straight man. A straight person can play a gay person. But I felt that someone who isn't Jewish would feel wrong playing a rabbi in the lead role in a show that shines a positive light on Jewish culture. That didn't suit me.

What do you think about “Nobody Wants This” coming out amid a heightened climate of anti-Semitism?

Support financially: We're definitely not the show that deals with the political climate of what's happening in the world right now. That's not why people come to our show to watch it, and it wouldn't be appropriate for me to address that topic because I wasn't raised Jewish. I have my own opinion about it as a person, but it shouldn't be part of the show. I don't think it's okay to speak for so many people. What I really wanted to do was to shine a positive light on Jewish culture from my perspective – my positive experiences that I brought to Jewish culture, with a little bit of fun, [and] teachable moments about things in Judaism that I love without being heavy-handed. Because I don't think people want that on the show.

How has your relationship to Judaism changed since your conversion?

I remember that panicked feeling as I left the mikvah [a ritual bath that occurs at the end of the conversion process]. I thought, “I don’t feel Jewish yet.” I was dunked under a hot tub and thought something magical was going to happen, like “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo!”

But I didn't feel anything and I was very scared. “Am I really Jewish? I don’t feel any different.”

Now, five years later, I understand that you don't feel Jewish until you've been Jewish. When I see anti-Semitism, I think I'm Jewish. I feel more Jewish since converting because I've had a lot more experiences than just learning about it in a classroom and learning the date and meaning of a holiday. In 2024, given what is going on in the world, I feel Jewish.