Is Sex/Life based on a true story? The wild inspiration for Netflix's new hit show

5 July 2021, 15:00

Netflix's new raunchy drama has viewers hot under the collar!

While Sex/Life only landed on the streaming platform on June 25, it has already made its way into the top ten carousel, and has proven a hit with many viewers.

Inspired by B.B. Easton's best-selling book titled 44 Chapters About 4 Men, Netflix's steamy new series centres around Billie Connelly (Sarah Shahi) and her attempts to spice up her sex life with husband Cooper (Mike Vogel).

Things take a turn, though, when Billie bumps into an old flame named Brad Simon (Adam Demos), and pursues her feelings for him.

What you may not have realised, however, is that some of the events that happen in the show are indeed based on a true story. Here, we sort fact from fiction...

Watch the official Sex/Life trailer on Netflix

So, how much of Sex/Life is based on a true story?

As mentioned above, the Netflix series is based on the memoir of B.B. Easton.

Previously a school psychologist, Atlanta-based Easton started writing her novel during late night feeds with her second baby.

Very much drawn to the work of Jenny Lawson, Chelsea Handler and Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James, B.B. began noting down wild anecdotes from her past.

The collection of heartwarming, hilarious stories was then transformed into 44 Chapters About 4 Men, which hit the Amazon top 100 Bestseller list in just a few weeks of its release.

As the name suggests, the book details Easton's relationships with several men - a "tattoo artist turned US Marine turned motorcycle club outlaw, a baby-faced punk rocker out on parole, and a heavy-metal bass player" - before she met her now-husband, Ken.

Speaking to Oprah Daily, Easton recalled how the process of writing about her marriage helped: "That was the most cathartic experience for me. It helped me form a bridge between my current life and the girl I used to be.

"I was living my current life but I was writing about all these fun experiences and it helped me feel like I was the same person."

That said, the Netflix series has taken some creative license, as it sees Billie (based on Easton) pursue a former flame and enter a racy love triangle. Easton, meanwhile, is still very much with her husband Ken.

Discussing the new adaptation of her memoir, she commented: "Seeing these gorgeous supermodel humans on a screen portraying characters based on my husband and myself while we're sitting on our busted, 12-year-old couch in our sweatpants, quarantine day 587...we're just so tickled."

Sex/Life is available to stream on Netflix now.