Is the HBO Series “Somebody Somewhere” Based On A True Story?

Is the HBO Series Somebody Somewhere Based On A True Story

Somebody Somewhere‘ is an HBO comedy-drama series about Sam, a woman in her forties who is mourning the death of her sister Holly.

As she attempts to come to terms with her loss, she begins to feel out of place in her hometown. Sam’s inability to socialise and her family’s problems drive her more into her shell.

She begins to feel a sense of belonging when she meets a group of like-minded people at choir practise.

The choir’s individual members refuse to let society’s criticisms define them, and Sam is inspired to embrace her flaws by their tenacity.

Sam begins to mend with the support of her one real calling – singing — after finally feeling accepted.

Also Read: Bridgett Everett of ‘Somebody Somewhere’ Sings in Real Life Too?

Bridget Everett, who plays Sam, leads the cast and makes the audience laugh and cry with her outstanding performance.

Somebody Somewhere‘ is a funny and touching story about finding one’s place in the world while riding the life’s rollercoaster.

The story’s accessible plot and lifelike characters make one question if it’s based on true events. Let’s see whether this is the case.

Is Somebody Somewhere Based on a True Story

Is ‘Somebody Somewhere’ TV Show Based on a True Story?

Somebody Somewhere‘ is based on a TRUE STORY somewhat. Bridget Everett, the series’ primary actress, was inspired by her own experiences.

Everett is a well-known actor, comedian, singer, writer, and cabaret performer. The 49-year-old Kansas native was born and reared in Manhattan, Kansas, as the youngest of six siblings.

Sam shares various characteristics with Everett, aside from the fact that they both live in Manhattan, Kansas.

This includes her involvement in a school choir and her subsequent return to music as an adult.

The actress revealed the show’s origins to Variety, saying, “It’s inspired by what my life may have been like if I hadn’t relocated to New York.”

Is Somebody Somewhere A Real Story
EMPORIA Pilot

The sadness of losing a sister, as well as the complicated relationship I have with music and singing, and what it means to me and how it shapes my life and who I am, are the other components that are in sync with my real life.”

Furthermore, Everett noted that the series’ characters are based on people she knew growing up in Kansas.

Her mother, Frederica, she says, looks a lot like actress Jane Brody’s character Mary Jo, who plays Sam’s mother.

Mary Jo, on the other hand, is more subdued than her mother, who is larger-the-life. Another thing they have in common is that Everett worked in the food industry for 25 years before retiring in her forties and focused solely on show business.

In ‘Somebody Somewhere,’ Sam discovers that her true calling is music in her forties.

Must See: Somebody Somewhere Season 2 Release Date, Cast And Plot

“We didn’t want to make [the programme] be about judgement or politics,” Everett stated in an interview with the New York Post on why Kansas was chosen as the series’ locale.

“I wanted it to feel like the people that I knew growing up in Kansas.” “Little things, like feeling the military [presence] because I grew up adjacent to Fort Riley,” she continued.

You want to get a sense of the school and the limestone structures. I’m sure I’ll still get s–t from some of my pals back home for not nailing this or that, but we worked really hard to make it as Kansas-y as possible.”

Some sections of ‘Somebody Somewhere‘ diverges from Everett’s life as well. In the series, Sam has an appealing relationship with her father Ed, but Everett was not close to her father in real life.

Furthermore, the actress is far more talkative and lively in person than Sam, who is depicted in the series as cynical and shy.

Though ‘Somebody Somewhere‘ is not entirely based on a true story, it beautifully depicts the challenges of middle-aged folks and small-town communities.

Grief, self-doubt, the need for acceptance and love, as well as breaking free from one’s inhibitions to become emancipated are all honestly explored.

Overall, the series and its characters provide something for everyone to relate to.

See Also: Is the Historical Drama “The Gilded Age” Based On The True Story?