It only landed on streaming services this morning, but FX’s Dying for Sex, based on the remarkable true story of Molly Kochan, is already a hit.

The series, which streams on Disney+ in the UK, stars Michelle Williams as Molly, who embarked on a journey of sexual discovery after receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis.

The comedy-drama series is based on the life of New-York born Molly, who refused to give up sex after leaving her husband of 15 years after she was diagnosed.

Just 42 at the time of her breast cancer diagnosis, molly died in 2019 aged 45 – but she ensured her last years were filled with fun as she explored her sexuality, slept with dozens of men and posted steamy lingerie photos online – determined not to let her diagnosis rob her of her sex appeal.

In the series, viewers see Molly dating and exploring her sexuality after being diagnosed with cancer and divorcing her husband. All the while she’s supported by her best friend Nikki Boyer (played by Jenny Slate). 

The show follows Nikki as she steps into the role of Molly’s primary support, accompanying her to hospital appointments and offering a steady hand through the whirlwind of painful physical symptoms. 

The tale of self discovery is largely inspired by stories Molly shared posthumously in the award-winning Wondery podcast, Dying for Sex, which was named one of Apple’s favourite podcasts in 2020 and won Podcast of the Year at the Amie Awards in 2021.

The new FX series is closely written to the true tale of New-York born Molly, who was first diagnosed with cancer in 2011; before being told in 2015 that she was terminal.  

Despite being shaken by the news, Molly knew two things – that she didn’t want people to start viewing her as a ‘victim’, and that she didn’t want to lose her sex life to cancer. 

A new series debuting on Disney+ today has documented the true story of Molly Kochan, who refused to give up on sex after receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis (the real Molly pictured)

Molly had an Instagram account called ‘dying for sex’ where she would post raunchy lingerie photos (pictured)

Molly began sharing her journey on her website, Everything Leads to This, explaining that she had first been diagnosed in 2011 and went through treatments at the time.

She initially kept most people in the dark about her diagnosis, writing on the blog that she ‘liked not identifying with the disease’. 

‘I liked going through treatment and not having people ever ask me how I was feeling as though I were more fragile than they are,’ she added.

Then in 2015, Molly was re-diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer having already undergone chemotherapy, a bilateral mastectomy, radiation therapy and a breast reconstruction.    

Two and a half years after receiving the news, Molly decided to go public as it became increasingly difficult to keep it under wraps.

She wrote: ‘Holding on to the secret of what I was going through became more difficult than having to field potentially awkward reactions.’

Molly revealed the details of her diagnosis in a Facebook post, explaining that she hadn’t wanted people to see her as a ‘patient or as cancer’. 

‘Because I have navigated this for some time, I know what is helpful to me and what isn’t.’

The comedy-drama series, called Dying for Sex, is based on the life of New-York born Molly, played by Michelle Williams , who embarks on a journey of sexual discovery after being diagnosed with terminal cancer and leaving her husband of 15 years (Michelle Williams pictured playing the role)

After receiving the devastating news, the 42-year-old begins dating and exploring her sexuality, all alongside the support of her best friend, Nikki Boyer, played by Jenny Slate in the series (Nikki pictured left)

After being given the terminal diagnosis, Molly was adamant that she didn’t want to give up on sex and was determined to use her remaining days to explore that side of herself.

She ended up going on a full dating extravaganza and ended up sleeping with 200 men. 

She continued to share on her blog up until her death, documenting the ‘parallel journeys through stage IV cancer and sexuality, the exploration of which has not only kept me life-facing, but has been a tool in my integrating and loving my new body.’

She described how ‘acts around sex have connected me to my body and to life’.

Part of exploring her body also meant sharing pictures. Molly had an Instagram account called ‘dying for sex’ where she would post raunchy lingerie photos. 

In her podcast, which was released posthumously, Molly shared the unlikely impact hormone therapy had on her.

Though most experience a drastic reduction in libido, it had the opposite effect on Molly, who said it left her wanting to ‘hump everything and everyone that I saw,’ in one episode of the podcast.

Elsewhere in the podcast, Molly explained that she and her ex-husband had fallen out of sync sexually while she was undergoing treatment, and was never able to get back to their former days even when she her sex drive returned. 

The new FX series is closely written to the true tale of New-York born Molly, who was first diagnosed with cancer in 2011 and later giving a terminal diagnosis for breast cancer in 2015Part of exploring her body also meant sharing pictures

Speaking on the podcast, she said: ‘For a long time with sex—and this is why I had a problem in my – I was really, really, really good at figuring out what other people liked and then I could simulate that like an actor for them.

‘But I never really knew what I liked.’

Speaking to Time Magazine, Molly’s best friend Nikki revealed the details of her sexcapades after parting ways with her husband. 

She explained that Molly had began talking to men online and ended up meeting with several of them. 

According to the publication, the kinky lovers who appear in the FX series are a compilation of the real men Molly encountered, some of whom had unusual fetishes – including one who ‘enjoyed being kicked in the d**k’.

Nikki confirmed that some scenes in the show depict real life moments in Molly’s sex exploration, including barking orders to one man who liked to pretend he was a dog. 

On the podcast, Molly described how going on dates made her feel ‘alive and creative’.

She even had some sexual encounters in her hospital bed, Nikki told the publication, saying these had wanted to feel as ‘normal as possible’ and not just feel ‘like she was stuck in the hospital for days on end’. 

Nikki said controlling men was a way for Molly to feel as though she had control and was an act of ‘reclaiming her body’

After being given the terminal diagnosis, Molly was adamant that she didn’t want to give up on sex and was determined to use her remaining days to explore that side of herself

Nikki revealed that the idea to document Molly’s sexual endeavours during her cancer journey was an idea she had while picking up her friend from a 9am breakfast date. 

She told the publication that Molly kept her sense of humour throughout her treatment, and that one funny scene in the show – when she asks a young doctor if he had a permission slip from his parents to be there – really did happen.

In the podcast, she even joked about how she was the ideal date for ‘commitment phobes’. 

Asked if she was afraid of bringing strangers back to her home after dates, she replied: ‘What are you going to do? Kill me? I’m dying!’

Nikki said controlling men was a way for Molly to feel as though she had control and was an act of ‘reclaiming her body’.

She said: ‘[Molly] wanted to fall in love, and she did; she fell in love with herself.’ 

Molly died in 2019 at the age of 45. 

Following her death, her best friend Nikki released six episodes of the podcast, Dying for Sex.  

Nikki still regularly posts about her friend on social media, and even took on a role in the new FX series, playing Molly’s Cousin Shelia (the two best friends pictured)

The powerful tale of self-discovery is based on the story of Molly Kochan, who died in 2019 at the age of 45 and who was the posthumous star of the Dying for Sex podcast in 2020

The synopsis for the podcast, which has been streamed more than five million times, reads: ‘As they peel back the layers, we learn that Molly isn’t just grappling with breast cancer: she’s also dealing with some trauma from her past.

‘Along the journey, the friends explore bigger themes that affect us all — like healing, forgiveness and what do we do with the time we have left.’

Molly also wrote a memoir titled Screw Cancer: Becoming Whole, which was published after her death in 2020.

Having written the book from her hospital bed, she made Nikki promise she would publish the book. 

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Describing the memoir on her blog before her death, Molly said the book ‘talks about sex as a healing force in my life but that also tracks my shift from an emotionally heavy person into a much lighter one.’

She added that writing the book had helped to free herself from a lifetime of depression and ‘self-loathing’. 

It was after the book was published that New Girl creator, Elizabeth Meriwether got in touch with Nikki to suggest making a TV adaptation of the book.

Michelle Williams, who stars as Molly in the series, hadn’t heard of the podcast before taking on the role in the show, but said she had a ‘strong emotional reaction’ to reading the book. 

Speaking to Harper’s Bazaar, she said: ‘I had a really strong emotional reaction. When I finished reading it, I had to read it again. I immediately wanted to start acting out these scenes and trying my hand at these jokes. I was smitten.’ 

Describing what she perceived to be the intention behind Molly’s sexual plight, Michelle told The Guardian about her character: ‘She’s saying, ‘I’m committing to this journey, and the only thing I’m taking with me is you, my best friend. I’m going to pursue my own pleasure in the midst of this illness, which is going to ultimately take my life and cause me a lot of pain. 

‘I’m going to continue to seek pleasure in this body, which is capable of both those things’.’

Nikki still regularly posts about her friend on social media, and even took on a role in the new FX series, playing Molly’s Cousin Shelia. 

Nikki also served an an executive producer of the new series, and recently wrote on social media that she was ‘bursting at the seams with gratitude and love’ following its release.

‘So proud of the show we made. So proud of Molly!’ she added.

The new series, which is available on Hulu in the US and on Disney+ internationally, has already earned rave reviews.

Time magazine describe it as ‘audacious, raunchy celebration of life in the face of certain death’, while a five-star review in The Guardian said it ‘upends every expectation you have for on-screen sex’.

Dying For Sex is available now to watch on Disney+.