(TheCinemaholic) - ‘Loot’ is a comedy series that revolves around Molly Novak, a wealthy woman with a seemingly perfect life turned upside down after her husband leaves her $87 billion in divorce. The series is created by Matt Hubbard and Alan Yang (‘Parks and Recreation‘), with Maya Rudolph (‘Licorice Pizza‘) in the lead role.
Rudolph’s charismatic and witty screen presence lends heart and warmth to the story of Molly Novak, who is going through a turbulent period in her life. However, viewers might notice similarities between the recent turn of events in Molly’s life and reality. If you are wondering whether Molly Novak in ‘Loot’ is based on a real person, we’ve gathered all the answers for you! SPOILERS AHEAD!
Is Molly Novak Based On a Real Person?
In ‘Loot,’ Molly Novak is the wife of wealthy tech billionaire John Novak (Adam Scott). However, after learning of John’s infidelity, he and Molly signup for divorce. In the divorce settlement, Molly receives $87 billion. Nonetheless, Molly struggles to find new meaning and purpose in life. She eventually decides to partake in philanthropic activities through a charity foundation set up during her marriage with John.
The astronomical sum Molly gains from her divorce from a tech billionaire and her interest in philanthropy are reminiscent of some real-life events. In reality, Melinda French Gates separated from her husband and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates in 2021. After receiving billions in the divorce settlement, French Gates has continued her philanthropic activities through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, one of the largest charitable foundations in the world. Similarly, MacKenzie Scott’s divorce from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was settled for roughly $38 billion, and she ventured into philanthropy.
Both Melinda French Gates and MacKenzie Scott can be seen as inspirations for the character of Molly Novak. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, creators Matt Hubbard and Alan Yang were asked whether the real-life women inspired Molly. The duo denied drawing inspiration from French Gates and Scott. They explained that the character is a fictional creation crafted to serve the narrative’s comedic purposes and actress Maya Rudolph’s strengths. Therefore, it is evident that Molly is a fictional character not directly inspired by any real person.
Is Molly Really the Third Richest Woman in America?
‘Loot’ depicts Molly’s net worth to be around $87 billion following her divorce from her husband, John Novak. While the sum is an astonishing amount, it will make viewers question Molly’s place among the USA’s wealthiest women. With a net worth of roughly $87 billion, the show states that Molly is the third richest woman in the USA. Since Molly Novak is a fictional character, she is obviously not the third richest woman in America.
However, with her sky-high net worth, Molly can give some of the wealthiest women in America a run for their money. In reality, Julia Koch, Jacqueline Badger Mars, Alice Walton, and MacKenzie Scott are some of the richest women in the USA as per Bloomberg Billionaires Index. All four women are trailblazers in their own right and are known for their philanthropic activities.
Among the quartet, Koch & family have an estimated net worth of $67.8 billion, followed by Walton at roughly $55.9 billion, and Badger Mar at close to $47.6 billion. Those figures are easily dwarfed by Molly’s $87 billion net worth. In fact, Molly’s wealth surpasses even Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, the wealthiest woman in the world, with a net worth of approximately $75.3 billion (as of March 2022).
However, given Molly’s extensive philanthropic activities and high society lifestyle, we are sure she will burn through her money rapidly, as has been the case with several billionaire philanthropists in real life, including some of the women stated above. Ultimately, Molly’s net worth is significantly more compared to some of the real richest women but is ultimately a representation of the show’s absurdist humor.
By Pratik Handore
June 24, 2022
