Is A Beautiful Life based on a true story? All your questions answered

Elliott (Christopher) and Lilly (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) together in a kitchen in A Beautiful Life
(Image credit: Netflix)

A Beautiful Life is a feel-good Danish movie on Netflix that sees a young fisherman being offered the chance of a lifetime.

Directed by Mehdi Avaz, the film sees what happens when Elliott, a man with an extraordinary singing voice, is discovered by a big-time music producer. He's subsequently offered the chance to leave his days as a fisherman behind in exchange for a shot at pop superstardom. From there, Elliott sets off on a journey to find his voice, crafting an album with another producer who he develops a connection with.

As a feel-good, rags-to-riches style story, it's no surprise that there are many viewers around the world asking the same question: is A Beautiful Life based on a true story? Get answers to this question and more below. 

Is A Beautiful Life based on a true story? 

No, A Beautiful Life is not a true story, even though the idea of an everyday person being discovered and catapulted to fame is a common movie trope. 

Despite starring a real-life pop star, the film is instead based on an original screenplay written by screenwriter Stefan Jaworski. Jaworski has previously written for Chosen, Elves, The Devil Below, and Those Who Kill, among other projects.

What is A Beautiful Life about?

Elliott (Christopher) singing and playing guitar in A Beautiful Life

A Beautiful Life is all about Elliott, a fisherman who becomes an overnight singing sensation. (Image credit: Courtesy of Netflix)

A Beautiful Life is a classic rags-to-riches movie that follows Elliott, a fisherman with an extraordinary singing voice who is content with just scraping by in life. However, his friend, Oliver, is dead set on becoming a big star and convinces Elliot to play guitar for him at an open mic night that Suzanne, a famous music producer, is attending.

Oliver's performance doesn't quite go to plan, leading Elliot to step in to help, upstaging him with his much stronger voice (which subsequently leads to a big fight between the two former friends). 

Elliott is nevertheless discovered by Suzanne and says she's going to make him a big deal. From that point, she pairs Elliott up with her estranged daughter and fellow producer, Lilly, and the pair start putting together a break-out album (falling in love in the process!)

Unfortunately for Elliott, his past threatens to get in the way of his newfound stardom and his new relationship. 

Who is the singer in A Beautiful Life? Who is Elliott?

Elliott is played by Danish multi-platinum-selling pop star, Christopher Lund Nissen, who is better known simply by the name Christopher. 

Most of the music in the film is composed and sung by Christopher himself, including songs like "Led Me To You" and the song that goes viral in the film, "Hope This Song Is For You".

A Beautiful Life is now available to stream on Netflix. 

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Martin Shore
Staff Writer at WhatToWatch.com

Martin was a Staff Writer with WhatToWatch.com, where he produced a variety of articles focused on the latest and greatest films and TV shows. Now he works for our sister site Tom's Guide in the same role.

Some of his favorite shows are What We Do In The Shadows, Bridgerton, Gangs of London, The Witcher, Doctor Who, and Ghosts. When he’s not watching TV or at the movies, Martin’s probably still in front of a screen playing the latest video games, reading, or watching the NFL.