What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedYoung & Beautiful
François Ozon · Film · 2013
If you loved Young & Beautiful, start with Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields (2023) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Young & Beautiful across media.
What hooked you in Young & Beautiful was the unflinching exploration of how young women navigate agency, identity, and the gaze.
Books on the same thread
Fun Home
Alison Bechdel · Book · 2007
Explores: Father-Daughter Relationship, Sexual Identity, Family Secrets.
Much like Young & Beautiful, this memoir dissects the complexities of self-discovery and familial distance, offering a raw, introspective look at the intersection of sexual identity and coming-of-age.
The Beautiful and Damned
F. Scott Fitzgerald · Book · 2014
Explores: American Dream, Wealth and Decadence, Marriage and Relationships.
If the bourgeoisie ennui of Young & Beautiful resonated with you, this novel provides a similar study of decadence and the aimless search for meaning within a privileged societal framework.
King Kong Theory
Virginie Despentes · Book · 2009
Explores: Rape Culture, Prostitution, Sex Work.
This work mirrors the provocative nature of Young & Beautiful by centering on the realities of sex work and female rebellion, stripping away artifice to examine the politics of desire.
Divergent
Veronica Roth · Book · 2013
Explores: Factionalism, Coming of Age, Identity.
If Young & Beautiful hit, Divergent shares the thread.
Series on the same thread
Euphoria
Sam Levinson · Series · 2019
Explores: Drug Addiction, Mental Health, Teenage Angst.
Fans of Young & Beautiful will recognize the same intense preoccupation with teenage angst and the dangerous, transformative ways young people experiment with their identity and physical desires.
Sex Education
Laurie Nunn · Series · 2019
Explores: Sexual Awakening, Teenage Angst, Social Awkwardness.
While lighter in tone, this show shares the fundamental curiosity about sexual awakening found in Young & Beautiful, navigating the messy, often awkward process of understanding one's own sexuality.
Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields
Series · 2023
Explores: childhood exploitation, sexualization of minors, coming of age.
This documentary echoes the central tension of Young & Beautiful by documenting the complex relationship between a young woman's developing identity and the external sexualization imposed upon her.
True Beauty
Series · 2020
Explores: Appearance Anxiety, Self-Esteem, Love Triangle.
Like the protagonist of Young & Beautiful, the lead here grapples with the performance of self and the pressure to cultivate a specific image to navigate the world around her.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Youth Mind
Podcast
Explores: mindset, personal development, emotional intelligence.
If Young & Beautiful hit, The Youth Mind shares the thread.
Dooms
Podcast
Explores: Personal Reflections, Introspection, Identity.
If Young & Beautiful hit, Dooms shares the thread.