Comedy drama

Dying for Sex (2025): Cast & Plot

Name: Dying for Sex
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Cast: Michelle Williams, Jay Duplass, Jenny Slate, Sissy Spacek, Esco Jouléy

Dying for Sex is a 2025 comedy drama directed by Shannon Murphy and Chris Teague, starring Michelle Williams as Molly Kochan, Jay Duplass and Jenny Slate.

Loading streaming availability…

Watch the trailer Read the plot summary

Directors: Shannon Murphy and Chris Teague
Genres: Drama , Comedy
Original language: English
Studio: 20th Television
After the credits: No No extra scene

The story

What Is Dying for Sex About?

The premise of Dying for Sex without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

After receiving a Stage IV metastatic breast cancer diagnosis, Molly Kochan abandons her marriage and, confronting her limited time, embarks on an unapologetic quest to discover and fulfill the breadth and complexity of her sexual desires for the first time, seeking intimacy and self‑realization.

Dying for Sex Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags

terminal cancer
female sexual desire
sexless marriage
metastasized cancer
cancer recurrence
dying
palliative care
female friends
sexless relationship
female sexuality
stage four cancer
reference to chemo

+38 more

reference to child sexual abuse
dying of cancer
exploring sexuality
male frontal nudity
male nudity
male full frontal nudity
male rear nudity
female protagonist
sexless marriage husband not interested
dysfunctional marriage
reference to breast cancer
cancer patient
husband caring for sick wife
dysfunctional husband wife relationship
husband wife relationship
reference to cancer
couples therapy
reference to a terminal illness
reference to menopause
terminally ill wife
mother adult daughter relationship
dysfunctional mother daughter relationship
friend in the hospital
death of best friend
death
dying young
dying woman
love and death
female best friends relationship
female best friends
grieving
best friend best friend relationship
best friend relationship
grief
female friendship
hospice
based on podcast
tv mini series

Loading streaming availability…

Cast & crew

Dying for Sex Cast & Characters

Michelle Williams leads the cast as Molly Kochan, with Jay Duplass as Steve and Jenny Slate as Nikki Boyer. Directed by Shannon Murphy and Chris Teague; 8 actors are credited in all.

Co-director Shannon Murphy
Co-director Chris Teague

Michelle Williams as Molly Kochan
Jay Duplass as Steve
Jenny Slate as Nikki Boyer
Sissy Spacek as Gail

Also Starring in Dying for Sex

· 4 more

Esco Jouléy Sonya
Kelvin Yu Noah
Rob Delaney Neighbor Guy
David Rasche Dr. Pankowitz

From the directors

More from Shannon Murphy and Chris Teague

More films directed by Shannon Murphy and Chris Teague, best-rated first: Babyteeth, Babyteeth and Kharisma.

Plot

Dying for Sex Plot Summary

What happens in Dying for Sex from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Molly’s story begins ten years into an unfulfilling marriage with her husband Steve, a somewhat pompous journalist who struggles to connect with her on a deeper level. She is also haunted by a traumatic childhood experience involving her mother’s boyfriend forcing oral sex upon her at the tender age of seven. This dark past influences much of her emotional landscape and complicates her current relationships.

Full summary

The whole story of Dying for Sex, scene by scene

Read the full summary