Sons of Anarchy was a hit show on the air for seven seasons and is still loved even almost a decade after the last episode aired. The brutal world of Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Original (SAMCRO) and its members are compelling to watch for many reasons, including its uniqueness. Realism in shows like this one can make or break a story, so creator and showrunner Kurt Sutter had to do a lot of research to realistically represent what it is like to live the dangerous lives of these characters. Therefore, many wondered how much he took from real life and how much of it was complete fiction.
Creating unique worlds is always one of the main goals of the writers and creators of a television show. Even if it's a place where a lot of people know or many stories have been set before, as a hospital, for example, there still needs to have a unique element that makes it stand out from the rest while still being entertaining to watch.
Here is how much of Sons of Anarchy is inspired by real life and what other sources of inspiration came from well-known works of fiction.
Real Life Elements on Sons of Anarchy
Because Sons of Anarchy is set in such a particular world that many don't have access to, the research behind it raised the question: how much of the series is a true story? While most of the story arcs are completely fiction, there were some pretty faithful elements taken from real life. Many characters and elements of the show, such as the rigid hierarchy inside the club, were based on Sutter's research.
Related: Why Sons of Anarchy Has Earned Its Place as a Cult Classic
One of the most interesting research elements was done by one of the actors: Charlie Hunnam. He spent a lot of time with real-life bikers and inside motorcycle clubs. This is not an uncommon practice in the business, especially for actors, but when it is done well, it translates the particularities of these worlds to the character and its story. A real-life biker the actor met inspired the lead character, Jax. He has also considered the air of the motorcycle club his dad founded. But that was not all he inspired: even Jax's looks were something Hunnam took from the real biker. Unfortunately, the biker died before the series began shooting. Another important source of inspiration was a real-life club, Hell Angels Motorcycle Club.
Hell Angels Motorcycle Club
Hell Angels Motorcycle Club (HAMC) is one of the most popular motorcycle clubs in the world. In an interview, Sutter explained that the inspiration for the idea of the club's original purpose upon its foundation was different from what it became came from Hell Angels. "They went from being this fun-loving fraternity to pretty much an organized-crime syndicate." It is easy to understand why Sutter decided to take them as an inspiration for his fictional Sons of Anarchy. However, the real-life club is a grander part of the show than mere research in a very surprising way. Four members of the club actually acted in the show, and that includes some fan-favorite characters.
Related: Sons of Anarchy Cast and Character Guide
David Labrava plays Happy Lowman, but before that, he was a member of the Hell Angels. Labrava was initially brought to the show as a technical advisor, which is not uncommon in the industry when dealing with these specific environments. Nevertheless, his involvement developed to be a part of the cast — and needless to say, it was a great call. After Labrava, the following members were cast in the show: Rusty Cones, Chuck Zito, and Sonny Barger. It is always nice to have people in the crew that can attest to the reality of what is being filmed and to have the privilege of having actors that actually experience similar situations and organization was an exceptional decision.
Inspiration From Shakespeare
Something every creative person knows is that everything they read and watch, even the things they don't like, informs their creative process. Taking inspiration from fictional works, as real-life experiences, is a great part of creating a story. Sons of Anarchy has some interesting influences that, at first, may not appear to be all that related to the show. However, there is one work of fiction that can be seen clearly in the series from a writer that could be considered maybe the one that influenced the most stories of all time: Shakespeare.
The tragic story of Hamlet is not based on a real person but a Norse legend. Nevertheless, the troublesome prince informed many characters that came after. This list includes the reckless Jax. His character arc has been pointed to similar story beats to Hamlet's. The showrunner clarified to Collider how much of the tragedy was used in the writer's room: it wasn't opened and thought of as a guide to be followed.
"It doesn’t figure into the writing of the show. It’s not like we have the play up on a board with plot points that we try to follow. It really speaks to tone, the operatic nature and pulpiness of the show, and the epic quality that some of the storylines have. The archetypes, with Clay and Jax, and Gemma and Tara are there."
Nevertheless, it is still valuable source material to take away from what many writers and creators have done before.
Sons of Anarchy was created from an interesting mixture of real-life experiences, even from the people in the crew and cast, and the dramatic needs of the story. The much-loved television show is a great example of blending these elements while still creating a good story.
