Yes, ‘The Normal Heart’ is based on a true story. The play, written by Larry Kramer, is a semi-autobiographical account of the early years of the AIDS crisis in New York City during the 1980s. Kramer, who was an activist and co-founder of the Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC), drew from his own experiences and the experiences of those around him to create the narrative.
The story focuses on the efforts of activists to raise awareness about the AIDS epidemic and the struggles they faced in getting the government and medical community to take the crisis seriously. Many of the characters in the play are based on real people, including Kramer himself, who is represented by the character Ned Weeks.
The play was later adapted into a television film in 2014, directed by Ryan Murphy and starring Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bomer, and Julia Roberts, among others. The film stays true to the original story and continues to highlight the importance of activism and awareness in the fight against AIDS.