True crime has proven it is a hitwith audiences, andNetflix has been increasing its documentariesin this genre. The upcoming miniseriesInventing Annais a show everyone should keep on their radar. While the show may dramatize the events that it was inspired from, it is based on the true story of Anna Sorokin, a woman who conned New York’s elite and institutions into unknowingly funding her whims and desires.
New York City is a place where anyone can start overand create a new life for themselves, but Sorokin took this concept to an extreme. One’s pursuit for luxury and excess reaches all new levels when they exploit others to get to that point, although some wealthy individuals have questionable ethical means to their wealth. Criminals may choose to leave their mark through murder and violence, but she was motivated by power and greed, making her case a source of endless fascination and lore in the mainstream media. Here is what to expect with the upcoming television show Inventing Anna.
Related:Netflix’s Inventing Anna Trailer Reveals Julia Garner as Con Woman Anna Delvey
Plot: What Inventing Anna Will Be About
Inventing Annais adapted from the article “How Anna Delvey Tricked New York’s Party People,” which was originally published inNew Yorkby writer Jessica Pressler. Netflix acquired the rights to the article back in 2018, and it began filming around New York and Los Angeles in late 2019. The article outlined the schemes of Anna Sorokin, a Russian-German woman who pretended to be a German heiress. In reality, she was the daughter of a Moscow truck driver and a housewife and moved to New York City after transferring offices ofPurple, the magazine she worked at in Paris.
But what Anna Sorokin is best known for is what she did while pretending to be this German heiress. While she pretended to be Anna Delvey, the German heiress, she defrauded the hotels she would stay in, local and international banks, and wealthy individuals she would befriend at New York’s elite events. Sorokin was convicted for grand larceny, larceny in the second degree, and theft of services. Her jail time was to be around four to twelve years, but in February 2021, Sorokin was released from jail and was promptly rearrested a month later by ICE. Netflix paid her $320,000 for the rights to her story, but most of it went into lawyer fees and paying back some of the banks who were her victims.
Inventing Annawill take this story and present it from a journalist’s angle; one will be trying to untangle the web Sorokin created to discover the true extent of her crimes. Sorokin did a lot during her stint in New York—she had stolen the equivalent of $275,000 by the time she was caught—and openly admitted thatshe did not regret anything. But in an interview, she writes, “Will I forever be judged for my early-to-mid-20s?” Perhaps viewers will truly come to understand Sorokin’s mentality and mindset when it comes to doing what she did withInventing Anna, allowing a glimpse into her decision-making process.
Confirmed Cast & Crew
Julia Garner, whowas recently seen inOzark, will be playing the role of Anna Sorokin inInventing Anna. She prepared for the role by visiting Sorokin at Rikers Island in New York City. Garner was looking to understand who Anna was and why she did what she did, which may lead to a more realistic and authentic depiction of her as a character. Sorokin, though, is not too happy about the television show being made. She says she will not be watching the show or Garner’s performance, so the world may unfortunately never know her personal opinion of it.
Anna Chlumsky will portray Vivian, the reporter who spins this tale. Sorokin and Vivian will have a love-hate relationship as they engage with each other throughout Anna’s trial. The remainder of the cast rounds out withScandal’s Katie Lowes,Orange is the New Black’s Laverne Cox, Arian Moayed ofSuccession, and Anders Holm. With a solid cast in the series, it looks like it will be exciting in the acting department.
On the opposite side of the camera, the creator ofGrey’s Anatomy, Shonda Rhimes, is the mastermind behindInventing Anna. She wrote and produced the show alongside Betsy Beers.The Devil Wears Prada’s director, David Frankel, will be directing two episodes, including the first episode, but it is currently unknown who will be directing the remaining episodes.
Related:Ozark Star Julia Garner to Lead Psychological Thriller Apartment 7A
Anticipated Release Date
The show was originally set to premiere in 2021, but the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic changed those plans. It will consist of ten episodes, making it a solid binge-worthy choice for this upcoming Valentine’s weekend if you arenot into romance. First looks at Garner in the titular role first began to surface in October 2021, and the show’s trailer boasts media footage of Sorokin’s descent into being caught and going on trial. An official teaser was released in January 2022, a month before the show was available.Inventing Annawill stream on Netflix on June 11, 2025.
