Do you like a good plot based on real cases? Inventing Anna is perfect for you! This dramatic miniseries was created and produced by Shonda Rhimes and inspired by the story of Anna Sorokin and the article in New York entitled “How Anna Delvey Tricked New York's Party People” by Jessica Pressler.
The series follows journalist Vivian (Anna Chlumsky) as she investigates the life of the glamorous and mysterious Anna Delvey (Julia Garner), a young woman increasingly gaining attention in the NY tabloids.
The socialite enjoys a life of luxury and partying as a millionaire German heiress. Still, in reality, Anna uses this cover to use invalid credit cards or forged documents and scam banks and wealthy young men several times over.
After getting a $40 million loan to open a nightclub, Anna's frauds got exposed, and she ended up being charged with robbery and jailed without bail.
From a yacht outside Ibiza to a suite at Paris Fashion Week, Anna's glamorous lifestyle comes into focus as her former friends hand over details to Vivian.
When the journalist approaches her, Anna finally decides to tell the story of how she managed to become one of the most prominent figures in New York's bourgeois elite, even though she comes from a low-income family.
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OUR LIST OF SHOWS LIKE INVENTING ANNA
Is Inventing Anna A True Story?
Although many events in Inventing Anna are taken directly from the life of the real Anna Sorokin, the content of the series includes a lot of fiction along with the facts of Anna's story.
While much of the content is true, some events are exaggerated or invented, and some are not even as bizarre as the truth.
Vivian Kent, the reporter who writes the infamous article about Anna Delvey, is fictional, as is Manhattan Magazine. However, the reporter is based on New York Magazine writer Jessica Pressler, with some fundamental differences.
Some people and place names are real in the series, such as Anna, her friends and the lawyer, other identities were modified or invented. Some characters, such as Anna's mentor Nora Radford and financial lawyer Alan Reed, are based on real people but in hidden ways.
Many of the bizarre events in the series are real, but some stories are added on or completely fabricated. The real Anna does not confirm accumulating $400,000 on someone else's credit card at Bergdorf Goodman.
Yet, she did use a private jet without paying for it, stayed in several hotels without settling her accounts, and allegedly left Rachel Williams hanging for over $60,000 in Morocco. However, she was cleared of that charge.
Some plots in Inventing Anna might be made up, but they don't seem much more fantasy than her real story. As the series reaches its conclusion, it's hard not to wonder if anyone actually knows the truth other than Anna.
How Many Episodes Does Inventing Anna Have?
Inventing Anna premiered in February 2022 and quickly caught the attention of fans for its story based on actual events.
The series has a total of nine episodes.
Is The Real Inventing Anna Still In Jail?
In October 2017, Anna Delvey was arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department and transferred to Rikers Island and held without bail.
Three weeks later, she was indicted for allegedly stealing approximately $275,000 over multiple scams.
In June 2018, her lawyer attempted to make a legal settlement but was rejected. Her case went to trial, and in April 2019, Delvey was convicted of eight counts against her, including second-degree theft, service burglary and attempted grand robbery in the first degree.
In May 2019, Delvey was sentenced to four to twelve years in prison, fined $24,000 and ordered to pay restitution to her victims.
She has just been released from ICE custody and is, awaiting a Board of Immigration Appeals to decide on her case. She hopes to stay in New York.