Anna Chlumsky & Julia Garner Among 5 Cast In Shonda Rhimes’ Netflix Series Based On Anna Delvey
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Anna Chlumsky, six-time Emmy nominee for Veep, and Julia Garner, coming off an Emmy win for Ozark, will lead the cast of Inventing Anna, Netflix’s upcoming 10-episode limited drama series from Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes. It marks the first series created by Rhimes since Scandal, and the top showrunner has recruited one of the stars of the ABC series, Katie Lowes for it, along with Laverne Cox (Orange is the New Black) and Alexis Floyd (The Bold Type).
David Frankel (The Devil Wears Prada) is attached to direct and executive produce two episodes, including the first, of the Shondaland-produced Inventing Anna, inspired by Jessica Pressler’s viral New York Magazine article “How Anna Delvey Tricked New York’s Party People.”
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Written by Rhimes, in Inventing Anna, a journalist (Chlumsky) with a lot to prove investigates the case of Anna Delvey (Garner), the Instagram-legendary German heiress who stole the hearts of New York’s social scene – and stole their money as well. But is Anna New York’s biggest con woman or is she simply the new portrait of the American dream? Anna and the reporter form a dark funny love-hate bond as Anna awaits trial and our reporter fights the clock to answer the biggest question in NYC: who is Anna Delvey?
Chlumsky’s Vivian is a reporter working to salvage her career with just the right story. The Anna Delvey story is her golden ticket – she is willing to face any problem to get it. But as she works on the Anna story, there is one problem she never expected – Anna herself. The more Vivian pursues the truth about Anna, the more attached to Anna she becomes.
Garner is Anna Delvey, a young woman in her mid-20s with a hard to place European accent who takes New York by storm. Either a brilliant businesswoman or a scammer extraordinaire, Anna in turn inspires loyalty, compassion, contempt, and obsession – all while leaving behind an emotional body count.
Lowes will portray Rachel, a natural born follower whose blind worship of Anna almost destroys her job, her credit and her life. But while her relationship with Anna is her greatest regret, the woman she becomes because of Anna may be Anna’s greatest creation.
Cox will play Kacy Duke. As a celebrity trainer and life coach, Kacy gets sucked into the Anna whirlwind but is mature and centered enough to stay out of any real trouble. When she least expects it, in the wake of Anna’s crimes, Kacy finds herself becoming a coach to more than just Anna.
Floyd will portray Neff. An aspiring filmmaker working as a hotel concierge, Neff knows New York and its people. Neff’s all style, all substance — more complex than most. She’s drawn in by Anna’s charm, but while passionate and loyal, she’s nobody’s fool.
Rhimes executive produces with Shondaland’s Betsy Beers. Pressler also serves as a producer.
Inventing Anna is one of eight-series Netflix slate — scripted and documentary — announced in July 2018 under Rhimes’ blockbuster deal at the streamer.
The Pressler article chronicles the incredible rise and fall of now-infamous Anna Delvey (real name Anna Sorokin) who, through web of lies, scammed her way into becoming an “it” girl on the New York social scene and nearly launched a Soho House–type club. She had an unwitting partner in crime, luring former 11 Howard concierge Neffatari “Neff” Davis into her schemes.
In October 2018, Sorokin, who had claimed to be a wealthy German heiress, was accused of instead being a con artist who had scammed money from banks, businesses and friends. Earlier this year, she was convicted of multiple counts of larceny and theft and is currently behind bars.
Chlumsky is a six-time Emmy nominee for her supporting role as Amy Brookheimer on Veep, which recently wrapped its seventh and final season on HBO. She has been in great demand since, fielding interest from a number of TV projects and ultimately picking Inventing Anna as her followup series. The actress, who will be seen in the Apple feature Hala, is repped by WME, Liebman Entertainment and Schreck Rose.
Garner won a 2019 supporting actress in a drama series Emmy for her portrayal of Ruth Langmore in Ozark in her first ever Emmy nomination. She also has a major role in the first season of Dirty John. She will next be seen in Kitty Green’s drama The Assistant, which Bleecker Street recently acquired and will release on January 31, 2020. The film had its world premiere at Telluride. She is repped by UTA, Anonymous Content and Sloane Offer.
Lowes starred as Quinn Perkins’ on all seven seasons of Shondaland’s Scandal. Her extensive voice work includes animated features Ralph Breaks the Internet, Zootopia, Wreck-It-Ralph, and Big Hero 6 among others. She is repped by Gersh, Framework Entertainment and Schreck Rose.
Cox is known for her role as Sophia on Orange is the New Black, which earned her an Emmy nomination, and recently appeared on Dear White People. She is repped by ICM Partners, PH Entertainment Group and Peikoff Mahan.
Floyd, who recurs as Tia on Freeform’s The Bold Type, is with Industry Entertainment.
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