A big buzz in the media has been the new popular Netflix series called Inventing Anna. The series lays out the story of journalist Vivian Kent who investigates the story of Anna Delvey, a New Yorker swimming in prestigious circles of the Manhattan social scene. Delvey appears to be a German heiress living an extravagant lifestyle off of her father’s financial funding. No one really knows exactly who she is or where she comes from, yet she’s the talk of the New York City social scene. Even her last name is a mystery, as she goes by both Sorokin and Delvey. The series kicks off with journalist Kent sharing her knowledge about Delvey/Sorokin’s arrest and temporary hold at Rikers prison for allegations of multiple thefts taking place in Manhattan. Kent is instantly intrigued and convinced there’s a big story to uncover. After some push back from Kent’s superiors at her magazine after a scandal with her last article, she’s eventually allowed to visit Delvey and gain more information to see if there’s a newsworthy story.
Kent speaks to Delvey in prison and is taken aback by her strong personality. She pushes Delvey for more information about her friends and inner circle to gain interviews from them and more knowledge of who Anna Delvey is and what her real story is. Delvey immediately claims that all crimes she’s accused of are false and that there are powerful people against her who do not want to see her succeed. Delvey tells Kent to dig deeper to show her she’s interested in helping her public image through her writing. As Delvey does not want to be labeled as a “dumb socialite.” After much convincing, Delvey finally allows Kent an official interview, and Kent finds many sources who surrounded Delvey during her time in New York and her extravagant globe trotting. More details are found about Delveys background which proves she’s simply a con artist who came to the U.S to defraud the rich, by means like that of a spy novel. Her exciting and luxurious tale of rubbing elbows with billionaires while wearing designer labels and living in 5-star resorts made for an incredible series. The best part is, though, that a majority of this is a true story.
Anna Delvey is also known as Anna Sorokin, was arrested in 2019 for attempted grand larceny, larceny in the second degree, and theft of services in the state of New York. She was sentenced to 4 to 12 years in prison on Rikers Island. Following her arrest in 2019, investigative journalist Jessica Pressler (who was portrayed by “Vivian Kent” in the series) at New York Magazine published an article detailing the story of Sorokin’s crimes and how she built her reputation in prestigious New York social circles. Between 2013 and 2017, Sorokin posed as a German heiress, traveling the world. She attended elite fashion shows, ate at the best restaurants, wore the best clothes, and surrounded herself with very popular and influential people. Over the course of six years Sorokin successfully stole 275,000 dollars from multiple individuals. However, she attempted to steal 23 million dollars from multiple banks as loans for the “social club” she was creating in NYC.
In 2021, Sorokin was issued an order of deportation back to her home country of Russia. At the time of this article’s publication, she is currently in a legal battle with ICE deportation agency, fighting for her stay in the U.S. Sorokin still claims her innocence. Still, she attempts to hold on to the title of German heiress and elite socialite.
Personally, I feel the show definitely deserves a place on everyone’s Netflix queue. Its hilarious cast members, thrilling drama, and incredible storyline, which takes place in the most exciting locations, earn the series its rightful place. The different perspectives and the investigative component of the show provide unique and exciting entertainment. I was definitely glued to my seat and hungry for more information after every episode. The series gave way to an elite world of socialites rarely depicted in raw detail. As well as, revealing the meticulous planning successful con-artists utilize to deceive others.
The Netflix series definitely captivates viewers and is an intriguing source of entertainment that will keep you clicking “Watch Next Episode”. The cast is full of incredibly talented actors and actresses that do a fantastic job at transforming this compelling story onto the big screen. Inventing Anna is a must-watch.