Netflix’s Inventing Anna is now at the center of a lawsuit from one of the individuals portrayed in the Emmy-nominated miniseries, Rachel DeLoache Williams.
As detailed by the Hollywood Reporter on Monday, Williams—who is played by Katie Lowes in the Shonda Rhimes-created series based on a New York magazine piece by Jessica Pressler—has sued the streamer for defamation. Williams alleges, among other things, that Netflix used elements of her real life in pursuit of crafting what she says ended up being a “totally false and defamatory” version of her.
“The truth matters and portraying real people requires real responsibility,” Williams said in a statement to the outlet, adding that the streamer has engaged in “deliberate recklessness” in this instance.
The suit backs up its core argument by pointing to several interviews involving those behind the series, including Rhimes, with emphasis placed on remarks made about fictionalizing elements of the story. In general, however, it’s been repeatedly noted that defamation suits of this level remain notoriously difficult when it comes to proving intent.
The focus of Inventing Anna, of course, is Rachel’s former friend Anna Delvey, played by Ozark alum Julia Garner. In 2019, Delvey—real name Anna Sorokin—was found guilty on multiple counts in an alleged scam operation that served to present her to the public as a very-well-to-do heiress.
As of earlier this year, Sorokin was said by an attorney to still be under the custody of the U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement and has most recently been working toward halting a planned deportation to Germany. Per Reuters, she filed a lawsuit against federal officials for allegedly denying detainees the chance to receive a COVID-19 booster.
