As soon as we read the viral New York Magazine article “How Anna Delvey Tricked New York’s Party People” by Jessica Pressler, we knew had all the makings of a motion picture.
In just a little over a week, Shonda Rhimes has acquired the rights to the story and plans to develop a series for Netflix. It’ll be the first series she’s created since Scandal ended its run.
via Page Six:
Since coming out on May 28, Pressler’s story has become an instant hot commodity, with about a dozen producers pursuing it for a screen adaptation, both in TV and features. Deadline hears that Netflix stepped up in a big way, and Rhimes’ commitment to do the adaptation as her first series for the streaming platform further tipped the scales.
The 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.
Last October, 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. She was charged with multiple counts of grand larceny and theft of services and is being held without bond on Rikers Island. She has pleaded not guilty.
Since moving to Netflix last August, Rhimes had been quietly acquiring IP, meeting with writers and developing ideas for potential series. She is in the first year of a five-year deal that, in success, could bring her $300 million or more.
If you haven’t given this story a good read, do so now — it’s wild.
