‘Inventing Anna’: Why There Won’t Be a Season 2 on Netflix

Netflix found itself a big hit in the true-crime biopic series Inventing Anna but fans will probably be disappointed to learn that the show will not be back for Season 2. The main reason the show is not greenlit for more episodes is that it was always intended to be a limited series. However, the real-life story of the film’s subject has had some developments over the past few months, so there is always a chance that Netflix execs could reconsider and revisit the at some point in the future, but at this time there do not appear to be any plans to do so.

Inventing Anna is based on the true story of Anna Sorokin, a Russian-born German convicted fraudster who pretended to be a wealthy German heiress under the name Anna Delvey from 2013 until she was found out in 2017. Ozark actress Julia Garner stars as the controversial swindler. The limited series was created and produced by Shonda Rhimes and was inspired by the New York magazine article “How Anna Delvey Tricked New York’s Party People” by Jessica Pressler. In addition to Garner, Inventing Anna also stars Anna Chlumsky, Arian Moayed, Katie Lowes, Alexis Floyd, Anders Holm, Anna Deavere Smith, Jeff Perry, Terry Kinney, and Laverne Cox.

In an interview with Cosmopolitan, Garner spoke about taking on the role, and what she learned about Sorokin while preparing to portray her. “Anna did not want to fail, at all. She went to the nth degree so she wouldn’t fail in front of people, but she kept on digging herself in a deeper hole,” Garner said. “And with the fear of failure, behind that is a deep-rooted fear of rejection. And behind the fear of rejection is not being okay with your identity. To me, that’s what the project is about. It’s about people struggling with their identity, with their self-worth, with the fear of failure.”

Going on to speak about meeting with Sorokin ahead of playing her, Garner shared, “I didn’t have the expectation of Anna answering certain questions because Anna’s very private. She doesn’t like showing her cards often, or actually, at all. I wanted to get her energy and her spirit and mirror that and put it in the show.” 

Garner continued, “When I went there, they asked if I wanted a recording device or a notepad and I said no-I rejected all of that because I didn’t want her to feel like she’s being documented because then she was instantly going to change and have a filter. And the thing that I got out of it was seeing her energy. I was so surprised by how bubbly she can be, how charming she is, and instantly, it made much more sense why she was able to have all those powerful people gravitate toward her.” 

The series has since earned three Emmy Awards nominations: Outstanding Casting For A Limited Or Anthology Series or Movie, Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series or Movie, and Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series. The Emmys airs Monday, Sept. 12 on NBC. All episodes of Inventing Anna are now streaming on Netflix.