01x01 - Life of a VIP

[bunniefuu]

[machinery whirring]

["Rich" by Megan Thee Stallion playing]

[Anna] This whole story,

the one you're about
to sit on your fat ass

and watch like a big lump
of nothing, is about me.

Ew! Not her.

Me.

You know me.

Everyone knows me.

I'm an icon.

A legend.

[anchor] The fake heiress
allegedly scammed her way

through thousands of dollars

in gourmet meals, luxury hotel rooms
and private jet flights.

Sources say
she also conned Manhattan's glitterati,

leaving egg on the faces
of society's biggest players

from the art world, real-estate,
fashion and Wall Street.

[Anna] That part's all lies, you know.
I did nothing wrong.

This is bullshit.

Anna Delvey's a masterpiece,
b*tches, and they can all just fu...

[Anna] I work for my success.

I earn my accomplishments.

Pay attention.

Maybe you'll learn
how to be smart like me.

I doubt it, but you can dream.

[music ends]

[theme music playing]

The Manhattan District Attorney's Office

is pleased to announce
the indictment of Anna Sorokin.

Miss Sorokin is also known
by the alias Anna Delvey.

Miss Sorokin is charged

in a New York State
Supreme Court indictment

with two counts of attempted
grand larceny in the first degree,

three counts of grand larceny
in the second degree

and one count of grand larceny
third degree, and theft of services.

Anna Sorokin committed
real white-collar felonies

while posing as a socialite

in an attempt to steal
millions and millions of dollars.

Investigations into her further
criminal activity are ongoing.

If you believe you may have been
a victim of this defendant,

I urge you to call
the financial fraud hotline.

Thank you.

Are you reading it?

[Kacy over phone]
That girl's back in New York.

I can't believe it.
How do you think they caught her?

[Kacy] Karma, honey.

The universe corrects all wrongs.

We need to drink about Anna.
Did you see the article?

I never met her.

We never met her.

Darling, it was in the papers.

[breathing heavily]

This could turn into a big, uh, thing.

[inhales deeply] I have no desire
to be humiliated.

It was one story, one reporter.
The Post of all places.

I mean, no one else
is going to pick this up.

And why would they? [scoffs]

Who on Earth would be interested
in lowly Anna Delvey?

- [woman] Nora. Hello, dear.
- Hmm.

[elevator dings]

[telephone ringing in distance]

[indistinct chatter]

[sighs]

- You see anything?
- No assignments on the board yet.

I'm saying it now.

They give me Melania, I'm jumping.

I will not write any more Melania stories.

I miss writing about the Obamas.

I might have a story.

I was thinking,
"What the hell, go in there and pitch it."

- Yeah, get in there. Go.
- Go for it.

- Take a sh*t.
- [Maud] Why not?

Okay.

- [Lou] Come on.
- Okay, f*ck it. I'm going in.

- [Maud] You got it.
- Yeah.

- [all applauding]
- [whistles]

Oh, no. I can't watch.

[indistinct chatter]

Yeah. Yeah, that sounds good.

Vivian. Uh, we're having a meeting.

I know, and before you got too far,

I wanted to put in
a bid for my next story.

What am I looking at?

Her name is Anna Delvey,
or Anna Sorokin, no one's sure.

She's either a mega rich German heiress,

or she's flat broke,
and maybe she's Russian.

- Vivian, I...
- That's the point, no one knows.

Whoever she is, the DA's office
just extradited her from LA

and she's being arraigned today.

I'm going down to the courthouse now,
so I'm already late.

- I'll be on that.
- [Paul] Landon…

- Vivian!
- She's on the Wall Street #MeToo story.

And do I really need to be?

- Mmm. That story is...
- Why are you complaining this time?

I gave you something
riveting and provocative.

Yeah, thanks.

I'm asking to be on this instead, Landon.

- Paul assigns your stories.
- Okay, but this is a cover story.

A dumb socialite.
I don't think so. [scoffs]

Just give me a chance to get an interview.

Vivian, uh…

The indictment reads like a novel.

The charges, the arena,
the players are insane.

We're talking big banks,
financial advisors, hedge funds,

law firms, real-estate developers,
philanthropists, galleries,

art dealers, all of Fashion Week,

and half of New York society,
and she's 26 years old.

I couldn't tie my own shoes at 26.
You know I give good story.

[sighs softly]

Let me do this.

Paul assigns your stories.

Wall Street, #MeToo.

Fine.

I want copy in three weeks.

[Vivian] No problem.

[cars honking]

We want her remanded, Your Honor.

No bail? Come on!

[Catherine] Your Honor, we all know
the reason she is in court

is because you allowed us
to hunt and capture her.

Remand is warranted, Your Honor.

- Your Honor, she's...
- She's a flight risk. DA's office will ask

for a substantial
prison sentence in this case.

Remand is more
than appropriate in this case.

My client has every intention
of coming back to court.

Your Honor, she's a young,
vulnerable, nonviolent offender.

Set a reasonable bail
and I will surrender her passport,

and then she will be able
to assist me in her own defense,

which will take a tremendous amount
of work, given the financial charges.

Miss Sorokin,
Mr. Spodek asked me to consider bail.

I am. I have.

I have no confidence whatsoever

in you returning
to this jurisdiction to face the music.

None, zero.

I am remanding you
to Rikers Island until trial.

Remand, take charge.

[gavel banging]

- You put up a good fight in there.
- Thanks.

I can't imagine a young woman her age
having to spend time at Rikers like that.

Happens.

I didn't notice
if she had family in the courtroom.

I have no comment.

- I didn't ask for one.
- But you were going to.

Just wondering if you have any idea
how she got mixed up in all of this.

No comment.

Those are some pretty serious charges

and they involve two of the world's
largest banks, not to mention Fortress.

Fortress is true
power player private equity.

That is not a sandbox
most 26-year-olds would ever play in,

would ever even know existed, but she did.

How did she know Fortress?

- [slowly] No comment.
- [clicks tongue]

I just… [sighs] I would really love
an opportunity to sit down with Anna.

[chuckles] That won't happen.

The Post has done two stories
calling her a "wannabe socialite."

No one reads The Post.

Jurors read The Post,
and The Post is making fun of her.

Dumb socialite?
There's no way they have it right.

That girl is not dumb.
I don't know what, but not dumb.

- Look, I...
- She deserves to have her story told.

One interview.
All I'm asking is that you talk to her.

Let her decide.

Who are you?

Vivian Kent. Vivian.

Vivian Kent, Vivian.

I'm going to keep walking
in this direction, and you are not.

[Vivian] I'm sorry.

I was sitting in a waiting room
full of pregnant women, by myself.

I'm so, so, so sorry.

I spent the afternoon looking like some

molesting pregnancy fetish pervert
to everyone at Dr. Harris' office.

Forks. [sighs wearily]

Again, I am sorry.

- I just… [sighs] just got caught up.
- [quietly] Not enough.

It's a good story. Anna's really a…

I don't know. She's remarkable.

Anna's in jail.
You know what's remarkable?

Pulling yourself up by your bootstraps,
working for what you have,

showing up to ultrasound appointments.

This was worth missing
an appointment about genitals.

[sighs deeply]

All right.

Go.

Fortress.

No one gets into Fortress without keys,
and the only keys are money or power.

If Anna did it, she displayed
some amazing financial talents.

Even if she didn't do it,

she displayed
some amazing financial talents.

Plus, she was in New York society.

That's, like, a closed world.

Either she truly belonged there
or she fooled her way in.

One way or the other it's a real story.

You should've seen Paul's face.
"Wall Street, #MeToo." Bleurgh!

You know, you don't
have to put up with Paul.

Oh, my God, please don't start.

I'm just saying,

maybe you're overestimating
how big a deal it was.

I'm not.

Okay? Drop it.

Just trying to help.

[Vivian] Dear Anna, I'm a features writer
at Manhattan Magazine.

I read a bit about your story.

The papers have not done you justice.

The few details I can find
are so compelling

that I'm sure
there has to be more to the story.

I know there is a brilliant
and interesting woman behind...

"Brilliant and interesting"?

Too much?

Flattery will get you everywhere.

[Vivian] …brilliant and interesting woman
behind all of this.

If you are amenable, I would love
to meet and talk for a potential story.

I hope you're doing okay
under the circumstances

and that we can meet soon.
My phone number is below.

Best regards, Vivian Kent.

[cell phone vibrating]

[groaning]

[sighs]

What…

[exhales]

Hello?

[groans]

Yes. Yes, I will accept
a call from Rikers Island.

Hello, this is Vivian Kent.

Vivian. It's Anna Delvey.

[hip-hop music playing]

[officer] Place your thumb
on that scanner.

Go wait for the bus marked Rosie.

- Another bus?
- A lot of buses here.

Pass.

Wondering how long the wait will be?

It takes as long as it takes.

It's just 'cause the baby gets hungry.

It takes as long as it takes.

[inhales deeply]

[Todd] It's a nice day.

- [laughing]
- [chuckles]

Come on, Spodek, I'm living my life.

Why do you come here? There are phones.

Because you need to see this face.

Look at this face.
Who could say no to this face?

Want me to answer
that in front of your kid?

[laughs] Catherine, you don't
want to try this case.

Oh, but I do. She's a criminal.

She stole from the biggest
banks and hotels in the city.

Allegedly. And everyone hates banks
and everyone thinks hotels overcharge.

- That is a load of bull...
- Shorts!

Someone repeats all kinds of words,
so "bull-shorts."

Bull-shorts, fine.

Todd, come on.

These banks, these hotels,
she embarrassed them.

I can't drop the charges,
SI would have my head.

Also, I don't want to.

She is everything that is wrong
with America right now,

and she's not even American.

No one's going to convict her.

She's Robin Hood, she's a folk hero.

She's a little…

Bit of a scam artist.

She's a sweet, nice girl.

[scoffs] Now that is sexist.
Anna is what a criminal looks like.

I don't think you have this one right,
for what it's worth.

But okay, I tried. Daddy tried, right?

Daddy tried.

See you in court.

Todd, have you thought about
helping her get a different attorney?

No, Catherine, I have not.

I don't mean to be insulting, I don't.
You know me.

It's just, I know your wheelhouse
and I respect it, but it's not this.

I'm concerned.

Flake you, Catherine.

There are over 11,000 pages of discovery.

I have seven people on this legal team.

This is deep water.
I'm trying to throw you a lifeline.

What?

I'll get you a plea offer,
you take it to her,

we close this whole thing up quickly.

Avoid a flaking trial.

I'm scheduled on
your 10:00 a.m. flight to Kansas City.

I wondered
could I have switched to a later flight…

[officer] Sorokin.

Sorokin.

Me, that's me.

[door buzzes]

Oh!

[indistinct chatter]

- [door closes]
- [system buzzes]

- [system buzzes]
- [door opens]

Right over there.

Vivian, thank you so much for coming.

[Vivian] Hi, Anna.

It's nice to meet you.
How are you doing? Are you okay?

I'm okay. I'm just really glad you came.

I know you said you would come,

but then I was told media visits
take a long time to schedule, so…

But it didn't take you any time at all.

I didn't come on a media visit.

- It's so much red tape.
- Hmm.

So this is just a regular visit?

Yes. It's so much quicker.

See, with a media visit, a journalist
needs all kinds of permissions,

but really,
any regular person can visit an inmate.

So I just got on the bus and here I am.

Oh, okay.

[hesitating] So, I know you want to do
an interview and I just… I don't, um…

I don't know if I like, I just don't want…

You don't have to agree to anything now.

We'll just talk on background,

meaning I can't quote you
or give any indication that we spoke.

We'll just get to know each other
and then you can decide. Okay?

Okay.

[inhales] That woman, that prosecutor?

- The ADA, Catherine McCaw?
- Yes, McCaw.

McCaw is painting a public picture of me

as a dumb, shallow,
superficial person who's just after money.

I want you to know that's not me at all.

I'm not some party girl.

I'm trying to build a business.

Okay.

I mean, even the name thing.

She said I was using an alias.

It's crazy.

Delvey isn't an alias.
It's my mom's maiden name.

Of course.

Anna, if you could give me some names,

people I can talk to,
friends, business associates,

anyone who could
corroborate your side of things,

it would really help the interview.

You said this was
off the record until I agreed?

Right.

It's just, I thought if there was a way

to help prove
you have the funds you say you have...

Money is not an issue for me.

And if the prosecutors are doubting me,
if they think I don't have money,

[mockingly]
"Oh, she can't pay for anything,"

why not give me bail and see?

If I was such a fraud, it would be such
an easy test. "Can she bail herself out?"

Try me and see. Instead, I'm in here.

[scoffs]

[inhales shakily]

Um…

I wake up in the mornings now,

and every time
I think I had the most horrible dream.

And then there's a noise or a smell,

or I… I…
I catch a glimpse of the bars

out of the corner of my eye, and…

I realize this is…
this is really happening.

Anna, are you okay in here?

I mean, are you safe?

This place is just,
it's… It's… [sniffles]

It's very different from real life

and I'm not talking about
a certain standard of living.

I'm not spoiled.

[softly] There are girls in here
who are criminals,

like, they're dangerous people.

Vivian, I didn't do anything wrong.

[tearfully] I didn't do
what the prosecutor is saying I did.

This… This whole thing
is some kind of… [sobs] misunderstanding.

[sniffles] I… I don't belong in here.

I don't know if I can make it. [sniffles]

It's going to be okay.

It might not seem like it now,
but it will be okay.

- It's gonna be okay.
- No touching.

[Anna sobs]

[sniffles, exhales]

- [sobs] Vivian?
- Yes?

Are you… Are you…

Are you pregnant
or are you just so very, very fat?

Pregnant.

[sobs] Okay.

[inhales deeply and sighs]

[indistinct chatter]

[door closes]

- [Barry] What you up to, kid?
- Nothing.

- Where were you yesterday?
- At the doctor's. [sighs]

Follow-up question, all day?

No, I also interviewed people
for the Wall Street piece.

A lot of #MeToo stories.
I needed to take it all in.

[chuckles] f*ck me.

You went to Rikers.

Anna answered your letter
and you went to Rikers.

Yes. You went rogue. Good girl.

- [Maud] Fight the power, woman.
- Keep your voices down.

[Lou] I'm impressed.

Paul's gonna grind your bones for bread
when he catches you, but still.

[Maud] He's not gonna catch her.

Stop humping your Pulitzers
and get over here and help.

What do you need?

[Vivian] These are the court records
on Anna so far.

They tell me nothing.

I have no leads,
no real idea who she socialized with,

who her friends are. I need to find
someone who can talk to me about Anna.

I need sources, I need names.
It's all John Does in here.

Fatima, what are they doing?

Well, I mean, they're writers.
So, writing.

The one person who knows all the names
behind the Does is the prosecutor.

How loose is the ADA on the case?

No.

I'm not asking you
to talk about the trial,

or give me a witness list,
or anything official.

I'm just looking
for some color on the case.

Color on the case? No.

No one's gonna just talk, not rich people.
You have to smoke 'em out.

The banks listed in the indictment.

Have you called the asset managers
to see if they'll break?

There's usually one set of loose lips.

Anna Delvey, or maybe it was Anna Sorokin?

She was a client of yours.

Thank you, yes, I'm happy to hold.

I was just speaking with you,

and maybe something happened
when you put me on hold because…

Well, I… Sure, I'll hold.

Vivian Kent again.

No, do not put me on hold.
Do not put me on…

No. No, I do not want to hold.

I am done with the holding. I…

Anna's not giving up info?

Anna hasn't even
agreed to the interview yet.

- Hey.
- [Margaret] You're late.

- Kids?
- Uh, your mother took them.

Ula put out clothes for you.
It's black tie.

- What are we doing?
- Opening night at Ailee.

Right.

[sighs]

McCaw offered me a deal.

Sorokin case? That's great.

It's a good deal.
Probably the best she can hope for.

[Margaret] Is she taking it?

- I haven't told her about it yet.
- When did you get the offer?

- [Todd] Saturday.
- Saturday?

Babe, you have a duty
as an officer of the court.

It could be considered
malpractice to withhold...

I know the law.
Obviously, I'm going to take it to her.

Forget it. I'm just…

[inhales] I'm just tired. [sighs]

[inhales]

What are you doing?
I thought we were late.

We are late. But clearly
we need to figure some sh*t out.

Start talking, mister.

- You work at a big firm.
- I work for my father's firm.

And I work in a WeWork. [scoffs]

My last big client was a woman who claimed
she was the love child of a president.

- She was a joke.
- Hey, she did look a little like him.

- [sighs]
- [chuckles]

- Mags, this case.
- Mmm.

It's a complicated case.

There are financial documents
and international banking statements,

and it's just me and Alexi in the office.

[wearily] You know how much discovery
that is to discovery?

We can't handle that kind of volume.

Whatever the deal is,
she should probably take it. She should.

Catherine's decent.

Knowing her, it'll be a good deal.

A deal worth taking.

So… why don't you want her to?

Sometimes I put on that tux,

I go with you to these events,

and even though
I'm with Margaret Vanderburn-Porter

of the New York Porters,

and even though that tuxedo cost more
than some people make in a month…

Don't be gross.

…even then,
I still feel like one of the valets.

[Margaret] Mmm.

Like I'm back in Long Island, and I'm…

Parking cars to help my ma pay the rent.

Like our friends should be
tossing me their keys and giving me tips.

Honey.

[exhales]

Anna doesn't need her car parked.

[whispers] Hey.

[beeping]

[elevator dings]

- You've been out a lot.
- Sorry.

Where were you?

I was chasing a Wall Street lead.

[Paul] You got anything good?

Yeah, a great one. Super #MeToo.

[Fatima] Vivian, there you are.

Listen, the DA's office called Landon
about some fake socialite case.

He wasn't in,
but I guess the ADA wanted to…

I wrote it down.

"Following a visit from Vivian Kent,

I want to formally register
that the DA's office

has no comment on the case involving
the scam artist known as Anna Sorokin,

AKA Anna Delvey."

- Does this make sense?
- [Vivian] Yes, it's, um…

You know what?
I'll take care of it. Thanks, Fatima.

[elevator buzzer sounds]

sh*t.

- She deliberately defied me.
- [sighs] I wasn't trying to...

You misled me. She's supposed to be
on the Wall Street #MeToo story.

Can we talk about that though?

She can't just assign herself stories
and brag about it, like she knows best.

I don't brag.
How can you justify doing that story?

Right, tell me, Vivian.
What can you possibly have against

the women of Wall Street
proclaiming #MeToo?

Nothing, but the women of Wall Street
are not proclaiming #MeToo.

They are scared to death for their jobs,

and seeing therapists, and trying
to cope with handsy assholes

and you want to launch
a woman journalist grenade

to bully them into
telling their stories to the public

until these women are traumatized
and their careers are pulverized.

I'm not against the women.
I'm against you using them for clickbait.

This is what I mean.

She thinks she's above the rules.

Can we have the room?

Paul?

One minute.

[door opens]

[door closes]

Why is everything so difficult?

He was your guy on Harvey
and he said there was nothing there.

Who looks at Harvey and finds nothing?

Jodi and Megan and Ronan
found a f*cking Pulitzer's worth.

And now, after everyone else has done
#MeToo, every daily, weekly, monthly,

hell, Oprah came out
of retirement, Time's Up…

Now he wants in? Now?
When it doesn't matter.

When there's a comfortable
bandwagon to get on.

- That's not fair.
- I'm not doing it.

I want a real story with teeth.

That's not your call.

[Vivian] I went to Rikers, Landon.

I interviewed Anna.

She gave you an interview?

- Before trial?
- I'm telling you, there's something there.

Paul assigns the features.

Paul never assigns me anything decent.

- Paul moved my desk out to Scriberia.
- Scriberia?

Where you send the old writers to die.

We don't have a place
we send writers to die.

The back left corner of the office,
that part that gets no sunlight.

Full of the old crankies,
who are, by the way, amazing writers.

That is Scriberia.

Everybody knows it. Paul certainly does,

and he sent me there
and he's waiting for me to die.

I am bubble-wrapped
from any good stories. Landon...

Paul is perhaps being cautious.

Given the history.

- There is no history.
- [Landon] There is a history.

- There is no history.
- The article.

- It was nothing. You know that.
- It was something.

- It was nothing.
- It was something.

It was Paul.

We're going to have to continue
to agree to disagree.

Give me a month.
One month on this Anna story.

Let me do this
before someone else beats us to it.

- [Landon] Vivian...
- You owe me one.

This is my one.

Two weeks, but make good.

An exclusive interview
with this woman, and be well-sourced.

Two weeks. Show me something.

Or I will let Paul reassign you.

You gave in.

A couple more months,
she'll be out on maternity leave.

[Jack] What about this?

You tell Paul to go f*ck himself,

take the year off, have a baby, and then
get back out there and look for a job.

I do not like your face.

People forget.

People forget, but people use Google.

And Google… What?
What do I always say about Google?

- Google never forgets.
- Google never forgets.

You know this. No other news outlet
is going to hire me, Jack.

I'm getting the interview. Okay?

- Okay.
- Okay.

What about the hotel?

I thought of that. The Beekman, the W…

There's a bunch of 'em listed
as filing charges for not being paid,

but she was in and out of each one.

A few days at most.

Nobody there knew her enough
to remember if she had guests.

Not the hotels that filed charges,
I mean the one that didn't.

12 George Hotel.

According to this,
Anna stayed there for months.

[upbeat music playing]

Yeah.

I could get in
a lot of trouble for this, you know.

[door opens]

[sighs]

- Yeah, this is bigger than my apartment.
- [Neff] Mmm-hmm.

It's $1,700 a night.
Not even one of our suites.

$1,700 a night.

Anna's bill must have been huge.

And she paid it?

[Neff] She paid, every dime.
And she tipped with $100 bills.

I read they're saying
she's a scammer, but… [snorts]

Anna Delvey is legend around here.

We saw that money.

Did you know her?

I don't fraternize with guests.

Can you remember any friends
or people who visited her?

I don't fraternize with guests.
It's against the rules.

I got to get back.
So you want to take a selfie or what?

Anna took selfies all over this place.

["Franchise" by Travis Scott playing]

[Vivian] Hi, I'm calling because
I'm doing a story on Anna Delvey.

I know that you and Anna
got together socially a number of times.

Oh, because it's on Instagram.

On Instagram.

No, it's definitely you.

I'm sure.

Hi, I'm Vivian.

I'm sure. Over 30 photos
of the two of you together on Instagram.

Instagram. Instagram. Instagram.

I'd hate to link you to Anna in an article
without hearing your point of view.

I will, but I'd hate to.

Great. I'll see you there.

Her family is the Delvey family.

The one big in antiques. German.

There's a trust fund. That's all I know.

She's Russian,
her father's a major money guy.

Something about solar.
Very rich, that's what she told me.

This is the situation.

Her family had some impressionist painting

that was supposed to be sold
for about 42 mill when Anna turned 25,

and she and her brother
were going to split the proceeds.

It was real. I saw the piece. [chuckles]

I think I did.

I'll say this for Anna.
The bitch knew how to dress.

Chic Parisian couture.

Rick Owens, Zara off the rack.

For someone with money,
I didn't understand it.

But she had more clothes
than anyone ever, so…

She wore the same
black dress over and over.

She looked like
this little Barbie Doll. Cute.

She had something, you know?

Anna?

She and I made out a couple times

and I can tell you,
I wasn't the first girl she'd been with.

She's hot.

She told me everything,

and I'm telling you,
Anna Delvey had no use for sex.

She was not into it.

Anna was from another planet
when it came to normal bodily urges.

She came for a meeting at our office.

She used my bathroom
and I didn't have any toilet paper,

and she did a number two.

She came down
and spent time in the meeting

and the odor was incredible.

The odor was so bad,

I said, "There is something
wrong with this human being."

Anna scares the sh*t out of me.
I still have nightmares.

My God, all this time she was a fake.

Her face was basic, peasant face,

which is how you know
she was legitimately wealthy.

No one who looked like that
could get away with being poor,

not in our world.

In a sick way, I wish I knew her better.

How much of the nursery did you paint?

- Just the one wall. Why?
- Huh.

Selfies from Instagram.

This is Anna, and this is Anna.

And this is Anna, and this is Anna,
and this is Anna, and this is Anna.

Anna, Anna, Anna,
Anna, Anna, Anna! [chuckles]

All taken within the last five years.

- Holy sh*t.
- [Vivian] Who is she?

How many Annas is she?

Who the hell is Anna Delvey?

[scanner beeping]

[beeping]

[officer] You're good.

- Your visitor pass. Do not lose it.
- Lose it. Got it. Bus marked "Rosie"?

Sorokin.

You're here on a regular visit again?

I'm sorry?

Regular visits, media visits.

You're here on a regular visit.

Yes. Like I said before,

there are procedures
for getting a media visit.

So a regular visit
is the fastest, easiest to...

On a media visit
they put us in a private room.

I think we're good,
not that many people in here today.

So, anyway, I just had some questions.

Is that okay?

I've been trying to get some other
interviews to help corroborate your story.

[Anna] You don't believe me?

It's not that.
It's just for a story like this,

a journalist needs other sources.

To give the story credibility.

Oh.

So I made progress.

I spoke to a number
of your friends and associates.

You know some very interesting
and accomplished people.

They all had lots to say about you,

but there did seem to be some
confusion over certain things.

Did you ride the bus?

What?

The bus.

Did you take that white Rikers bus here?

[chuckles softly]

Well, yeah.

You don't have to take the bus
on a media visit.

They drive you, it's VIP.

Okay.

[inhales]

Anna, I want to clarify
some of this confusion.

Everyone I spoke to, every single person,
describes you very differently.

Almost as if all of them were talking
about a lot of different people,

instead of just one person.

What do you think about that?

Who exactly did you talk to,
and what they say?

I don't have my notes,
so I can't say exactly.

On a media visit, they let you
bring in papers and notebooks.

I'll keep that in mind.

They were talking about things
like how you dress.

Totally varying descriptions.

Do you have any idea why that would be?

Or your dating habits?

Here's a big one.

Everyone told me a different story about
where your family money comes from.

If we could clear...

On a media visit, they even let you
bring a recording device,

and our visit time isn't limited
to 40 minutes because it's VIP.

You rode that bus.
Don't you know how VIP works?

I do know, but VIP comes with rules.

For a media visit, I would have to
put in an official written request

and then wait for approval
and that can take weeks.

Sometimes, VIP isn't better.

Anna, can you answer
any of these questions?

Just talk a little bit

about why everyone
has a different description of you?

I have a question.

Okay.

[Anna] I read some stuff about you.

Lots of people
have read some stuff about me.

- That's not a question.
- Well, I have a question.

Okay.

- What?
- Nothing.

No, why is your face like that?

Fine, you looked me up
and you read some stuff about me,

and now you want to ask me a question.

That's not new. I usually get either
"What happened to the kid in the story?"

"Where is he now?"

Or I get
"Did Bloomberg really offer me a job

and then after everything
came out, take it back?"

It's always some version of one of those.

And, yes,
I can tell you they took the job back,

and, no,
I don't know what happened to the kid.

That answer your question?
Because I would love to move on to you.

That wasn't my question.

What do you want to ask me?

I looked at some stuff
about you from the Internet

and I see some pictures,

[chuckles] and I wonder what do you wear?

Huh?

Why do you dress like that?

Like…

[Anna] Like that?

What are you wearing? You look poor.

[laughs] I…

This is a nice…

I'm…

I'm pregnant.
Maternity clothes are hard to…

I'm dressed down for prison.

No, you need to get better clothes.

You could get Scalia,
Herrera, Dior, Valentino,

mmm, maybe,
and Chanel makes perfect flats.

Your feet are too fat for heels.

But this, no. You look broke-ass.

Anna. You're wearing,
what are those? Coveralls?

I'm in prison, but I still accessorized it
and had it pressed.

[breathes deeply]

Anna, can you answer some of my questions?

I haven't agreed
to be interviewed by you yet,

but still, mmm, what's the words…

[chuckles] On background.

[Vivian] Anna.

You know, Todd told me
McCaw's offering me a plea deal.

I'm considering it. It's pretty good.

I might take it.

I hate to,
but it could be the smart way to go.

- Anna!
- [Anna] Bye.

VIP is always better, Vivian.

You just have to be
willing to do the work.

I stuck to the facts,

I laid out all the details of the plea
agreement and let her decide.

Take the plea or go to trial, her choice.

Hmm.

- And?
- I mean, she's thinking about it.

[softly] Yes.

She's gonna call me when she knows
what she wants to do. So…

What do you want her to do?
What do you hope she'll do?

If she takes the plea,
I don't have to try the case.

Is it better to go to trial?

Yeah, if I win, for both of us.
[whispers] It's amazing if I win.

[chuckling]

- But if I lose…
- [Margaret] Hmm.

The plea, it's… it's safer.

Anna at least knows
when she's going to get out.

I know I didn't do anything
to keep her in there longer.

Publicly, I don't take a hit.

Is that better for Anna's future? Maybe?

I mean, I honestly
don't even know what I'm rooting for.

It's Aggie and popsicles.

She never knows
if she wants purple or red,

so she lets Brian choose,
and the minute he does,

she gets a feeling.
She's either happy or mad.

Anna will make a choice.

And then you'll know how you feel,
one way or the other.

I know.

Do you think we'll get
to sleep in our bed?

No.

The bitch is psycho screwing you.

Barry! Stories come, stories go.

Chick is a nut job
looking for a pound of flesh.

That's some Hannibal Lecter,
lambs-are-screaming sh*t.

What our woke friend means to say

is that the young woman may be
suffering some mental health issues.

All I have is what she said on background.
I can't do the story with that.

So what do I do? I'm not giving up.

I'm not going in there and telling
Paul that he wins, I'll do #MeToo.

So what? I go back there and convince her
to say yes to giving me the interview.

What?

That's not enough.

It's not just that she needs
to give you the interview.

I didn't say this, I never said this!

But she needs to not take the deal.

Don't you say that to her.
That is unethical.

But he's right, you need the time.

You need to interview her
over and over again.

You need to build a story,
talk to sources.

Come back to her again.
You need time with her.

But she takes the deal, she's gone.

Both of you… [hesitates] Viv, you're…

Yeah.

Obviously, she can't take the deal.

You need the trial. No trial, no story.

What are you talking about?

I still have time with her
if she takes the deal.

If she takes a deal, she's what?

Immediately sent Upstate
to serve her time?

You're not going to be able
to drive two, three, four hours

to and from some prison
every week to see her.

I can do that. Why can't I do that?

I know we all pretend
like it's not happening,

but you do actually understand
that a baby's going to come

sh**ting out
of your hoochie pretty soon, right?

[sighs]

- Oh, f*ck.
- Hey.

Maybe you'll get lucky.
Maybe she won't take the deal.

She's taking the deal.

- Okay.
- Yeah.

McCaw offered,
and it's a pretty good deal.

Okay.

Okay.

Anna has asked me to tell you

that she's not interested
in doing the interview.

Obviously.

She just didn't like
the direction you were headed.

[chuckling]

The direction?

The direction? [chuckling]

Oh, Todd. Can I call you Todd?
I'm gonna call you Todd.

- Sure.
- Your client is out of her f*cking mind.

There was no direction.
My direction was nowhere.

I have no idea who Anna Delvey,
Anna Sorokin, whoever, is.

The more I know, the less I know.

[groans]

[sighs]

Heartbeat is strong.

[Jack] So, uh, what is it?

Can't tell yet.

This kid of yours
doesn't want to turn around for me.

Vivian.

[doctor] Right there.

It's a girl.

[Jack chuckles]

Yes! It's a girl. Vivian!

[breathing heavily]

Vivian?

f*ck, f*cking, f*ck, f*ck.

Fuckety f*cking f*ck.

Fuckety f*cking f*ck f*ckers.

- I'm gonna be back in a minute.
- Yeah.

Yep.

- Hmm.
- [door closes]

Um, Vivian, I am trying to think
of something comforting to say to you.

- Uh, because I can sense you're upset.
- [sobs]

But I don't want to

because you are ruining
one of the best moments of my life.

Start explaining.

She's real.

[tearfully] I thought I was going to
have it fixed, my reputation…

Before there was a tiny person

I'm required to keep alive
and pay attention to.

[tearfully] I want her, I do.
It's… [sniffles]

I thought I would have my career saved.

I thought it would be repaired,
breathing, on its feet,

before who I get to be changes.

Look. She's real.

I've run out of time.

And if you tell me
my joy at having a daughter

is supposed to make up
for the loss of my career,

the loss of the thing
that lights up my brain,

I swear to God,
I will smother you in your sleep.

[sobbing softly]

Thank you.

You never have to thank me.

I am happy that it's a girl.

I know.

What do you want to do?

[cell phone chimes]

Wait up by the loading dock.

[sighs in exasperation]

Going on break.

Hell no, you cannot deny me a break.
Union. Do I need to say it twice?

Okay then.

[exhaling shakily]

How did you and Anna become friends?

[Neff] I work here,
Anna lived here for months.

We just clicked.

Why'd you lie about knowing her?

I did not lie. I just did not share.

- Would you mind if I interviewed you?
- No. Thank you.

Can I ask why?

I don't sell out my friends.

[Vivian clears throat]

There's a bunch of photos of you
and Anna and these two women.

You were all good friends. What happened?

Goodbye.

Anna's taking a plea. Did you know?

Anna's not dumb. If she's taken a plea

it's because she's decided
that's the right thing to do.

Is that why you're here?

To see if I knew about Anna?

I guess I just don't want to see
Anna throw her life away.

You don't care about Anna.

You care about your story,
and I don't know why,

but obviously if Anna takes a plea
you somehow don't get your story.

So the answer to my question
"Why are you here?" is me.

You came here hoping I would go
convince Anna not to take a plea

so you can have your story, right?

Neff, listen.

This could be an important story
about financial institutions,

the way women are treated,

and how society admits
only those elite few...

Whatever. I am not new. I am not stupid.

This is New York.
I work in the New York people business.

Everyone here is running a game.
Everyone here needs to score.

Everyone here is hustling.

Everyone here wants something.

Money, power, image, love.

You want something.
You want to take from Anna.

Be bold enough to admit that.
That, I could maybe respect.

This, you showing up
with a latte and a smile,

hoping I'll help you
because you care about women and society?

No. Not today, Satan.

I need this interview.

I want…

I want the career I was supposed to have.

I don't need you to convince Anna.

If she's going to respect me,
I'm pretty sure I have to do that myself.

But I need to know, what does Anna want?

Vivian? I'm Beth,
the Rikers media liaison.

Get in.

[door opens]

[Vivian] Sit down.

Have some tea.

You're wondering why I'm here.

I'm not doing the interview.

I'm taking the deal.

Todd told you.

He did.

But I just can't stop thinking, why?

If I go to trial and lose,

Todd says that I could go to prison
for at least 15 years, maybe more.

And if I take the deal,
I'm out in four and they deport me.

Why wouldn't I take the deal?

It's just this whole thing.

Everyone's calling you
a scam artist, a dumb socialite, a joke.

They're all deciding who you are.

When you take the deal,
that's it, you're agreeing with them.

You'll be a dumb socialite forever.

The trial and everything leading up to it
is your one chance to defend yourself,

to restore your reputation.

I'm surprised you'd give that up.

Oh. What? So, now you care about me?

[Vivian] No, I'm not your friend.

You don't need to like me,
I'm a journalist.

I want something from you.

I want this story.

In return, I can give you what you want.

And what do you think I want?

I understand we have a plea agreement.

We do, Your Honor.
Defendant pleads guilty to all counts.

Four years conditional parole,
with deportation.

[judge] The defense
has advised the defendant?

Yes, Your Honor.

[judge] And the defendant
understands the details of the plea?

- [Todd] She does.
- [judge] And she agrees?

- [Todd] She does.
- No.

Anna.

[softly] What?

They will not call
Anna Delvey a dumb socialite.

I'm smart. I'm a businesswoman.

We do this.

Okay?

[softly] Okay.

[Todd] My client wishes
to reject the plea offer, Your Honor.

I want to be heard in court.

I want a trial.

She wants a trial,
so we're going to trial.

[scoffs]

In return, I can give you what you want.

And what do you think I want?

To be rescued? To be found innocent?

No. You want to be famous.

If you let me,
I will tell the world your story

and I will write the hell out of it.

I will make you famous.

Everyone will know the name Anna Delvey.

[buzzer sounds]

[indistinct chatter]

That bitch didn't take a plea.

There's going to be a trial.

A reporter tried to talk to me.
Did you talk to her?

No, no. I absolutely refused.

Oh, me too.