Finch was known in Hollywood as a talented screenwriter and producer.
American Elizabeth Finch, former screenwriter of the popular series “Grey’s Anatomy”, became a serial heroine. The documentary “Anatomy of a Lie” was made about her. Finch spent years lying about having cancer and faking the effects of chemotherapy. They took pity on the lady, created special conditions for her at work, she became a famous columnist – the newspapers paid considerable fees. The deception was exposed thanks to the story of Elizabeth’s former friend.
WHO IS ELIZABETH FINCH?
Finch was known in Hollywood as a talented screenwriter and producer. Her career took off after she published a candid article in Elle magazine in 2014. A woman opened up about her fight against a rare form of cancer: chondrosarcoma (a malignant bone tumor). The story touched many people, including Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes, who offered Finch his dream job. The protagonist of the series, a doctor, works in a city hospital, whose employees fall in love and find themselves in many difficult medical situations.
Elizabeth wrote 13 episodes (including a personal “case story”) and produced 172 episodes. He even played in one.
HE SHAVED HIS HEAD AND PAWNED HIMSELF
However, two years ago the house of cards of lies began to collapse. Shonda Rhimes received an email from Jennifer Beyer, Finch’s ex-girlfriend, who revealed the truth: the entire cancer story was a hoax.
Finch misled his colleagues and the public for years. He appropriated his mother’s medical history. Colleagues recalled how Finch used her “illness” to gain special privileges at work: the screenwriter was allowed to work a flexible schedule and was lenient about missing deadlines.
What is especially surprising is the care with which Elizabeth faked the symptoms of cancer. He didn’t just walk around with a catheter in his arm. According to his former colleague Andy Reaser, he came to work with a shaved head and a greenish tint to his skin. He even faked the side effects of chemotherapy by pretending to vomit in the bathroom.
And that’s not all: the woman lied about a kidney transplant, an abortion and even the suicide of her brother, who was actually alive and working as a doctor in Florida.
An article about Finch’s story appeared in Vanity Fair magazine. The film production company began an internal investigation; The woman could not provide a single medical document confirming her diagnosis.
Elizabeth was fired and her reputation in the film industry was irrevocably destroyed.
Of course, journalists asked the screenwriter why she did this. Finch admitted his guilt and called his actions “absolutely wrong.” And he explained them by the desire to receive support from others: “It was a kind of addiction.”
MUNCHAUSEN SYNDROME
Today, Elizabeth Finch lives alone, rejected by her colleagues and loved ones.
A possible explanation for his history is Munchausen syndrome. It is a mental disorder in which a person deliberately fakes, exaggerates, or even induces symptoms of illness to gain the attention and sympathy of others.
It is true that Munchausen syndrome, which is treatable, is sometimes difficult to distinguish from banal self-interest. For example, super popular Australian blogger Belle Gibson claimed to have cured brain cancer… using alternative medicine. It was later discovered that she never had cancer.
