Elizabeth Finch, once a writer for Grey’s Anatomy, faced severe repercussions when it became known that her purported rare bone disease claims were entirely fabricated and misleading. In 2014, while part of the Grey’s Anatomy team, she penned a series of essays detailing her alleged medical hardships.
In these pieces, Finch claimed a diagnosis of Chondrosarcoma, an exceedingly rare type of bone cancer. She also made additional assertions, including losing a kidney, experiencing an abortion due to chemotherapy, and needing a knee replacement stemming from a misdiagnosis. Furthermore, she alleged abuse at the hands of her brother during childhood, as well as mistreatment by colleagues on set.
In March 2022, her former partner, Jennifer Beyer, brought light to the inaccuracies in Finch’s stories. After several months of probing, Finch admitted her guilt in December 2022. Currently residing in Los Angeles, California, Elizabeth Finch continues to aspire to make a return to screenwriting.
On September 17, 2024, Peacock announced the release of a three-part documentary series to explore the Elizabeth Finch scandal. Titled Anatomy of Lies, this docu-series was inspired by journalist Evgenia Peretz’s May 2, 2022, Vanity Fair article about the controversy. Directed and produced by Peretz alongside David Schisgall, the series debuted on the streaming platform on October 15, 2024.
What is the Elizabeth Finch story?
Raised in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, Elizabeth Finch had a passion for storytelling from a young age. She grew up with her older brother Eric, along with her parents, Robert and Joan. In high school, she began writing original scripts for plays, a foundation that grew when she attended the University of Southern California.
Her mother, Joan, battled cancer, instilling Finch with firsthand knowledge of the illness and its implications. Thus, themes surrounding her mother’s plight heavily influenced Finch’s works throughout her childhood and into adulthood.
Finch began her entertainment career assisting television writers before progressing to writer her short film, Looking for My Brother, which premiered in 2006. From 2008 to 2010, she worked as a writer’s assistant, later contributing two episodes to No Ordinary Family and collaborating with IAMA Theatre Company, leading to her significant breakthrough.
In 2012, she joined the CW’s hit show The Vampire Diaries as a writer, where her storytelling earned her the nickname “Vampire Girl.”Finishing her stint on The Vampire Diaries, she became part of the Grey’s Anatomy writing team in 2015, where her contributions led to 13 written episodes and 172 produced episodes. She even made a cameo as Nurse Elizabeth in season 15, episode 19, titled Silent All These Years.
Elizabeth Finch claimed she inherited cancer from her mother
At the height of her career in 2014, Finch publicly declared that she inherited a cancer gene from her mother. She authored an article for Elle Magazine, claiming to suffer from the rare blood cancer known as Chondrosarcoma, which led to her role in creating the character Dr. Catherine Avery based on her asserted experiences.
This confession culminated in several articles in high-profile publications like The Hollywood Reporter, Elle, and Shondaland, all authored by Finch. In these writings, she detailed experiences including an abortion related to chemotherapy, loss of a kidney, and a knee replacement due to misdiagnosis.
Moreover, Finch recounted childhood abuse from her brother and mistreatment by a certain director on the sets of The Vampire Diaries. Her narratives garnered public sympathy, resulting in work accommodations, deadlines being extended, and additional leave. In 2021, she revealed that her brother had died by suicide.
Finch dominated media headlines, attending interviews and speaking engagements, sharing her alleged struggles as a cancer survivor. However, the narrative twisted dramatically in March 2022, when her ex-partner Jennifer Beyer alerted Shondaland and Disney about Finch’s falsehoods.
Finch ultimately declined to present any medical documentation or undergo evaluations to substantiate her claims. By December 2022, she admitted to her deception, acknowledging the impact of her actions.
What is Elizabeth Finch doing now?
Jennifer Beyer, Finch’s ex-partner and a registered nurse, married Finch in February 2020. However, their marriage faced challenges exacerbated by the pandemic. While reviewing Finch’s social media, Beyer noted inconsistencies in her partner’s claims.
For instance, Finch asserted she assisted victims during the 2018 Tree of Life synagogue shooting, but Beyer identified photographs depicting her not in Pittsburgh but socializing elsewhere at that time. Additionally, Finch posted an image showing a bandage over her chemotherapy port, yet Beyer saw no signs of injury or scarring in that area.
In an October 15, 2024, interview with Time, Evgenia Peretz stated that Finch’s fabrications stemmed from a deep-seated desire for attention. In December 2022, while discussing her situation with The Ankler, Finch expressed regret for her actions, acknowledging their severity.
“What I did was wrong. Not OK. F**ked up. All the words… I was cut off pretty quickly from everything [following my administrative leave and ensuing resignation]. I slowly started to see people blocking me on Instagram and other social media. It was so universal that I don’t know if an email went out or if everyone just decided ‘no thank you.’
Now, Elizabeth Finch resides in Los Angeles, California, holding on to her aspiration of returning to the entertainment industry. She believes her youthful need for recognition and affection stemmed from past abuse and hopes, if given another opportunity, to rebuild her career in the place she desires to belong. However, no confirmed updates regarding her professional resurgence have been disclosed yet.
The Anatomy of Lies docu-series is available for streaming exclusively on Peacock.
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