Many important topics for women are addressed in the new Netflix original biopic series, Inventing Anna, whose main characters are a struggling journalist, Vivian Kent (Anna Chlumsky), and a criminal, Anna Sorokin (often compared to Elizabeth Holmes). Throughout the first few episodes of the season, Vivian Kent’s personal story becomes a focal point for her character as she seeks an interview with Anna Sorokin (played by Julia Garner from Ozark) to save her career before the birth of her baby. This goal adds pressure because there is a specific time frame for when her life and priorities will completely change.
This pressure is placed on Vivian in the first episode, when she rushes to court after work to speak with Sorokin’s lawyer. When she gets home, her husband is furious with her for missing her OB-GYN appointment. She didn’t notify him that she wouldn’t be present. She seemed to dismiss his concern and return the focus to her new lead, which irritated her husband. This is the first time in the show that she may feel judged for prioritizing her career over her pregnancy. She’s already faced with the reality of not being able to drop everything in her personal life for a lead on a new story.
The creators emphasized this relatable dynamic for Vivian in the series because many pregnant women have felt conflicted in their careers in similar ways. Giving birth means missing out on months of work after delivery, as well as a complete change of identity for the rest of their life. When Vivian finally makes her OB-GYN appointment and learns the gender of her baby in Episode 2, she expresses her struggle. She has an angry outburst and then tells her husband about her internal conflict over the baby’s arrival date. He claims she’s “ruining one of the best moments of his life.” That may be his reality, but the main issue is that she is disappointed that she may not be able to save her career before the baby arrives.
Although there are many differences between the show and real life, a few key facts about the actual journalist, Jessica Pressler, are mostly accurate. Vivian had made a mistake in a previous story prior to the start of the show, which had harmed her career and ruined her credibility. This also happened to Pressler, despite the fact that it was dramatized for the show. This setback is critical for Vivian’s motivation to finish this story as soon as possible, despite the challenges she’s been forced to face head on.