In the hit Netflix series “Inventing Anna,” based on the true story of con artist Anna Delvey, one of the most intriguing characters is undoubtedly young Anna. The flashbacks to her early life help to paint a picture of how she became so skilled at deception and manipulation, making many viewers wonder who played this complex character with such nuance.
The role of young Anna was portrayed by actor Morgan Saylor. Saylor is no stranger to playing complex and emotionally charged characters, having risen to prominence for her portrayal of Dana Brody in the popular TV drama “Homeland.” In “Inventing Anna,” Saylor proves once again that she has a talent for bringing depth and complexity to even seemingly minor roles.
Born in Chicago in 1994, Saylor grew up outside Atlanta and graduated from high school early at age 16. She went on to study acting at the North Carolina School of the Arts before moving to New York City. Her big break came when she auditioned for “Homeland” in 2011, landing her first major television role as Dana Brody.
Since then, Saylor has appeared in several films and TV shows including “McFarland USA,” “White Girl,” and most recently, HBO’s hit series “Succession” where she plays Gerri Kellman. Despite being just 27 years old, Saylor has already amassed an impressive acting resume that showcases her versatility and range.
Playing young Anna presented some unique challenges for Saylor since there was little source material about what Delvey was like as a child or adolescent. Instead, she had to rely on conversations with show creator Shonda Rhimes and co-star Julia Garner (who played adult Anna) as well as research into other famous female grifters throughout history.
Saylor also turned to her own experiences growing up in a small town outside Atlanta for inspiration when preparing for the role: “I grew up with this sense of wanting to leave and go somewhere else and do something different, but not really knowing what that looked like,” she explains. “For Anna, I think there’s some similar impulse where she wants to be something more than what her background could give her.”
Despite the challenges, Saylor was able to deliver a performance that perfectly captures the essence of young Anna: precocious, ambitious, cunning, and utterly captivating. Her scenes with adult Anna are some of the most compelling moments in the series as they reveal how Annas’ troubled past set her on a path towards becoming one of New York City’s most notorious con artists.
Overall, Morgan Saylor’s performance as young Anna is a testament to her talent as an actor who can bring depth and nuance to any role she takes on. With “Inventing Anna” bringing deserved attention and praise for this up-and-comer again so early in 2022 is promising for what we might expect from Saylor going forward!
Netflix’s “Inventing Anna” has taken the world by storm, and one of its most standout performances comes from Morgan Saylor as young Anna Delvey. Playing a complex character like Anna was undoubtedly challenging, but Saylor rose to the occasion and delivered a nuanced performance that perfectly captures the essence of this fascinating character.
Born in Chicago, Saylor grew up outside Atlanta before studying acting at North Carolina School of the Arts and moving to New York City. Her breakthrough role as Dana Brody on “Homeland” put her on the map in Hollywood, leading to appearances in several films and TV shows, including “McFarland USA,” “White Girl,” and HBO’s acclaimed series “Succession.”
Despite her relatively young age of 27 years old, Saylor already has an impressive resume that demonstrates her versatility and range as an actor. However, playing young Anna presented some unique challenges since there was little source material about what Delvey was like as a child or adolescent.
Fortunately for audiences everywhere, Saylor’s talent shines through even when given minimal information about her character. She relied upon conversations with show creator Shonda Rhimes and co-star Julia Garner (who played adult Anna) along with research into other famous female grifters throughout history.
Additionally, she turned to her own experiences growing up in a small town outside Atlanta for inspiration: “I grew up with this sense of wanting to leave and go somewhere else and do something different.” For Anna—whose background also didn’t give much hope for any financial change—was unlike many teenagers dealing just internally—Anna took more concrete steps towards changing it all.
Saylor rose above these hurdles to deliver a captivating performance that showcases exactly why she is such an exceptional talent. Her scenes with adult Anna are some of the most compelling moments in the series because they reveal how Annas’ troubled past set her on course towards becoming one of New York City’s most successful con artists.
Overall, Morgan Saylor’s performance as young Anna is a testament to her talent as an actor who can bring depth and nuance to any role she takes on. Watching “Inventing Anna” further cements that we should be paying attention to this up-and-comer in Hollywood, providing a peek into what viewers may expect from her career going forward!