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Writer Elisabeth Finch is accused of fabricating stories about cancer and trauma during her time on the popular television series.
PEACOCK
The new docuseries from Peacock, Anatomy of Lies, features as many unexpected developments as the show Grey’s Anatomy, where Elisabeth Finch was employed while allegedly deceiving others about her health. This three-part series reveals the allegations surrounding Finch’s claims of abuse and trauma as she advanced in her role within the writing team at Grey’s Anatomy.
A Closer Look at Elisabeth Finch
Before resigning in 2022, Finch served as a writer and consulting producer for Grey’s Anatomy. Her portfolio also includes work on shows like True Blood and The Vampire Diaries.
A now-deleted article from Elle detailed how she had been diagnosed with chondrosarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer. This revelation caught the attention of Shonda Rhimes, leading to her hiring for the iconic medical drama.
People Magazine reported that during her time on set, there were discussions about terminating her employment; however, former writers claimed that executives insisted on keeping her due to her alleged illness: “You can’t fire Finchy. Finchy has cancer. She has to stay on the show.”
Jennifer Beyer/PEACOCK
The Question of Cancer Fabrication by Elisabeth Finch?
Coworkers have recounted instances where they observed Finch appearing unwell while at work. “There was one day in the writer’s room when I noticed she was wearing a low-cut sweater,” said Kiley Donovan, another writer for Grey’s Anatomy. “For the first time, I could see what looked like a chemo port on her chest.”
“Finch would excuse herself frequently to go throw up due to chemotherapy side effects,” shared Andy Reaser, another colleague from Grey’s Anatomy. “It felt like we were preparing for a funeral; yet it seemed she didn’t want anyone knowing too much about what she was going through.” Fans may recall that Debbie Allen’s character Catherine Avery also faced chondrosarcoma—a storyline penned by none other than Finch herself.
Doubts Surrounding Allegations Made During The Vampire Diaries Production?
A report from 2018 by Hollywood Reporter revealed that during production of The Vampire Diaries, Finch alleged harassment by an unnamed director. However, an editor’s note indicated that these claims had been disputed and deemed unfounded.
“Three minutes into rehearsals for my episode,” wrote Finch regarding this incident in an article referenced in *Anatomy of Lies*, “the director yelled something derogatory towards me.” Despite these accusations remaining unaddressed publicly since then—no retraction has ever been made against this unnamed director according to *Anatomy of Lies*.
Jennifer Beyer/PEACOCK
The Controversial Claims Regarding Her Brother’s Death?
In September 2019 , after learning about his suicide while visiting Los Angeles , Jenn Beyer—Finch ‘ s estranged wife—shared details with coworkers indicating that Elizabeth claimed similar tragedy struck their family when it came to losing a brother .
Donovan recalled how often Elizabeth mentioned having received notes suggesting guilt over his death . These revelations have raised further questions regarding authenticity behind some personal narratives shared throughout their careers .
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Unraveling the Truth Behind Elisabeth Finch’s Claims
“The narrative was so intense that it felt like it could have been lifted from an episode of Grey’s Anatomy,” remarked Donovan. “In fact, we previously aired a segment where Meredith reflected on her mother’s suicide attempt under strikingly similar circumstances.”
According to reports from People, the reality was much simpler: Finch was merely spending time in Kansas with Beyer.
The Allegations of Deception Regarding Kidney Surgery
Beyer recounted that shortly after their engagement in 2019, Finch confided about her health struggles.
“She expressed concerns about having a kidney stone, claiming she had experienced them before. This raised alarms for me because she had mentioned that only one of her kidneys functioned due to damage from chemotherapy,” Beyer explained. “I genuinely worried for her well-being.”
Eventually, Beyer discovered that Finch’s kidneys were functioning normally and realized she had been misled.
“When you care deeply for someone, you tend to overlook warning signs until they become glaringly obvious,” Beyer stated.
The docuseries revealed that in March 2017, Finch alleged receiving a kidney transplant from actress Anna Paquin of True Blood.
Wilding corroborated these claims by saying, “Finch strongly implied that Anna wanted this kept private. During her surgery, a friend sent updates via text on how things were progressing on Finchy’s phone. We later learned the operation faced serious complications; some writers even told me Shonda cried during the procedure out of fear for Finchy’s life.”
The Controversy Surrounding Her Visit to Tree of Life Synagogue
Following the tragic shooting at Tree of Life synagogue on October 27, 2018, Finch claimed she visited the scene.
Dramatically tweeting at the time: “As someone who stood amidst the Pittsburgh synagogue carnage, my heart is shattered and my mind is overwhelmed.”
Wilding expressed skepticism regarding this claim since it seemed unusual for anyone not involved in law enforcement or emergency services to be present at an active crime scene.
“I spoke with Andy Reiser about how strange it sounded—her saying she had to help gather up friends’ remains? That’s incredibly heavy,” Wilding noted. “Plus there were FBI agents present; it’s clearly marked as a crime scene.”
The End of Elisabeth Finch and Jennifer Beyer’s Marriage?
Beyer began noticing inconsistencies in Finch’s narratives around 2020. She took to social media platforms seeking clarity on these discrepancies and found various versions circulating among different people regarding their stories. The couple separated differently in 2021.
“I noticed patterns emerging—whenever others received attention or care she’d react strongly,” said Beyer during an interview featured in the show. “It became clear something wasn’t right when I compared what she’d told me against what appeared online.”
Beyer continued by stating:
“While scrolling through Facebook and Twitter posts leading up to [the Tree of Life Synagogue] incident date revealed shocking contradictions—she claimed being there while actually enjoying drinks at a bar with friends instead.”
Anatomy of Lies, which delves into these revelations further is currently available for streaming on Peacock.
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