While the job of a journalist is not glamorous, the profession is frequently represented as a mere narrative tool in popular media. Journalists are often portrayed as plot devices, reducing them to conveyors of information that advance a larger story. This portrayal can be problematic both in the rhetoric it creates surrounding the profession and the way it invalidates some of the world’s most influential storytellers. However, when the journalist is placed in the coveted leading role, the entire nature of the story can shift. 

Jessica Pressler, a New York journalist, has been depicted in both of these lights as the side character of Elizabeth in the film “Hustlers,” and the main character of Vivian Kent in the Netflix series “Inventing Anna.” The story of “Hustlers” is based on an article written by Pressler for New York Magazine titled “The Hustlers at Scores.” This film focuses on the subjects of the article: a group of female exotic dancers — using the character of Elizabeth as a glorified time keeper, rather than a character worth noting in the movie. Vivian Kent is based on Pressler’s coverage of socialite Anna Sorokin in New York Magazine. In the series, Kent is both one of the main characters and the driving force behind a much larger and more complex plot investigating Sorokin’s con. 

Prior to the on-screen adaption of Pressler in “Inventing Anna,” she was represented by the character Elizabeth in “Hustlers.” In such a fast-paced, enthralling film, Pressler had little hope for the on-screen version of her. In an interview with Los Angeles Times she noted how, “Early on, I kept thinking the character [in “Hustlers”] would get cut, because my impression was that journalist characters are not sexy.” The journalist in this on-screen adaptation got significantly reduced during the filming and editing process, ending up only being featured in transitional scenes to aid in demonstrating cuts in time. The character of Elizabeth does not have a last name, and is never seen standing, only sitting, and interviewing the subjects as she crafted the article following the main plot of the story.

To Pressler’s point about journalists not portrayed as sexy, only two details were revealed about Elizabeth during the hour and 50 minute film: she grew up middle class and attended Brown University for her undergraduate degree. This idea is further supported by the wardrobe choices as she is never seen wearing a nonneutral color, with any hairstyle other than straight or with any makeup.

This lack of excitement was directly contrasted by the main characters seen in the show, as they wore very colorful costumes, unique and ever changing hairstyles and bold makeup looks. They held much more complex backstories and were generally far more developed characters than Elizabeth.

Just as with “Hustlers,” about a month after publishing the article about Sorokin, Pressler was contacted by Netflix regarding the possibility of a drama series. The original pitch did not feature the journalist as the central character, which was no surprise to Pressler. The character of Sorokin is unlike any other, and navigating the web of lies entangled in her story was a challenging task in itself. As such, Pressler did not expect there to be room for her own experiences alongside Sorokin’s on screen.

However, as production of the show began, Vivian Kent as a main character and loose representation of Pressler was introduced. In an interview with “Vulture,” Pressler responded to the inclusion of Kent, saying “It was not a thing I wanted, but I understand the impulse of why they wanted to do it … you wanted a tour guide into this world. It’s useful to have somebody there to take you through it and experience what I experienced.” 

Following the experience with “Hustlers,” Pressler was surprised by how central Kent was featured in “Inventing Anna.” It was also made clear to her that while she was the ultimate inspiration for the inclusion of a journalist, the character of Kent was not directly inspired by the person that Pressler is. When comparing herself to the character shown on screen, Pressler explained, “Vivian is like an all-caps angry email of me, but there are things that are very real mixed into it.” In crafting Kent as this animated character, the journalist is elevated to a topic of interest, rather than a vessel designed to convey someone else’s story. The issue then becomes: does placing a caricature of a  journalist in the spotlight humanize the profession or further alienate people from it? 

The answer varies. One of the genuine, relevant real experiences depicted on screen in “Inventing Anna” was Vivian Kent’s pregnancy. Journalists on screen often contrast the subjects they are covering, as their lives are a lot more relatable to an average person. The choice regarding the inclusion of the pregnancy allowed for the demonstration of a relatable woman in this life stage, humanizing a character on screen and allowing audience members to feel seen. In “Inventing Anna,” while entering a chaotic venture to understand the core of Sorokin’s psyche and story, Kent also navigated very raw and authentic conflicts regarding her pregnancy. She’s seen grappling with the fear of losing her career with a child, as well as facing criticisms of her appearance and abilities. This is all in contrast to the eccentric Sorokin, an already difficult to handle character, who consistently made inappropriate comments regarding pregnancy to a struggling Kent. Representation is important and can be seen in many different forms. Showing a pregnant woman working such an intense and demanding job works to dismantle stereotypes regarding women’s competence, especially when pregnant.

Seeing as journalism is a demanding profession, it requires time management and boundaries. Often journalists on screen are seen as stressed and overworked, struggling to find and maintain a healthy work-life balance. The same can be said of Vivian Kent, who was much more focused on her Murder Wall style investigation — an elaborate attempt to string together the players in the story —in her baby’s nursery than the nursery itself. Vivian ate, slept and breathed this story, answering calls in bed and putting it above quality time with her partner. This narrative can be extremely harmful to aspiring journalists, as it demonstrates an unhealthy path to success that is not necessarily accurate. Pressler expressed that the murder wall was an exaggeration, stating, “To be clear, there wasn’t a murder wall. I had a spreadsheet. But that’s not very visual. That would have been Google Docs: The Show.”

While the inclusion of this all work no play rhetoric displayed by Kent is harmful, so is the idea that journalists do nothing. As seen in “Hustlers,” Elizabeth’s job is reduced to having a conversation and recording it, leaving out all of the hard work done behind the scenes as she is merely a transitional device used to display the passage of time. Both of these scenarios can be detrimental to the industry, as neither paints an accurate picture of journalism, and what it can entail.

While the need for entertaining visual elements and plot points is necessary when trying to advertise media such as a movie or docuseries, it is important to consider the repercussions of potentially harmful rhetoric such as this. Exaggerating the profession in this way both normalizes unhealthy standards for journalists and, as a result, celebrates the results of this unrealistic standard.

Just as she lacks personal boundaries, Kent pushes ethical and professional boundaries, painting journalism in a potentially negative light. Seeing as reporters rely on those related to the story for answers and quotes, the profession relies heavily on the trust of the public. However, in “Inventing Anna,” Vivian Kent is seen crossing some lines that were not crossed in real life. While both Kent and Pressler went to Germany to work on the Sorokin story, Pressler stated “I definitely did not try to break into anyone’s home” in response to the show. She expressed that her visit was much more pleasant for all involved than the one shown on screen. 

Depicting journalists as pushy individuals who lack boundaries, while occasionally true, enforces a harmful pattern of distrust. In order to produce the most accurate and thorough reporting possible, members of the public will often need to be contacted. The media portraying characters like Kent as individuals with the inability to respect privacy increases general wariness of journalists, which can be harmful in a multitude of ways.

While barely on screen, the character of Elizabeth also enforced this harmful rhetoric. She is shown as unempathetic to the character of Destiny as she cries in front of Elizabeth due to the questions being asked, with the camera zooming in on the audio recorder on the table in front of them. She appears to be cold and unwelcoming, offering minimal comfort or personal context to the person she is in the room with. It is also revealed that Elizabeth is not fully honest with Destiny, concealing that she has met with other subjects —namely Destiny’s found family — until part of the way through the interview. Once she comes clean, Elizabeth admits to using these sources in order to learn about Destiny’s childhood and life struggles without her knowledge or consent, further enforcing the idea regarding lack of boundaries and morals held by journalists.

While there were many aspects of Kent and Elizabeth’s characterization that could have been improved upon, “Inventing Anna” and “Hustlers” directed a lot of people to their true stories. As print journalism is decreasing in popularity, the recent adaptations of articles in media remains a powerful way to preserve the popularity of the journalism industry

Opportunities such as these to portray journalism in a relatable light could not only encourage current journalists to continue on their journeys, but increase awareness and interest in the profession, working to build the journalism community. While the portrayal of Vivian Kent and Elizabeth have their downsides, Kent is ultimately a much more positive representation of the trade than Elizabeth. Although Kent has her misgivings, the release of the Netflix series brought an unprecedented amount of media coverage to the journalist behind the original work, and by extension, the broader profession.