One of Grey’s Anatomy’s top writers is being barred from the writers’ room by a strange coincidence that rivals the show’s own melodramatic storylines.
Elizabeth Finch has been placed on “administrative leave” for writing a long-running ABC medical drama amid an investigation by Disney’s human resources and legal departments, a production insider confirmed to The Post.
Some of Finch’s personal medical injuries that were chronicled in the long-running Shonda Rhimes series were allegedly fabricated, established sources told The Hollywood Reporter.
The network and studio launched an internal investigation into the life of Finch, 44, trying to determine if storylines like her cancer diagnosis and abortion during chemotherapy were real.
The high-profile claims, first reported by Ankler, cast doubt on previous reports that Finch was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer the year before she was hired by Grey’s Anatomy, forcing her to have an abortion. The publication also questioned her claims that she had lost a kidney and part of her leg and had to undergo knee replacement surgery, but learned that the doctor misdiagnosed her, which she later faced.
Elizabeth Finch has written extensively about her alleged medical experiences, many of which have reportedly formed the basis of storylines for Grey’s Anatomy episodes since she joined the writers’ room in 2015. support her, ”said one of Finch’s longtime employees.
“RS. Finch will not disclose her personal health matters. Likewise, she will not talk about her pending divorce from her ex-wife Jennifer Beyer or comment on any statements Ms Beyer may have made to third parties.”
Andrew Brettler, lawyer for the affected screenwriter, in a statement
Finch, who began writing for Grey’s Anatomy in 2015 and has also written episodes of The CW’s The Vampire Diaries and HBO’s True Blood, has frequently published personal essays detailing her medical experience for publications such as THR magazine Elle and even Rhimes. Shondaland’s own website. Many of them actually resulted in the storylines of the drama starring Ellen Pompeo.
Several insiders noted to THR that others began to question the details of Finch’s personal life after she claimed she had family issues and left the writers’ room to work things out.
As soon as her colleagues called Finch’s wife, Jennifer Beyer, other writers noticed inconsistencies in the story Finch told his colleagues, which actually matched incidents from Beyer’s own life, according to the publication.
Beyer later met with Disney and Shondaland executives and expressed similar concerns. It was then that Finch’s alleged web of “lies” began to unravel, the Daily Mail reported, and she was placed on administrative leave. The source noted that Finch and Beyer, who married in 2020, are going through a “cruel divorce.”
Finch (center) in costume on the set of the 2019 Grey’s Anatomy series “Silence All These Years.” The writer played an uncredited bit part as Nurse Elizabeth. Disney General Entertainment
Other industry partners explained to the publication that they had crossed paths with Finch over the years and were shocked by the rumors. Although colleagues are not sure which is true, they cited the lack of a “smoking gun” to confirm the speculation.
“You believe this poor woman has gone through all this terrible stuff and you want to support her,” one of Finch’s longtime colleagues told THR.
Screenwriter Andrew Brettler of Lavely & Singer’s lawyer said in a statement, “Ms. Finch will not disclose his personal health matters. Likewise, she will not talk about her pending divorce from her ex-wife Jennifer Beyer or comment on any statements Ms Beyer may have made to third parties about Ms Finch.”
The Post was unable to contact Beyer for comment.