Sam Bankman Fried Emailed the Actor Playing Him in Netflix’s The Altruists

Netflix will release The Altruists in about three weeks, a drama about the rise and fall of crypto exchange FTX. Irish actor Anthony Boyle plays Sam Bankman-Fried, and a Vanity Fair report published Wednesday says he emailed the imprisoned founder while preparing. Boyle promised to keep their conversations private, though SBF reportedly answered most of his questions.

Why Boyle Focused on the Person, Not the Money

Boyle said finance and crypto were never his interest. He wanted to know what pushes someone to become the world’s youngest billionaire. That fits a series that, going by Netflix’s October 8 trailer, centers on Bankman-Fried and Caroline Ellison, his colleague and girlfriend who led sister firm Alameda Research.

What Happened to SBF and Caroline Ellison

A jury convicted Bankman Fried on seven felony counts linked to the misuse of customer funds, and he was sentenced to 25 years. Ellison accepted a plea deal with US authorities and was released in January after serving more than a year.

Former FTX Executive Questions the Portrayal

Constance Wang, FTX’s former chief operating officer, said the trailer left her feeling physically upset. She also felt the real Bankman-Fried was more socially awkward than Boyle’s version.