Dhruv Trivedi
Netflix’s miniseries ‘Inventing Anna’ follows the tumultuous story of Anna Delvey, aka Anna Sorokin, who fools many of New York City’s wealthiest people and institutions into believing that she is a wealthy German heiress. The socialite’s glitzy lifestyle takes her jet setting across Europe, where she meets Chase, a young and dynamic tech entrepreneur working on an app that harnesses dreams.
A whirlwind romance in luxurious hotels ensues, and Anna and Chase look well on their way to becoming a power couple. However, things take a turn for the strange, and Chase suddenly disappears after telling Anna he’s going to Berlin. Though the show eventually gives us some clues as to what happens to Chase, we’re here to figure out whether Anna Sorokin actually had a boyfriend named Chase in real life. And if so, where is her now? Let’s find out.
Was Chase Sikorski Anna Sorkin’s Boyfriend in Real Life?
On the show, Anna and Chase meet while in Europe. She subsequently seduces him, and a whirlwind romance sparks off between the two. Anna, claiming her trust fund doesn’t kick in until she’s 25, is willingly funded by Chase, who is flush with investment money. However, when she remains secretive about her family and background, Chase gets suspicious, and the two begin to argue. After telling Anna he’s going to Berlin for an event, her boyfriend disappears and eventually winds up in the Emirates, working as a futurist.
In reality, Anna did appear to have a boyfriend, who is briefly described in Jessica Pressler’s 2018 New York Magazine story titled ‘How Anna Delvey Tricked New York’s Party People.’ According to the article, the unnamed boyfriend and Anna were seemingly together for about two years, living in hotels and rubbing shoulders with the wealthy.
The former networked to boost his app while the latter told guests about the exclusive art club she wanted to open. Though details of their breakup remain scant, the boyfriend, referred to only as “the Futurist” in Pressler’s article, moved to the Middle East after his app did not take off. The real-life inspiration behind ‘the Futurist’ is tantalizingly out of reach in the article.
Since the show’s release, however, there has been increased speculation about who the real identity behind Chase’s character is. Pressler’s article states that he was on the TED talk circuit and was featured in the New Yorker. The New York Post posited some potential candidates that had similar backgrounds, like Australian marketing executive David Shing, who was seemingly referred to as “AOL’s Digital Prophet” in his 2014 New Yorker profile.
Another tech industry figure mentioned is Hunter Lee Soik, who was also profiled by the New Yorker and lived in Dubai for a few years. Furthermore, Hunter is listed (on his LinkedIn profile) as the Founder of “Shadow,” an app that aimed to make a “dream database.” He also has a TED Talk on the subject. Hunter and Anna Sorokin also seemingly knew each other, as is hinted at by a social media post by the latter. However, any potential romance between the two hasn’t been confirmed by either.
Where is Anna Sorkin’s Ex-Boyfriend Now?
The Futurist from Pressler’s article remains officially unnamed since his identity is hidden behind the alias. Interestingly, on the show, Chase asks for his identity to be kept a secret when he speaks to the journalist (loosely based on Pressler), who obliges by merely mentioning him as the Futurist. In reality, it is not clear exactly if there was ever a conversation between Pressler and the Futurist. However, she did state that he moved to the Emirates in 2016.
In case you wondered, Hunter presently seems to be based in New York. He is listed as the Founder and Executive Chairperson of ensō group and as the Co-Founder and Interim Chief Operating Officer of TRADE X. David Shing, too, appears to be in New York, and is currently self-titled as “Digital Prophet at Shingy.”
Read More: Is Inventing Anna’s Todd Spodek Based on a Real Lawyer? Where is He Now?
