'Grey's Anatomy' writer 'lied so much' in faking cancer fight

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ writer fesses up, admits she ‘lied so much’ in faking cancer fight

A surprise party at a hospital filled with many people and balloons

Oct. 17, 2024 10:24 AM PT

Only Elisabeth “can speak to her personal story.”

That’s what a spokesperson for “Grey’s Anatomy” production company Shondaland told The Times in 2022, after ABC suspended writer Elisabeth Finch.

Finch, a veteran TV writer, allegedly fabricated parts of her personal and medical history — including a battle with a rare form of bone cancer. These falsehoods inspired some “Grey’s” episodes and were central to essays she published in high-profile outlets.

But after two years and a new docuseries about the controversy, Finch is finally speaking her personal truth.

“I’ve given no one any reason to believe a word I say. I lied about so much; things so many people have been devastated by in real life,” Finch wrote Tuesday in a statement on Instagram. “‘I’m sorry’ feels like the smallest words compared to what I’ve done, yet they are the truest.”

Finch, her questionable medical history and her time on “Grey’s Anatomy” are at the center of “Anatomy of Lies,” a new three-part docuseries from Peacock. “Anatomy of Lies” is based on Vanity Fair’s “Scene Stealer” report in May 2022 that chronicled Finch’s ruse and how she climbed the ranks behind the scenes in the writers room. She also served on the producing team during her “Grey’s Anatomy” tenure, which lasted from 2014 to 2022.

Finch, whose credits also include “The Vampire Diaries” and “True Blood,” often wrote about her ailments and distressing experiences, which included being diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer, having an abortion while undergoing chemotherapy and a misdiagnosis by a doctor. Months before Vanity Fair published its report, the Ankler broke the news that Disney, ABC’s parent company, was investigating Finch and parts of her life story.

She was placed on administrative leave pending the results of the investigation. In December 2022, Finch came clean to the Ankler.

“What I did was wrong,” she said. “Not okay. F— up. All the words.”

Finch echoed that sentiment in Tuesday’s missive, admitting she had trapped herself “in the addiction of lies” that she said left friends, family and colleagues feeling traumatized and betrayed. Finch said she understands some people might be hesitant to trust her and said she has been receiving mental health treatment.

What is true, Finch said, is her love for estranged wife Jennifer Beyer and Beyer’s five children. Beyer was pivotal in Vanity Fair’s report and is prominently featured in “Anatomy of Lies.” “The biggest mistake of my life (alongside lying about cancer in the first place) was saying ‘yes’ to Jennifer’s [marriage] proposal before I was honest with her,” Finch wrote.

She continued: “The truth is, there is no excuse, no justification — nothing will ever make my lies to anyone okay. Nothing erases the trauma I caused — the fear, the pain, the anger, the tears, the time. And nothing matters more to me than holding myself accountable in every way.”

Finch concluded her post by saying she is committed to making amends — even if that will take some time. “I will work and wait as long as it takes,” she said.

Finch has not pursued any work in Hollywood since the debacle two years ago, according to her IMDb page. With “Anatomy of Lies,” however, she returns to TV — just in a different capacity.

Times staff writer Yvonne Villarreal contributed to this report.