Latest news with #CarolineEllison
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Weapons star Julia Garner looks unrecognizable as she transforms into convicted crypto fraudster for new show
Julia Garner looked dramatically different from her usual self when she was spotted in Vancouver, Canada, on Wednesday. The 31-year-old actress — who currently stars in the record-breaking horror hit Weapons — traded in her standard tightly curled blond locks in favor of long wavy brunette hair as she got into character as the convicted cryptocurrency fraudster Caroline Ellison. Garner — who has been cast as Madonna in a long-delayed biopic — was joined by her costar Anthony Boyle, who plays the FTX cryptocurrency exchange founder and convicted felon Sam Bankman-Fried, as they filmed scenes for the upcoming Netflix adaptation of The Altruists, which details the collapses of the exchange and their intimate relationship. Garner mimicked Ellison's ultra-casual style with a tan-and-green pullover atop a simple white shirt. Her costume included black Asics trainers, and she appeared to be made up modestly. In another shot, the Ozark star was outfitted with thick black plastic-frame glasses to mimic Ellison's prominent eyewear. Boyle was also dressed casually, in line with how Bankman-Fried was normally attired before he began regularly wearing suits for his court dates. The Irish actor sported a mass of messy dark curls and wore a pale-gray sweatshirt over a burgundy T-shirt, along with rumpled khakis and white athletic shoes. The Altruists is written and executive produced by Graham Moore, who also serves as co-showrunner with EP Jacqueline Hoyt. Barack and Michelle Obama are also executive producers via their production company Higher Ground, which has a multi-year deal with Netflix. FTX, which is now bankrupt, was a cryptocurrency and exchange and hedge fund that was founded by Bankman-Fried and Gary Wang in 2019, before its collapse just three years later. Ellison, who served as the CEO of FTX's sister company, the crypto trading company Alameda Research, testified that she had worked with Bankman-Fried to illegally funnel customer funds from FTX into Alameda, which were used to pay off the trading company's loans. After the misuse of funds was first reported on, the rival cryptocurrency exchange Binance announced it was selling all of FTX's crypto coins that it held, which led multiple FTX investors to try to withdraw their funds. In addition to propping up Alameda, Bankman-Fried was accused of using billions in customers' money to fund his lavish lifestyle, which allowed him to gain influence with other high-profile industry figures and politicians. Ellison managed to secure a plea deal in exchange for testifying against Bankman-Fried and other FTX executives, under which terms she pleaded guilty in December 2022 to charges of wire fraud, multiple counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit commodities fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. She received a relatively light two-year prison sentence, and according to the Bureau of Prisons, she is currently slated to be released in April of 2026. However, Ellison will also be required to pay $11 billion in fines. At his trial, Bankman-Fried pleaded not guilty to seven counts of fraud and conspiracy, but a jury convicted him of all the charges in November 2023. In March 2024, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison and required to pay over $11 billion in fines, though he is currently appealing his conviction. Garner's turn playing Ellison on screen comes after she starred in the horror hit Weapons. The film was well-reviewed, earning an impressive 87 percent fresh rating from the most prestigious critics surveyed by Rotten Tomatoes, and it has so far earned an impressive $100 million at the global box office against a relatively modest $38 million budget since debuting in theaters on August 8. The film, which is written and directed by Barbarian filmmaker Zach Cregger — formerly a member of the sketch comedy troupe The Whitest Kids U Know — stars Garner as a third-grade teacher who arrives at school one day to find that only one of her students has showed up for class. Police discover that that the other 17 children all mysteriously woke up and ran out of their homes into the night at exactly 2:17 a.m., but where they went — and what happened to them — remains a mystery. Josh Brolin, who is also an executive producer on Weapons, costars as a parent who lashes at at Garner's character after his son was one of her students who disappeared. The large cast also features Alden Ehrenreich, Marvel star Benedict Wong, Euphoria actor Austin Abrams and Oscar-nominee Amy Madigan. Garner has had back-to-back blockbusters in just weeks, as she also starred as the Silver Surfer in Marvel's Fantastic Four reboot.
Hypebeast
30-05-2025
- Business
- Hypebeast
Anthony Boyle and Julia Garner Cast in Netflix's FTX Series 'The Altruists'
Summary Netflixhas greenlitThe Altruists, an eight-episode limited series delving into the dramatic rise and fall of theFTXcryptocurrency exchange, withJulia Garnerand Anthony Boyle confirmed to star in the leading roles. Julia Garner, fresh off her acclaimed roles inOzarkandInventing Anna, will portray Caroline Ellison, the former CEO of Alameda Research, the cryptocurrency trading firm co-founded bySam Bankman-Fried. Anthony Boyle, known forMasters of the AirandSay Nothing, will take on the role of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried. The series' logline sets a compelling stage, 'The story of Sam Bankman-Fried and Caroline Ellison, two hyper-smart, ambitious young idealists who tried to remake the global financial system in the blink of an eye — and then seduced, coaxed, and teased each other into stealing $8 billion.'The Altruistsis a project from Higher Ground, the production company founded by Barack and Michelle Obama, underscoring Netflix's commitment to high-profile, real-life dramas. Co-showrunners Graham Moore and Jacqueline Hoyt will executive produce the series, which is expected to offer an in-depth look at the complex events surrounding FTX's implosion and the figures at its center. A release date forThe Altruistshas not yet been announced, but it is expected to hit screens in late 2026.
The Verge
29-05-2025
- Business
- The Verge
Netflix's series about the FTX fiasco has found its leading effective altruists
Like Amazon and Apple, Netflix is also looking to cash in on the story of how Sam Bankman-Fried and Caroline Ellison managed to steal billions from the FTX cryptocurrency exchange. Variety reports that Anthony Boyle (Tetris, Manhunt) and Julia Garner (Ozark, The Fantastic Four: First Steps) have been cast in Netflix's upcoming drama series, The Altruists, as Bankman-Fried and Ellison. Executive produced by Graham Moore and Jacqueline Hoyt (who will also showrun the series), The Altruists will recount how Bankman-Fried, FTX's former CEO, and Ellison, the former head of FTX's sister cryptocurrency trading firm, Alameda Research, enriched themselves by defrauding FTX's investors. Netflix has ordered eight episodes for the series, and James Ponsoldt (Shrinking, Running Point) is attached to direct the premiere. Netflix describes the series as being about 'two hyper-smart, ambitious young idealists who tried to remake the global financial system in the blink of an eye — and then seduced, coaxed, and teased each other into stealing $8 billion,' which sounds accurate, if a bit aggrandizing. Presumably, the show will cover how both Bankman-Fried and Ellison ultimately plead guilty, and wound up being sentenced to 25 and 2 years in prison, respectively. And if The Altruists really wants to be seen as a serious, thoughtful piece of storytelling that isn't just mythologizing its central felons, it should probably touch on how hard Bankman-Fried is now pushing for Donald Trump to give him a pardon.
