Netflix’s ‘The Altruists’ Prepares to Dramatize FTX Saga with Actor’s Direct Prison Correspondence

Anthony Boyle, an Irish actor cast as SBF in Netflix’s series ‘The Altruists,’ reached out via email to Bankman-Fried while he was incarcerated to prepare for his role, according to a Vanity Fair report. Boyle mentioned he promised to keep their exchange confidential, and Bankman-Fried reportedly responded to most of his questions before the show’s premiere.

Boyle explained his motivation to Vanity Fair: he was intrigued by what drove someone to become the world’s youngest billionaire. He noted that his interest wasn’t primarily in money, crypto, or finance, but rather in understanding the underlying reasons behind people’s actions.

The trailer released by Netflix on October 8 indicates that the series centers on the dynamic between Bankman-Fried and Caroline Ellison, his colleague and romantic partner, who led Alameda Research, FTX’s affiliated company. Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years after conviction on seven felony counts concerning the misappropriation of FTX customer funds, while Ellison was released in January following over a year of incarceration tied to a plea bargain with U.S. authorities.

Constance Wang, former FTX chief operating officer, expressed that the portrayal of company leaders on screen caused her to feel physically ill. She added that Bankman-Fried was actually more socially awkward than the performance that Boyle delivered.

Sam Bankman-Fried has been the subject of multiple media features, including Michael Lewis’s 2023 book 'Going Infinite.' Ben McKenzie’s documentary 'Everyone Is Lying to You for Money' contains a 2022 interview with Bankman-Fried conducted before FTX collapsed. However, until ‘The Altruists,’ no major dramatic retellings of SBF or the FTX story have been released in film or television.

The release of ‘The Altruists’ marks a significant moment, as it offers one of the earliest in-depth dramatizations about FTX’s collapse and its key figures, deepening public understanding of this major financial scandal.