How The Altruists expands Sam Bankman-Fried’s crypto saga into a dysfunctional love story

In November 2022, the world witnessed the rapid downfall of Sam Bankman-Fried's $32 billion cryptocurrency empire, FTX. This event captured the attention of writer Graham Moore, who was glued to FTX news at the time. Moore, known for his Oscar-winning work on "The Imitation Game," was deeply intrigued by the scandal, as it involved a "so-called white knight of the finance world" being revealed as a potential fraud.

Bankman-Fried was ultimately convicted of wire fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering in 2023, with his ex-girlfriend and former CEO, Caroline Ellison, serving as a crucial witness against him.

The Altruists, a miniseries co-produced by Moore and Jacqueline Hoyt, delves into the dysfunctional love story between Bankman-Fried and Ellison. The show explores their on-again, off-again relationship, which began in 2015 when they both worked at a Wall Street firm. Later, Bankman-Fried left the firm, moved to California, and founded Alameda Research, where Ellison joined him. Together, they aimed to pursue a philosophy called "effective altruism," which emphasizes using money to do as much good as possible.

In 2022, Bankman-Fried was accused of illegally diverting $8 billion from customer deposits into his own hedge fund. The Altruists employs a non-linear narrative structure, alternating between two timelines – six years apart – to build suspense and explore how these seemingly altruistic individuals turned into people involved in illegal activities. Moore and Hoyt wanted to present a fresh perspective on the story, going beyond the news coverage and delving into the personal lives of Bankman-Fried and Ellison.

The showrunners cast Julia Garner and Anthony Boyle in the lead roles, primarily drawn to their ability to portray real people in other works. Garner played a captivating Caroline Ellison, undergoing extensive makeup, prosthetics, and vocal coaching to fully embody the character. Boyle, who had previously worked with Hoyt on "Manhunt," was cast as Bankman-Fried after impressing the duo with his preparation and naturalistic acting style.

The Altruists features a diverse ensemble cast, including Madison Hu as FTX COO Constance Wang, Matt Rife as FTX Digital Markets CEO Ryan Salame, and Alex Lawther as FTX's co-CEO Sam Trabucco. Moore and Hoyt expressed their ethical responsibility in telling the story fairly, acknowledging that many moments between Bankman-Fried and Ellison were not documented or recorded.

To fill these gaps, the creators relied on a combination of research, including trial transcripts, and their own set of sources, while also incorporating educated imagination to create a compelling narrative.