Anna Getty is a German-born actress and producer who has worked in several films, including Little City, Break Up, and Happily Even After. As part of the extended Getty family, she grew up in a financially privileged environment. Her mother, Gisela Schmidt, married John Paul Getty III, who later adopted Anna. She also has a half-brother, Balthazar Getty, who is an actor. Anna began her acting career in 1997 with a role in the romantic comedy Little City. The following year, she appeared as a waitress in Paul Marcus’s thriller Break Up. She later made her television debut in an episode of the CBS drama series Promised Land and also appeared in the popular medical drama ER. In addition to acting, Anna has achieved notable success as a documentary producer. She has been involved in the production of several documentary projects, including Confessions of a Burning Man, Catching the Sun, and Beautiful Nonsense.
Career of Anna Getty
Anna Getty began her acting career in 1997 with a role in the romantic comedy Little City. The film, which also featured Jon Bon Jovi, Penelope Ann Miller, and Joe Bellan, focused on a group of individuals whose romantic relationships and personal lives become closely connected. The following year, Anna appeared in the thriller Break Up, playing the role of a waitress. The film tells the story of a woman attempting to escape from an abusive marriage and starred Kiefer Sutherland, Bridget Fonda, and Hart Bochner.
Anna later expanded her work to television. She made a guest appearance as Annie Albany in a third-season episode of the CBS drama series Promised Land. In 1999, she appeared in an episode of The Long Goodbye. She also worked alongside Christian Camargo and Christine Havard in Doug Aitken’s 2000 short film Blow Debris. In 2001, Anna appeared in the seventh season of NBC’s popular medical drama ER, in the episode titled Rock, Paper, Scissors. Her final known acting appearance was in the 2004 romantic comedy Happily Even After.
Along with acting, Anna has developed a successful career as a documentary producer. In 2003, she co-produced Confessions of a Burning Man, a documentary directed by Paul Barnett and Unsu Lee. She later served as an executive producer on several projects, including Catching the Sun (2015), Beautiful Nonsense (2016), and Kiss the Ground (2017).
Anna is also recognized for her interest in environmental awareness and sustainable living. She has written books on environmentally friendly lifestyles, including Anna Getty’s Easy Green Organic and I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas, both published in 2009.
Family and Personal Life
Anna Getty was born Anna Zacher on October 25, 1972, in Berlin, Germany. Her mother, Gisela Martine Zacher, is a professional photographer and documentary filmmaker, while her biological father was German actor Rolf Zacher, who had a long career in the German film industry.
In 1974, Anna’s mother married John Paul Getty III, who later adopted Anna. She spent part of her childhood in Tarzana, California, where her younger half-brother, actor Balthazar Getty, was born in 1975. The family later relocated to San Francisco. Anna subsequently continued her education at the Sorbonne in Paris, France.
Through her adoptive father, Anna became connected to the influential Getty family. John Paul Getty III was the grandson of American oil billionaire J. Paul Getty, who was once considered one of the wealthiest people in the world. John Paul Getty III’s life was marked by a highly publicized kidnapping in Rome in 1973. The kidnappers demanded a substantial ransom, and the case became internationally known after the family received evidence of his captivity.
Although he was eventually released, John Paul Getty III experienced serious health and personal difficulties in later years, including struggles with substance abuse. His health deteriorated significantly after suffering a stroke that resulted in partial paralysis. He and Anna’s mother divorced in 1993, and he later passed away at the age of 54.
Anna Getty married screenwriter Greg Pruss in 2003, and the couple has two children. They lived in Los Angeles before relocating to Tuscany, Italy, in 2010.
Anna has often described herself as having strong connections to California while also considering herself a “world citizen.” She has generally kept her political views private, although she has occasionally shared her opinions publicly. In 2009, she described former U.S. Vice President Al Gore as one of her personal heroes, while also stating that she identified with libertarian political ideas.