Jack Mercer is Vivian's husband.
History[]
Vivian's Ultrasound[]
Jack was upset because Vivian missed the appointment for her ultrasound because of work. He told her that she didn't have to keep putting up with Paul. He suggested that she take a year off with the baby and then try to find another job. She said she couldn't do that because no one else would hire her with her damaged reputation. She told him at the story she was working on that she hoped would help with this, about Anna Delvey. She used a wall in the nursery to hang up pictures of Anna to try to figure out who she was. At the rescheduled appointment, Jack and Vivian found out they were having a girl. Getting this news upset Vivian, who wanted her reputation restored before the baby was born. Despite this, she insisted she did want the baby.[1]
Trip to Talia's[]
When Vivian needed to go to the Hamptons to interview Talia Mallay, Jack accompanied her. He dropped her off at Talia's opulent house and she said she'd call him when she was finished. When Vivian and Talia ended up talking late into the evening, Talia invited her and Jack to stay in her guest house, where Anna had also stayed for a time. Jack was impressed with her guest house, which had heated floors and many other luxuries. He and Vivian decided to try all of them out and then have sex. The next morning, Jack said he'd slept so well, he thought he could swim home.[2]
Vivian's Article[]
With Vivian still working on the story, Jack started to wonder if she'd still be working on it when the baby came because she insisted she needed the wall of pictures to stay up in the nursery. Later, when Vivian got a taxidermy peacock from Nora Radford, which Anna had sent her as a present, Jack suggested they use it as a college fund, knowing it was worth a lot of money.[3]
Jack woke up one night to Vivian pacing around. She said the baby kicked her when she lay down. He tried to get her more comfortable while she wondered why Alan Reed would work so hard to help Anna. Jack asked if she was sure he and Anna weren't having an affair. Vivian later told Jack that Alan was just a patsy in Anna's scheme and had essentially gotten promoted after it despite allowing his company to be defrauded.[4]
America Investigated[]
When Vivian learned that one of the subjects of the article that ruined her reputation had done an interview for America Investigated's episode on bad journalism, she asked Jack to watch the promo for her and tell her about it. He told her that she was just one of many stories, but hers was the only one where the victim was telling the story. Vivian said he wasn't a victim. He was a liar, but Jack said it didn't play like that. Vivian wondered if she should do the interview with them or not. She later decided not to do the interview.[5]
Dinner with Todd and Margaret[]
Jack and Vivian had dinner with Todd Spodek and his wife, Margaret Vanderburn-Porter. When Vivian showed up late, the other three were left to have an awkward conversation while they waited for her. When she arrived, she brought footage from Anna's trip to Morocco, which they all gathered around to watch. Jack and Margaret then bonded over their spouses being heavily involved in Anna's case.[6]
Vivian Giving Birth[]
Jack met Vivian at the hospital when she had a contraction and called Dr. Harris to check her out. Dr. Harris said the baby's head was engaged and she would go into labor within 2-3 days and she needed to take it easy. Despite this warning, Vivian continued to work, because the article Rachel had written for Vanity Fair mentioned an interventions she knew nothing about. Jack reminded her of all the things they needed to finish before the baby came, but she told him having a baby didn't make them special because people have babies every day and she needed to finish the story before the baby was born.
Jack waited at the Manhattan Magazine office while Vivian worked. He talked to Neff, who was also there, about why she was friends with Anna. Neff maintained that Anna was for real and that she didn't pay because her father cut her off. She was sure they'd work things out and the money would be back. After Vivian finished the story, Paul said that legal decided she needed Kacy's permission to publish it. Despite being in labor, Vivian called Kacy and was able to get the permission she needed. Once she hung up the phone, Jack led her out of the building and took her to the hospital.
Jack encouraged Vivian while she labored. When Dr. Harris said that Vivian's blood pressure was low and the baby was in distress, Jack coached her, saying if she gave in, she was losing and she doesn't lose. He reminded her that she wasn't special for having a baby. That gave her the motivation she needed to push despite her fatigue and their baby was born.[7]
Vivian's Trip to Germany[]
Once Vivian's article was published, Jack said that she wrote a great article, but now they have a new girl to obsess over. Two months after publishing, Vivian's article was still getting a lot of attention, though Vivian felt that people missed the real story, though she couldn't say what the real story was. When Vivian decided to go to Germany to find and talk to Anna's parents, he was shocked that she was planning to do so. He said she'd gotten too close to Anna, whom he believed was a sociopath. Despite this, Vivian went. When she came home, she hugged Jack, who told her she had mail from Germany, which came from Anna's father, Vadim.[8]
Anna's Trial[]
In the midst of Anna's trial, Jack found Vivian going through her closet in the middle of the night, looking for outfits that Anna could wear to court. Jack pointed out how unlike her it was. Vivian said she knew that and hated it, but she felt obligated because she created the monster.[9]
Relationships[]
Romantic[]
He is married to Vivian Kent.
Familial[]
He has a sister whose daughter, Rue, was a week early.[10]
Career[]
He is an artist.
Notes and Trivia[]
- Netflix Bio: Supportive with a dry sense of humor, Jack is in sync with his wife in ways that make them lovable even when they annoy each other. But Jack finds it harder and harder to be in sync with Vivian as she grows more in danger of succumbing to her obsession with Anna.
Gallery[]
Episodic[]
Episode Stills[]
Appearances[]
| Inventing Anna | |||||
| #01 | "Life of a VIP" | #04 | "A Wolf in Chic Clothing" | #07 | "Cash on Delivery" |
| #02 | "The Devil Wore Anna" | #05 | "Check Out Time" | #08 | "Too Rich for Her Blood" |
| #03 | "Two Birds, One Throne" | #06 | "Friends in Low Places" | #09 | "Dangerously Close" |