The Act is an American true crime drama limited series that premiered in eight parts on March 20, 2019, on Hulu. The plot is based on real life events.
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- The Act is an American true crime drama limited series.
- It premiered in eight parts on March 20, 2019, on Hulu.
- The plot is based on the real life of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and the murder of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard, who was accused of abusing her daughter by fabricating illness and disabilities as a direct consequence of Munchausen syndrome by proxy.
- Joey King portrayed Gypsy.
- Patricia Arquette played her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard.
- AnnaSophia Robb, Chloë Sevigny, and Calum Worthy star in supporting roles.
- At the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards, Arquette won for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series.
- Also Joey King received a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series.
- On July 21, 2017, Hulu confirmed it had put the production into development.
- The potential series was expected to be written by Michelle Dean and Nick Antosca based on Dean’s BuzzFeed article “Dee Dee Wanted Her Daughter To Be Sick, Gypsy Wanted Her Mom To Be Murdered”.
- Writ Large, who acquired the screen rights to the article in 2016, was set to produce. Production companies involved with the series included Universal Cable Productions.
- On May 18, 2018, it was reported that Hulu had given the production a series order. It was further announced that Dean and Antosca would serve as co-showrunners and executive produce alongside Greg Shephard and Britton Rizzio.
- On August 1, 2018, it was announced that Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre would direct the series’ first episode.
- On December 20, 2018, it was announced that the series would premiere on March 20, 2019.
- On March 11, 2019, Jeff Russo was announced to be the show’s composer
- Principal photography for the series took place from October 2018 to February 2019 in Effingham County, Georgia.
- Multiple scenes were filmed at the Savannah Mall and in Episode 8 scenes were filmed at the Bryan County Courthouse.
- Joey King shaved her head for the 4th time for this role.
- The real Gypsy Rose Blanchard was impressed with Joey Kings portrayal of her but unimpressed with the series overall
- Joey King and Patricia Arquette both worked together in Medium (2005).
- Though the real Nicholas Godejohn and Gypsy Rose Blanchard are only two years apart in age, Joey King is 8 years younger than her onscreen co-star Calum Worthy.
- Joey King plays Gypsy who spends most of the time in a wheelchair. In Oz The Great And Powerful she played the girl in a wheelchair who Oz “attempts” to heal.
- Although parts of the miniseries have been dramatized or fictionalized for the show, other elements are frame-for-frame or word-for-word re-enactments of what actually happened, down to minute details. Examples include the video Gypsy shot at the hotel the night of the murder (when Nick is eating brownies), and her initial questioning scene (taken from CCTV in the interrogation room).
- On April 4, 2019, Gypsy Blanchard stated that she would be taking legal action towards The Act and Dean, its creator. While Blanchard was not able to watch the show in prison, she stated: “I feel it is very unfair and unprofessional that producers and co-producer Michelle Dean has used my actual name and story without my consent, and the life rights to do so”.However, screenwriter Franchesca Macelli told Vulture regarding Gypsy’s statement “it was from her own place of anger and disappointment and frustration” and that “nobody is taking legal action”. Macelli stated that they will be looking into the legal rights for their actions, either cancelling the show or making its storyline right.
- Kristy Blanchard, Gypsy’s stepmother, accused Dean of breaking a promise to share the financial proceeds from the show with Gypsy, saying: “We were on a phone conversation, and she had told me that whatever she made, it didn’t matter what it was, she was gonna send us 50 percent of what she made and she was gonna keep 50 percent.
