Courtesy of Rolling Stone
In March, Hulu dropped “The Act.” This gripping true crime series is based on the life of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and the events leading up to the murder of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard.
Gypsy Rose had been confined to a wheelchair for most of her life due to a multitude of illnesses and ailments, and Dee Dee had dedicated her entire life to taking care of her sick daughter.
As the show progresses, Gypsy Rose begins to crave independence and her relationship with her mother quickly deteriorates. This newfound distrust leads Gypsy Rose to discover that her mother had fabricated her extensive medical history – Gypsy Rose was never even sick to begin with. Gypsy Rose’s struggle for freedom and her mother’s overbearing and even abusive tendencies ultimately lead to Dee Dee’s demise.
Joey King portrays Gypsy Rose, capturing her vocalization and mannerisms down to a T. The young actress has been in a number of movies and TV shows, but this is arguably one of her greatest performances yet.
At just 19, King’s commitment to the role is quite impressive; Gypsy Rose is by no means an easy role to undertake. She captures Gypsy Rose’s charm and innocence perfectly, making her arc towards rebellion that much more compelling. Throughout the series, King proves herself to be quite a versatile actress after her role in the 2018 Netflix flop “The Kissing Booth.”
Patricia Arquette plays the scheming, overprotective Dee Dee. Her manipulative, dismissive nature gives her an intimidating presence that keeps the audience on edge. Arquette has had a very successful career in the TV and film industry, but her portrayal of Dee Dee is really just another credit on her IMDb page.
The cinematography in “The Act” is one of its standout aspects. The sudden and deliberate lighting changes create a dark atmosphere that matches the tone shifts throughout the series. Lighting and clean shots enhance the storyline and draw viewers into the twisted past of Gypsy Rose.
While “The Act” is based on a true story, the show’s creators take a lot of liberties to raise stakes that further dramatize the already intense events. There has been a lot of controversy since the release of the show between its creators and the Blanchard Family.
Being in prison, Gypsy Rose has not actually seen the show, but she wrote in an email to Bustle that she finds it “unfair and unprofessional” for the show’s creators to use her name and story without her consent to do so. There has been talk of the Blanchard family considering suing the series’ creators, but no legal action has been taken as of yet.
The story of Gypsy Rose is one that should be heard, be it through the series or by researching the actual case. “The Act” on Hulu is a first-rate true-crime series that everyone should take time to watch.
