Although her story has been told in the TV mini-series The Act, Gypsy Rose Blanchard has one actress in mind to play her in a potential film.
When asked who would she want to portray her in a film, Gypsy Rose had a quick response. “You know it’s funny because I always wanted Millie Bobby Brown to play me,” she explained. “So, I think she would be good playing me. I always had you in mind!”
The Act premiered in March 2019 and consists of eight episodes detailing Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s struggles with independence while suffering from physical and mental abuse at the hands of her mother, Dee Dee. To free her, Gypsy Rose and her ex-boyfriend Nicholas Godejohn carry out their plan to murder Dee Dee.
“Dee Dee Blanchard is overprotective of her daughter, Gypsy, who is trying to escape the toxic relationship she has with her mother,” the series’ summary reads, per IMDb. “Gypsy’s quest for independence opens up a Pandora’s box of secrets, which ultimately leads to murder.”
After both were caught by authorities, Gypsy Rose and Nicholas were charged with murder. During her 2016 trial, Gypsy Rose pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Godejohn was charged with first-degree and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The TV mini-series starred Joey King as Gypsy Rose Blanchard with Patricia Arquette as Dee Dee Blanchard. Others starring in the series were AnnaSophia Robb, Chloe Sevigny, and Calum Worthy.
In September 2023, Gypsy Rose Blanchard was granted parole after serving nearly eight years of her sentence. She was released from prison on Dec. 28 and is now home with her husband Ryan Scott Anderson.
Joey King Once Spoke About Portraying Gypsy Rose Blanchard in ‘The Act’
During a 2019 interview with Variety, Joey King opened up about her approach to portraying Gypsy Rose Blanchard in The Act.
“The physical transformation was really, really huge for me,” King said. “I shaved my head, I wore four different sets of fake teeth for the role, and with the costumes, the wheelchair and the voice, everything really seemed to fall into place for me.”
King then reflected on the abuse that Gypsy Rose Blanchard endured while in the care of Dee Dee. “In the early episodes I really do believe that Gypsy believed her mom and wanted to listen to her,” King said. “Because she knew nothing else; her life had always been trusting Dee Dee, listening to Dee Dee.”
However, King said things changed as Gypsy Rose grew up. “So for me, with the portrayal of Gypsy, when Dee Dee’s around, Gypsy’s this infantilized, sweet, ‘I’m your little girl and I’ll always be your little girl.’ And when Dee Dee’s not there, slowly it gets more and more sexualized.”
King added it became less of a performance in front of Dee Dee after that. “And as the series goes on you’ll see a much bigger difference,” she noted. “In the way I act when Dee Dee’s there.”