The Act

About The Act

The Act is an American true crime television series that premiered in March 2019 on Hulu. The first season is based on the real life of Gypsy Blanchard and the murder of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard, who was accused of abusing her daughter by causing her illness which garnered them sympathy and donations for years.

Making / Production

The series was developed by Nick Antosca and Michelle Dean and produced by Universal Content Productions. The filming primarily took place in Savannah, Georgia.

Actors

• Joey King: Cast as Gypsy Rose Blanchard, she delivered an intense performance, showing the growing rebellion of Gypsy against her controlling mother.
• Patricia Arquette: As Dee Dee Blanchard, her portrayal of a mentally disturbed mother was praised by the audience and critics alike.
• Chloë Sevigny: Playing Mel, the neighbor, she effectively displayed an array of emotions as she grew closer to the Blanchards.
• AnnaSophia Robb: As Lacey, Robb skillfully portrayed a teenager’s struggle to comprehend the situation regarding her friends, the Blanchards.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The series is based on Dean's 2016 Buzzfeed article titled "Dee Dee Wanted Her Daughter To Be Sick, Gypsy Wanted Her Mom To Be Murdered".
• Despite being told by her mom that she was born in 1995, Gypsy's real birth year was 1991 making her much older than she thought.
• Arquette and King shaved their heads for their roles to be more authentic.

Awards

Patricia Arquette won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie in 2019 for her role as Dee Dee Blanchard. She also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film in 2020.

Quotes

• "To the outside world we're just one big, happy, smiling, church-loving family."
• "Can't we just be together without everything else?"
• "Sometimes people like to paint a rosy color on things when really they're gray."

Music, Soundtrack

• The score for the series was composed by Jeff Russo.
• A blend of tense, dramatic symphonies and lighter, melancholic tracks were used to accentuate the story's deeply contrasting themes.
• The show also made effective use of popular songs to heighten emotional moments.