Gypsy Rose Blanchard is pursuing legal action against Hulu over The Act
4 April 2019, 17:11
Gypsy Rose Blanchard was not consulted in the making of 'The Act'...
Gypsy Rose Blanchard has condemned The Act and is pursuing legal action against the show's creators.
The Act debuted on Hulu in March to widespread critical acclaim. The hit series tells the disturbing, true story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and her mother Dee Dee. Dee Dee suffered from Munchausen by proxy and, for years on end, claimed her daughter was ill with various serious diseases–even forcing her to use a wheelchair. Gypsy was the subject of international news headline in 2015 after she killed Dee Dee and attempted to elope with her boyfriend Nick Godejohn.
Gypsy is currently in prison and unable to watch The Act, but she has now heavily criticised it.
In a statement to Bustle, Gypsy wrote: "I am unable to watch The Act. However, 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. Therefore, there will be legal action taken against the show's creators." It's true that, as it stands, everyone involved in The Act is profiting off of Gypsy's story without her consent.
Gypsy then spoke about how she wants to be able to share her story first hand to help others who find themselves in similar positions: "I want to share my story and bring awareness about Munchausen by proxy, in the hopes that I can encourage those who might be experiencing abuse to speak up, because someone WILL listen. No child should ever be abused especially from their parent."
Gypsy isn't the only person seeking legal action against Michelle Dean. Gypsy's living family members, including her stepmother Kristy Blanchard, are actually working on a series about Gypsy's life with screenwriter Franchesca Macelli called By Proxy. Talking to the Springfield News-Leader, Kirsty revealed that Dean had completely ignored her while working on The Act in spite of her calls.
She said: "I reached out to Michelle but she's blocked me on everything. I sent her a voicemail, 'Hi how you doing?' Nothing rude, and, when she called my phone, and I think when she recognized it was from Louisiana, she hung up the phone right away." Macelli also added: "We are looking into what our legal rights would be" in reference to taking on Dean in court.
Kirsty and Gypsy's family at large actually worked with Dean on her famous Buzzfeed article about Gypsy: 'Dee Dee Wanted Her Daughter To Be Sick, Gypsy Wanted Her Mom Murdered'. With that in mind, it seems bizarre that Dean didn't try to get their blessing before working on The Act.
Dean is yet to publicly respond to Gypsy, her family or Macelli. We shall update you if and when she does.
