Since her release from prison in December, Joey King claims to have been in touch with Gypsy Rose Blanchard, the real-life subject of her popular Hulu series The Act.
Joey King Says Gypsy Rose Blanchard
The 24-year-old actress talked candidly about everything from her new show, We Were the Lucky Ones, to her experience going through the audition process and filming The Act on a recent episode of the Armchair Expert podcast.
As they discussed the motivation behind the series, which starred Chloë Sevigny, Patricia Arquette, and AnnaSophia Robb, podcast host Dax Shepard questioned King about whether any of the real-life characters from the narrative had gotten in touch with her in the five years after the show went viral.
“Recently, Gypsy Rose sent me a message,” King said breezily. “We didn’t have any contact when we were filming the show but since she’s been released, she reached out and we had a quick little exchange which was really nice.”
Following the true events of Blanchard (King) and her then-boyfriend Nicholas “Nick” Godejohn (Calum Worthy) plotting to kill her mother (Arquette) after learning she had been suffering from Munchausen syndrome by proxy—a rare disorder in which a guardian exaggerates or induces illness in a child for attention and sympathy—the series won Arquette, 56, an Emmy, and earned King her first-ever nomination.
In reality, Blanchard served seven years in prison before being allowed to leave after entering a guilty plea to the second-degree murder of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard, in 2016.
Although King’s portrayal of Blanchard went on to win honours and get critical acclaim, King told the podcast hosts that it could have gone to another actor.
“I was quite fortunate. “I tried out for The Act, but I didn’t get the part,” she revealed to Shepard and Monica Padman, his co-host.
“They did not want anyone to do Gypsy Rose voice in the audition,” she continued. I was like, “Guys, I kind of think we should do it,” once I got the role.
Blanchard’s voice is recognisable for its high pitch; King described it as a “huge part of the personality” and she always associated it with Blanchard’s being “infantilized her whole life” as a result of Munchausen syndrome via proxy.
Speaking with King at the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party in March, ET inquired about King’s communication with Blanchard and her feelings on her release. The actress noted that the choice of what to do next for the formerly incarcerated person is entirely up to her, demonstrating empathy for the character she portrayed on television.
“Gypsy Rose is free — she can do whatever she wants,” stated King. “I look forward to her path and whatever that entails for her. I’m glad for her. I’m overjoyed for her.
