In 2019, Joey King garnered critical acclaim for her role as Gypsy-Rose Blanchard in the Hulu miniseries The Act, earning Emmy Award and Golden Globe nominations. The series depicted the true story of Gypsy Blanchard, who was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard. Dee Dee had a history of fabricating Gypsy's health issues, leading to suspicions of Munchausen syndrome by proxy.
Munchausen syndrome involves feigning or inducing symptoms for attention, while Munchausen by proxy is when symptoms are fabricated in others. Gypsy was sentenced to 10 years in prison for her role in her mother's death and was released on parole in December 2023. Her then-boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, received a life sentence for first-degree murder.
Following her release, Gypsy has refrained from watching The Act, stating that she lived through the events portrayed. Rumors of a feud between Gypsy and Joey King surfaced due to the lack of communication between them during the series production. However, Joey clarified in a recent interview that there was no animosity between them and that they had a positive conversation.
Joey expressed happiness for Gypsy's freedom and emphasized the importance of starting anew. She commended Gypsy's ability to move forward with her life after her release from prison. In response to paparazzi inquiries, Joey reiterated her joy for Gypsy's newfound freedom.
If you suspect a child is experiencing abuse, you can contact the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 for assistance in over 140 languages.
