Michelle Dean, co-creator and co-showrunner of Hulu’s “The Act,” has signed with CAA for representation.
An attorney-turned-journalist, Dean is the recipient of the National Book Critics Circle award for excellence in criticism in 2017 for “Sharp: The Women Who Made An Art of Having an Opinion,” which explored the cultural and intellectual impact of female literary trailblazers of the twentieth century. As a journalist, Dean trained as a reporter at The New Yorker before going on to receive bylines in The New York Times Magazine, The Guardian, Elle, The Cut and other publications.
Dean’s 2016 reporting on the Buzzfeed story “Dee Dee Wanted Her Daughter To Be Sick, Gypsy Wanted Her Mom Murdered,” inspired Hulu’s “The Act.” Starring Joey King and Patricia Arquette, the series broke Hulu viewing and subscription records in 2019. Both King and Arquette received Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for their leading roles. Arquette won both...
An attorney-turned-journalist, Dean is the recipient of the National Book Critics Circle award for excellence in criticism in 2017 for “Sharp: The Women Who Made An Art of Having an Opinion,” which explored the cultural and intellectual impact of female literary trailblazers of the twentieth century. As a journalist, Dean trained as a reporter at The New Yorker before going on to receive bylines in The New York Times Magazine, The Guardian, Elle, The Cut and other publications.
Dean’s 2016 reporting on the Buzzfeed story “Dee Dee Wanted Her Daughter To Be Sick, Gypsy Wanted Her Mom Murdered,” inspired Hulu’s “The Act.” Starring Joey King and Patricia Arquette, the series broke Hulu viewing and subscription records in 2019. Both King and Arquette received Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for their leading roles. Arquette won both...
- 12/8/2022
- by BreAnna Bell
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Bill Dubuque, the co-creator of Netflix’s Ozark, has signed an overall deal with Fifth Season.
The company formerly known as Endeavor Content will work with the writer and producer to develop his own slate of original series.
It builds on Dubuque’s first-look deal with the studio.
Dubuque has already been building out a development slate including teaming with The Act creator Michelle Dean and The L Word: Generation Q exec producer Kristen Campo on an adaptation of Matthew McGough’s book The Lazarus Files: A Cold Case Investigation that Fifth Season is producing with Anonymous Content.
Dubuque is also collaborating with the likes of Fifth Season-based producers Lynette Howell Taylor’s 51 Entertainment and Layne Eskridge’s Pov Entertainment as well as developing projects with the likes of Regina Hall, Candyman director Nia DaCosta and Judas and the Black Messiah duo Lucas Brothers.
The St. Louis native, who...
The company formerly known as Endeavor Content will work with the writer and producer to develop his own slate of original series.
It builds on Dubuque’s first-look deal with the studio.
Dubuque has already been building out a development slate including teaming with The Act creator Michelle Dean and The L Word: Generation Q exec producer Kristen Campo on an adaptation of Matthew McGough’s book The Lazarus Files: A Cold Case Investigation that Fifth Season is producing with Anonymous Content.
Dubuque is also collaborating with the likes of Fifth Season-based producers Lynette Howell Taylor’s 51 Entertainment and Layne Eskridge’s Pov Entertainment as well as developing projects with the likes of Regina Hall, Candyman director Nia DaCosta and Judas and the Black Messiah duo Lucas Brothers.
The St. Louis native, who...
- 10/14/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Weigh Down Ministries and its titular method of weight loss and religious worship have been a subject of public fascination for years. Whether it was because of leader Gwen Shamblin's eccentric appearance or the allegations of its Remnant Fellowship Church promoting eating disorders and abuse, it seemed like it was a must-know for anyone even slightly interested in the workings of "unconventional" churches. However, when Shamblin and six other leaders of Weigh Down Ministries died in a 2021 plane crash, public knowledge about the group spread further than it had ever had before, causing their secrets to be unearthed once more.
These secrets and the history of the group were covered in the HBO Max docuseries "The Way Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin," which was set before and after Shamblin's death. Now that the docuseries has proven popular for true crime fans, it will now be...
These secrets and the history of the group were covered in the HBO Max docuseries "The Way Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin," which was set before and after Shamblin's death. Now that the docuseries has proven popular for true crime fans, it will now be...
- 9/19/2022
- by Erin Brady
- Slash Film
Sarah Paulson is wigging out again.
The Emmy winner is set to star as late cult-like figure Gwen Shamblin Lara in HBO Max’s in-the-works scripted adaptation of its hit docuseries The Way Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin, TVLine has confirmed.
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The Way Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin explores the practices of the controversial,...
The Emmy winner is set to star as late cult-like figure Gwen Shamblin Lara in HBO Max’s in-the-works scripted adaptation of its hit docuseries The Way Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin, TVLine has confirmed.
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The Way Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin explores the practices of the controversial,...
- 9/19/2022
- by Michael Ausiello
- TVLine.com
Sarah Paulson is set to star and exec produce the HBO Max scripted adaptation of its docuseries The Way Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin.
Deadline broke the news in April that the streamer was adapting its documentary about the cult-like figure, who died last year, as a scripted series.
Paulson will play Shamblin, who rose to fame with her Weigh Down Workshop, a Christian-based diet program, and founded the Remnant Fellowship Church. She was a charismatic figure with a carefully curated image who was accused of emotional, psychological and physical abuse and exploitation for the church’s alleged cult-like practices.
Michelle Dean, who recently served as showrunner and exec producer of Hulu’s The Act, starring Patricia Arquette and Joey King, will serve as showrunner and exec producer of the scripted series, which comes from Ross Dinerstein’s Campfire Studios and Chrissy Teigen’s Huntley Productions
The project,...
Deadline broke the news in April that the streamer was adapting its documentary about the cult-like figure, who died last year, as a scripted series.
Paulson will play Shamblin, who rose to fame with her Weigh Down Workshop, a Christian-based diet program, and founded the Remnant Fellowship Church. She was a charismatic figure with a carefully curated image who was accused of emotional, psychological and physical abuse and exploitation for the church’s alleged cult-like practices.
Michelle Dean, who recently served as showrunner and exec producer of Hulu’s The Act, starring Patricia Arquette and Joey King, will serve as showrunner and exec producer of the scripted series, which comes from Ross Dinerstein’s Campfire Studios and Chrissy Teigen’s Huntley Productions
The project,...
- 9/19/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Sarah Paulson is no stranger to playing real people: Among other roles, she won an Emmy award for her portrayal of Marcia Clark in 2016’s “The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story,” and was recently nominated for an Emmy for “Impeachment: American Crime Story” for playing Linda Tripp. Now, Paulson is attached to star and executive produce the scripted adaptation of “The Way Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin,” which HBO Max is developing from its own five-part docuseries.
Michelle Dean, who was the co-creator of the 2019 Hulu limited series “The Act,” is the showrunner of the scripted adaptation.
HBO Max dropped the first three episodes of Marina Zenovich’s investigative docuseries “The Way Down” on Sept. 30 of last year. It detailed Gwen Shamblin Lara’s rise from being a diet guru with her Weigh Down Workshop (launched in 1986) to the founding of her Tennessee church,...
Michelle Dean, who was the co-creator of the 2019 Hulu limited series “The Act,” is the showrunner of the scripted adaptation.
HBO Max dropped the first three episodes of Marina Zenovich’s investigative docuseries “The Way Down” on Sept. 30 of last year. It detailed Gwen Shamblin Lara’s rise from being a diet guru with her Weigh Down Workshop (launched in 1986) to the founding of her Tennessee church,...
- 9/19/2022
- by Kate Aurthur
- Variety Film + TV
The Aug. 6 address before the assembly at Remnant Fellowship — delivered to an in-person gathering in Brentwood, Tn, and via webcast to anyone who might want to watch — began typically enough, with congregants watching an old video sermon from Gwen Shamblin Lara, the church’s late founder who died in a plane crash on May 29, 2021.
What happened after the video portion ended, though, was unusual. In a portion of the sermon, obtained by Variety, Elizabeth Hannah, Lara’s daughter and a leader at Remnant, called in, as she sometimes does. But instead of her usual teachings for Saturday service, Hannah delivered a homily of schadenfreude aimed directly at HBO Max, the enemy of Remnant and the Shamblin family.
Hannah’s grudge against HBO Max has a specific and pointed history. On Sept. 30 of last year, the streamer dropped the first three episodes of Marina Zenovich’s investigative docuseries “The Way Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin...
What happened after the video portion ended, though, was unusual. In a portion of the sermon, obtained by Variety, Elizabeth Hannah, Lara’s daughter and a leader at Remnant, called in, as she sometimes does. But instead of her usual teachings for Saturday service, Hannah delivered a homily of schadenfreude aimed directly at HBO Max, the enemy of Remnant and the Shamblin family.
Hannah’s grudge against HBO Max has a specific and pointed history. On Sept. 30 of last year, the streamer dropped the first three episodes of Marina Zenovich’s investigative docuseries “The Way Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin...
- 8/25/2022
- by Kate Aurthur
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Nearly 400 directors have signed a statement of solidarity with the showrunners’ letter demanding abortion protections from networks, studios and streamers a week and a half ago.
There are now nearly 1,500 writers and directors presenting a united front in asking Hollywood’s employers to help provide abortion access in states where it is now illegal. On July 28, more than 400 female, trans and non-binary TV creators and showrunners sent a letter to the likes of Disney, Lionsgate, NBCUniversal and Netflix asking them to craft explicit policies to protect employees seeking abortions, particularly those working on productions in states where the procedure is now or soon will be prohibited following the Supreme Court’s ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson. On Aug. 1, nearly 600 of their male counterparts signed a statement of support.
The original letter demanded that companies furnish a written policy of their current abortion safety plan within 10 days.
Nearly 400 directors have signed a statement of solidarity with the showrunners’ letter demanding abortion protections from networks, studios and streamers a week and a half ago.
There are now nearly 1,500 writers and directors presenting a united front in asking Hollywood’s employers to help provide abortion access in states where it is now illegal. On July 28, more than 400 female, trans and non-binary TV creators and showrunners sent a letter to the likes of Disney, Lionsgate, NBCUniversal and Netflix asking them to craft explicit policies to protect employees seeking abortions, particularly those working on productions in states where the procedure is now or soon will be prohibited following the Supreme Court’s ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson. On Aug. 1, nearly 600 of their male counterparts signed a statement of support.
The original letter demanded that companies furnish a written policy of their current abortion safety plan within 10 days.
- 8/9/2022
- by Rebecca Sun
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: HBO Max docuseries The Way Down: God, Greed & The Cult of Gwen Shamblin is set to be adapted as a scripted series.
Ross Dinerstein’s Campfire Studios and Chrissy Teigen’s Huntley Productions, which produced the docuseries about cult-like figure Gwen Shamblin Lara, who rose to fame with her Weigh Down Workshop, a Christian-based diet program, and founded the Remnant Fellowship Church, are working on the drama adaptation.
They have teamed up with Michelle Dean, who recently served as showrunner and exec producer of Hulu’s The Act, which starred Patricia Arquette and Joey King. Dean will serve as showrunner and exec producer on the scripted series.
Deadline understands that the team are also in talks with high-profile actors to play Shamblin Lara, a charismatic figure with a carefully curated image who was accused of emotional, psychological, and physical abuse, and exploitation for the church’s alleged cult-like practices.
Ross Dinerstein’s Campfire Studios and Chrissy Teigen’s Huntley Productions, which produced the docuseries about cult-like figure Gwen Shamblin Lara, who rose to fame with her Weigh Down Workshop, a Christian-based diet program, and founded the Remnant Fellowship Church, are working on the drama adaptation.
They have teamed up with Michelle Dean, who recently served as showrunner and exec producer of Hulu’s The Act, which starred Patricia Arquette and Joey King. Dean will serve as showrunner and exec producer on the scripted series.
Deadline understands that the team are also in talks with high-profile actors to play Shamblin Lara, a charismatic figure with a carefully curated image who was accused of emotional, psychological, and physical abuse, and exploitation for the church’s alleged cult-like practices.
- 4/28/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: The Act creator Michelle Dean is to adapt a dark story about a cold case murder and its connection to the LAPD.
Deadline understands that Endeavor Content and Anonymous Content have acquired the rights to Matthew McGough’s book The Lazarus Files: A Cold Case Investigation in a competitive situation and will team up in a co-studio deal.
Dean will write the adaptation, which will be exec produced by Ozark co-creator Bill Dubuque, Truth Be Told and The L Word: Generation Q exec producer Kristen Campo. Author McGough will also exec produce with Anonymous Content’s Nicole Romano and Kevin Cotter will oversee for the True Detective and Dickinson producer.
The Lazarus Files, which was published in April 2019 by Henry Holt and Co, tells the story of one of the most infamous, disturbing murder cases in LAPD history, which remained unsolved until DNA evidence implicated a shocking suspect – Stephanie Lazarus,...
Deadline understands that Endeavor Content and Anonymous Content have acquired the rights to Matthew McGough’s book The Lazarus Files: A Cold Case Investigation in a competitive situation and will team up in a co-studio deal.
Dean will write the adaptation, which will be exec produced by Ozark co-creator Bill Dubuque, Truth Be Told and The L Word: Generation Q exec producer Kristen Campo. Author McGough will also exec produce with Anonymous Content’s Nicole Romano and Kevin Cotter will oversee for the True Detective and Dickinson producer.
The Lazarus Files, which was published in April 2019 by Henry Holt and Co, tells the story of one of the most infamous, disturbing murder cases in LAPD history, which remained unsolved until DNA evidence implicated a shocking suspect – Stephanie Lazarus,...
- 3/24/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Amblin Partners has set Michelle Dean to pen Stolen Time, its biopic telling the incredible true story of wrongfully convicted death row inmate Sonia “Sunny” Jacobs. Juliet Blake is producing; she is Head of Television at Ted and previously produced The Hundred-Foot Journey with Amblin. Amblin Partners’ president of production Holly Bario will oversee on behalf of the studio.
The studio recently acquired film rights to the riveting and timely story of Jacobs, who was in her 20s when she and her husband, Jesse Tafero, were convicted of the fatal shooting of two law enforcement officers based on the false testimony of the man who actually committed the murders. Sources tell Deadline that as part of the development process, Dean and Blake are reviewing over 2,500 personal letters sent between Jacobs and Tafero during their 15-year incarceration.
A literary and investigative reporter-turned screenwriter and producer, Dean is best known for her work as co-creator,...
The studio recently acquired film rights to the riveting and timely story of Jacobs, who was in her 20s when she and her husband, Jesse Tafero, were convicted of the fatal shooting of two law enforcement officers based on the false testimony of the man who actually committed the murders. Sources tell Deadline that as part of the development process, Dean and Blake are reviewing over 2,500 personal letters sent between Jacobs and Tafero during their 15-year incarceration.
A literary and investigative reporter-turned screenwriter and producer, Dean is best known for her work as co-creator,...
- 3/2/2021
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
In a competitive situation, Ucp, a division of NBCUniversal Content Studios, and Nick Antosca have won the rights to Jan Broberg’s true-crime stranger-than-fiction story, for development as a limited series.
The untitled Jan Broberg project follows the bizarre true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs —devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart, and turn their daughter against them. The series is the story of how their lives were permanently altered — and how they survived.
Antosca, under his production banner Eat the Cat, will write and executive produce via his overall deal with Ucp. Jan Broberg and her mother, Mary Ann Broberg, will serve as producers. Eat the Cat’s Alex Hedlund will co-executive produce.
The untitled Jan Broberg project follows the bizarre true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs —devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart, and turn their daughter against them. The series is the story of how their lives were permanently altered — and how they survived.
Antosca, under his production banner Eat the Cat, will write and executive produce via his overall deal with Ucp. Jan Broberg and her mother, Mary Ann Broberg, will serve as producers. Eat the Cat’s Alex Hedlund will co-executive produce.
- 5/7/2020
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
In a fictional world rife with female serial killers, women in mourning and ladies whose mindsets don’t always make them the most likeable or even cheerful leads, mental health and the role it plays in a woman’s world may finally be getting its due.
As a record number of television outlets compete for attention among myriad awards entries every year, deeper and darker explorations of female characters and their psyches are becoming more common in storytelling as viewers look toward cathartic venues of entertainment that aren’t as niche as they may have once seemed.
“I’ll watch an episode of ‘Friends’ on Netflix and if I’m at a low-point it will make me feel so alone to watch a problem get resolved in 22 minutes,” says “Sorry for Your Loss” creator Kit Steinkellner. “I love comedy, I love a grand, sweeping romance, and there have been moments...
As a record number of television outlets compete for attention among myriad awards entries every year, deeper and darker explorations of female characters and their psyches are becoming more common in storytelling as viewers look toward cathartic venues of entertainment that aren’t as niche as they may have once seemed.
“I’ll watch an episode of ‘Friends’ on Netflix and if I’m at a low-point it will make me feel so alone to watch a problem get resolved in 22 minutes,” says “Sorry for Your Loss” creator Kit Steinkellner. “I love comedy, I love a grand, sweeping romance, and there have been moments...
- 12/2/2019
- by Amber Dowling
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: The 26th Annual Austin Film Festival & Writers Conference is putting some shine on the often unsung and overlooked heroes of film: the writer. This year, the fest revealed that they will be honoring Oscar-winning screenwriters James Ivory with the “Extraordinary Contribution to Film” Award and Ron Bass with the “Distinguished Screenwriter” Award. The fest, which takes place October 24-31, also unveiled their programming which includes conversations with Lulu Wang, director and writer of the critically acclaimed dramedy The Farewell and Sofia Alvarez, the scribe behind the Netflix hit To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.
Ivory has received multiple Oscar nominations for directing and writing. He won the Oscar for adapting Andre Aciman’s novel Call Me by Your Name which was directed by Luca Guadagnino. He also received the BAFTA and the Writers Guild Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. In addition, he received d Best Director Oscar...
Ivory has received multiple Oscar nominations for directing and writing. He won the Oscar for adapting Andre Aciman’s novel Call Me by Your Name which was directed by Luca Guadagnino. He also received the BAFTA and the Writers Guild Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. In addition, he received d Best Director Oscar...
- 9/4/2019
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: In a competitive situation, Ucp has optioned the rights to Jesse Barron’s 2017 Esquire true crime article The Girl From Plainville for TV series development.
The Girl From Plainville is considered the definitive account of the events that led Michelle Carter, a young woman from a small town in Massachusetts, to stand trial for her boyfriend Conrad Roy’s homicide, as prosecutors argued that her calls and texts fueled his suicide when they were both teens.
In a highly publicized case, which raised the question, Can words kill?, Carter was convicted in 2017 of involuntary manslaughter for encouraging Roy, over the text messages and phone calls to kill himself. Roy had seen numerous mental health professionals and insisted he wanted to die. Carter was convicted mainly on the basis of her final phone call in which she told Roy to get back in his truck, which was filling with carbon monoxide,...
The Girl From Plainville is considered the definitive account of the events that led Michelle Carter, a young woman from a small town in Massachusetts, to stand trial for her boyfriend Conrad Roy’s homicide, as prosecutors argued that her calls and texts fueled his suicide when they were both teens.
In a highly publicized case, which raised the question, Can words kill?, Carter was convicted in 2017 of involuntary manslaughter for encouraging Roy, over the text messages and phone calls to kill himself. Roy had seen numerous mental health professionals and insisted he wanted to die. Carter was convicted mainly on the basis of her final phone call in which she told Roy to get back in his truck, which was filling with carbon monoxide,...
- 8/15/2019
- by Nellie Andreeva and Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
While its details might sound as though they were taken out of a Gillian Flynn novel, the murder of Dee Dee Blanchard is, in fact, a true story. With The Act, Hulu is turning the real-life case into the first installation of its true-crime anthology series. The season features a talented cast that includes Patricia Arquette and Joey King as the leading characters. The show draws out the emotional narrative between Dee Dee and her daughter Gypsy Rose, who, after years of being the object of her mother's Munchausen syndrome by proxy, resorts to murder. The story isn't black and white, and it's tragic and terrifying in equal measures. Here are the dark facts of the case that viewers should know before watching the series.
The Build-Up
Dee Dee and Gypsy had been living in Springfield, Mo after Hurricane Katrina destroyed their home in 2005. For years, Dee Dee told friends...
The Build-Up
Dee Dee and Gypsy had been living in Springfield, Mo after Hurricane Katrina destroyed their home in 2005. For years, Dee Dee told friends...
- 7/17/2019
- by Stacey Nguyen
- Popsugar.com
Best known for his roles as Alex in “American Vandal” and Dez in Disney’s “Austin & Ally,” Calum Worthy got everyone’s attention with his latest small-screen performance in Hulu’s true-crime anthology series “The Act.” With the show contending in the limited series races, Worthy could snatch his maiden Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Best Limited Series/TV Movie Supporting Actor for his incredibly disturbing but powerful breakthrough performance.
The first season of “The Act” is based on Michelle Dean‘s BuzzFeed article “Dee Dee Wanted Her Daughter to Be Sick, Gypsy Wanted Her Mom to Be Murdered,” and chronicles the real-life story of mother and daughter Dee Dee (Patricia Arquette) and Gypsy Rose Blanchard (Joey King), as they move to a new neighborhood in Missouri in 2009. What may seem like an good relationship on the surface is actually masquerading a toxic one below: As a result of...
The first season of “The Act” is based on Michelle Dean‘s BuzzFeed article “Dee Dee Wanted Her Daughter to Be Sick, Gypsy Wanted Her Mom to Be Murdered,” and chronicles the real-life story of mother and daughter Dee Dee (Patricia Arquette) and Gypsy Rose Blanchard (Joey King), as they move to a new neighborhood in Missouri in 2009. What may seem like an good relationship on the surface is actually masquerading a toxic one below: As a result of...
- 6/13/2019
- by Luca Giliberti
- Gold Derby
While Hulu drew attention to its most recent series by casting A-listers such as George Clooney in its “Catch-22” adaptation and Patricia Arquette in “The Act,” it was the younger actors in both of these series, Christopher Abbott and Calum Worthy, respectively, who took center stage and became breakout stars in the process.
During Hulu’s “Art of Casting” panel at Variety’s TV Summit Wednesday, casting directors Sharon Bialy (“The Act”) and Rachel Tenner (“Catch-22”) both admitted that casting the leading roles in their respective limited series was more streamlined than usual.
Tenner, who was responsible for finding the right man to portray the iconic fictional character of Yossarian, noted that Clooney and Grant Heslov are both extremely decisive and knew that Abbott was the right man for the role immediately.
“We wanted someone grounded, funny but also a leading man – all these great qualities,” she said. “And I was like ‘Oh,...
During Hulu’s “Art of Casting” panel at Variety’s TV Summit Wednesday, casting directors Sharon Bialy (“The Act”) and Rachel Tenner (“Catch-22”) both admitted that casting the leading roles in their respective limited series was more streamlined than usual.
Tenner, who was responsible for finding the right man to portray the iconic fictional character of Yossarian, noted that Clooney and Grant Heslov are both extremely decisive and knew that Abbott was the right man for the role immediately.
“We wanted someone grounded, funny but also a leading man – all these great qualities,” she said. “And I was like ‘Oh,...
- 6/12/2019
- by Anna Tingley
- Variety Film + TV
“You could call it method in many ways, but for me, it’s just trying to commit to the character in the best way possible and whatever that entails,” Calum Worthy tells Gold Derby in an exclusive interview (watch the video above). He discusses his approach to portraying convicted murder Nicholas Godejohn in the true crime anthology series “The Act” headlined by Joey King and Patricia Arquette for Hulu. The supporting actor explains about taking on the part two decades into his career: “It’s kind of a full circle because my first role, I actually played a cannibal in a show called ‘Night Visions’ when I was nine and Bill Pullman cast me in it and I had to eat him, so I feel like it actually might be more of a through line in my career than I’d like to admit.”
SEEour interview with “The Act” co-creator Nick Antosca.
SEEour interview with “The Act” co-creator Nick Antosca.
- 6/10/2019
- by Riley Chow
- Gold Derby
There are six months left to go in the calendar year of TV, but plenty of stellar shows have already made an impact. TV critics Daniel D’Addario and Caroline Framke came together to pick their favorite shows of the year — so far.
“The Act” (Hulu)
This series’ unabashed indulgence of its trashier side didn’t stop it from presenting real and meaningful insights about its characters. Taking the widely-reported story of Gypsy Rose and Dee Dee Blanchard — and enlisting showrunner Michelle Dean, the reporter who first brought it to national attention — “The Act” builds a story of often-painful tension rooted in a deep understanding of unusual characters. Patricia Arquette continued her recent run of committed character work with her performance as Munchausen mom Dee Dee, but the show belonged to Joey King, a genuine discovery as Gypsy Rose. Her character, sheltered but shrewd, lives in simultaneous fear of freedom...
“The Act” (Hulu)
This series’ unabashed indulgence of its trashier side didn’t stop it from presenting real and meaningful insights about its characters. Taking the widely-reported story of Gypsy Rose and Dee Dee Blanchard — and enlisting showrunner Michelle Dean, the reporter who first brought it to national attention — “The Act” builds a story of often-painful tension rooted in a deep understanding of unusual characters. Patricia Arquette continued her recent run of committed character work with her performance as Munchausen mom Dee Dee, but the show belonged to Joey King, a genuine discovery as Gypsy Rose. Her character, sheltered but shrewd, lives in simultaneous fear of freedom...
- 6/10/2019
- by Daniel D'Addario and Caroline Framke
- Variety Film + TV
Joey King took a huge risk in playing Gypsy Rose Blanchard in Hulu’s shocking new limited series “The Act.” The young actress physically transformed herself for the role and went to vulnerable places to play a girl trying to escape from her abusive mother. The role has earned King universal praise, which could lead to her earning her first Emmy nomination this year.
King spoke with Gold Derby contributing editor Zach Laws in April about starring in “The Act,” figuring out how to play this part and what it was like working with Patricia Arquette. Watch the exclusive video chat above and read the complete interview transcript below.
SEENick Antosca Interview: ‘The Act’ producer
Gold Derby: Joey, when you first heard about this story were you as shocked as everybody else was?
Joey King: Yes, 100%. It’s one of the most shocking, disturbing stories that I’ve ever heard of or seen.
King spoke with Gold Derby contributing editor Zach Laws in April about starring in “The Act,” figuring out how to play this part and what it was like working with Patricia Arquette. Watch the exclusive video chat above and read the complete interview transcript below.
SEENick Antosca Interview: ‘The Act’ producer
Gold Derby: Joey, when you first heard about this story were you as shocked as everybody else was?
Joey King: Yes, 100%. It’s one of the most shocking, disturbing stories that I’ve ever heard of or seen.
- 6/6/2019
- by Kevin Jacobsen
- Gold Derby
Television’s fascination with crime stories dates back decades, but in order to capture an audience’s attention today, when it is pulled in multiple directions by 500 scripted series alone, a deeper dive inside the mind of those who do wrong has proven to be a recipe for successful storytelling. More specifically, there has been an uptick in digging into the psychology of female culpability and full-on criminology through limited series such as “Escape at Dannemora,” “Sharp Objects” and “The Act.”
“You want to create characters that are just mesmerizing — that are so complicated and alive and credible that you find yourself identifying with them and then are thrilled to go through those emotions without having to do that in your own life,” says Michael Tolkin, executive producer of “Escape at Dannemora.”
While “Escape at Dannemora” told the true story of a prison break, much of the story was seen...
“You want to create characters that are just mesmerizing — that are so complicated and alive and credible that you find yourself identifying with them and then are thrilled to go through those emotions without having to do that in your own life,” says Michael Tolkin, executive producer of “Escape at Dannemora.”
While “Escape at Dannemora” told the true story of a prison break, much of the story was seen...
- 6/6/2019
- by Danielle Turchiano
- Variety Film + TV
Hulu’s “The Act” starts the same way as the article it’s based on: There’s a small pink bungalow. There’s whispers of Dee Dee and Gypsy Blanchard. And there’s a murder.
“It’s a promise to the viewer that we’re not going to pull a twist on you,” co-showrunner Nick Antosca told IndieWire.” “It’s not a Keyser Söze story. It’s about the human beings, what they went through, and their experiences emotionally and psychologically.”
That element was critical to co-showrunner Michelle Dean, who wrote the Buzzfeed article that inspired the series.
“One of the first things that drew me to Nick when we began collaborating was he always had this insight that we shouldn’t hide the ball at any point,” she said. “I had heard the term ‘Keyser Söze’ from a lot of different producers when I was in the process of selling the article,...
“It’s a promise to the viewer that we’re not going to pull a twist on you,” co-showrunner Nick Antosca told IndieWire.” “It’s not a Keyser Söze story. It’s about the human beings, what they went through, and their experiences emotionally and psychologically.”
That element was critical to co-showrunner Michelle Dean, who wrote the Buzzfeed article that inspired the series.
“One of the first things that drew me to Nick when we began collaborating was he always had this insight that we shouldn’t hide the ball at any point,” she said. “I had heard the term ‘Keyser Söze’ from a lot of different producers when I was in the process of selling the article,...
- 5/30/2019
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
When he first heard the story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard, Nick Antosca thought to himself, “How could this have happened? How could a mother do that to her child? I wanted to know more.” The TV veteran, whose credits as a writer and producer include “Hannibal” and “Channel Zero,” teamed up with Michelle Dean, who covered the true events for Buzzfeed, and together they translated it into a new Hulu limited series, “The Act.” Watch our exclusive video interview with Antosca above.
See Joey King interview: ‘The Act’
The events, which were also detailed in the HBO documentary “Mommy Dead and Dearest,” are truly stranger than fiction. Dee Dee (Patricia Arquette) suffered from Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a mental disorder in which a parent or caregiver induces or fabricates illness in another person to gain sympathy from others. She convinced her daughter, Gypsy Rose...
See Joey King interview: ‘The Act’
The events, which were also detailed in the HBO documentary “Mommy Dead and Dearest,” are truly stranger than fiction. Dee Dee (Patricia Arquette) suffered from Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a mental disorder in which a parent or caregiver induces or fabricates illness in another person to gain sympathy from others. She convinced her daughter, Gypsy Rose...
- 5/29/2019
- by Zach Laws
- Gold Derby
On May 21, Terry Crews hosted the inaugural IndieWire Consider This Fyc Brunch, where top talents in the TV industry gathered at Liaison in Hollywood to discuss, frankly, how to make really incredible television — and each of the three panels can be watched in their entirety below. Among the highlights:
The Below-the-Line panel was hosted by IndieWire’s Toolkit Editor Chris O’Falt and featured “Yellowstone” composer Brian Tyler, “The Other Two” composer Brett “Leland” McLaughlin, “Catch-22” costume designer Jenny Eagan, “Escape at Dannemora” cinematographer Jessica Lee Gagne, and “Now Apocalypse” cinematographer Sandra Valde-Hansen. How each achieved authenticity on their projects – which spanned from historical recreation to heightened reality – became the theme of the panel.
The Above-the-Line panel was hosted by IndieWire’s Deputy TV Editor and Critic Ben Travers, and featured “Random Acts of Flyness” writer/director Naima Ramos-Chapman, “The Act” creators Michelle Dean and Nick Antosca, “Drunk History” creator Derek Waters,...
The Below-the-Line panel was hosted by IndieWire’s Toolkit Editor Chris O’Falt and featured “Yellowstone” composer Brian Tyler, “The Other Two” composer Brett “Leland” McLaughlin, “Catch-22” costume designer Jenny Eagan, “Escape at Dannemora” cinematographer Jessica Lee Gagne, and “Now Apocalypse” cinematographer Sandra Valde-Hansen. How each achieved authenticity on their projects – which spanned from historical recreation to heightened reality – became the theme of the panel.
The Above-the-Line panel was hosted by IndieWire’s Deputy TV Editor and Critic Ben Travers, and featured “Random Acts of Flyness” writer/director Naima Ramos-Chapman, “The Act” creators Michelle Dean and Nick Antosca, “Drunk History” creator Derek Waters,...
- 5/24/2019
- by Ann Donahue
- Indiewire
One of the vital parts of making TV is having a certain amount of clarity in storytelling. From the writing of individual episodes to the relationships with cast to the environment on set, building trust among a group of creatives and the audience is essential.
At IndieWire’s inaugural Consider This Fyc brunch, the creative engines behind four different TV shows gathered for an Above the Line panel. Moderated by IndieWire TV Critic Ben Travers, one of the themes that emerged from the conversation became how to establish this trust in the process of creating a TV show.
“The Act” showrunners Michelle Dean and Nick Antosca talked about the process of bringing a real-life experience to the screen while avoiding some of the pitfalls of other crime-based shows. Working together with their different backgrounds, the show became a melding of different approaches to the same story. Dean’s journalism background...
At IndieWire’s inaugural Consider This Fyc brunch, the creative engines behind four different TV shows gathered for an Above the Line panel. Moderated by IndieWire TV Critic Ben Travers, one of the themes that emerged from the conversation became how to establish this trust in the process of creating a TV show.
“The Act” showrunners Michelle Dean and Nick Antosca talked about the process of bringing a real-life experience to the screen while avoiding some of the pitfalls of other crime-based shows. Working together with their different backgrounds, the show became a melding of different approaches to the same story. Dean’s journalism background...
- 5/21/2019
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
IndieWire, the definitive outlet for creative independence in film and TV, will launch its first ever Consider This Fyc event on Tuesday, May 21 in Hollywood. The three hour invitation-only brunch will welcome attendees comprised of TV Academy, guild members and select press and will be hosted by “America’s Got Talent” star Terry Crews.
Two additional panelists have been named to the event: Brett “Leland” McLaughlin, the music composer of Comedy Central’s “The Other Two,” and Naima Ramos-Chapman, writer and director of HBO’s “Random Acts of Flyness”.
The brunch feature three panels moderated by IndieWire’s TV Critic Ben Travers, Toolkit Editor Chris O’Falt, and TV Awards Editor Libby Hill, each centered on a separate area of the industry, including above-the-line, below-the-line, a spotlight conversation for Comedy Central’s “The Other Two.”
Among those scheduled to appear on the Spotlight panel are:
Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider,...
Two additional panelists have been named to the event: Brett “Leland” McLaughlin, the music composer of Comedy Central’s “The Other Two,” and Naima Ramos-Chapman, writer and director of HBO’s “Random Acts of Flyness”.
The brunch feature three panels moderated by IndieWire’s TV Critic Ben Travers, Toolkit Editor Chris O’Falt, and TV Awards Editor Libby Hill, each centered on a separate area of the industry, including above-the-line, below-the-line, a spotlight conversation for Comedy Central’s “The Other Two.”
Among those scheduled to appear on the Spotlight panel are:
Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider,...
- 5/13/2019
- by Libby Hill
- Indiewire
StarzPlay is adding some toxic motherly love to its lineup in the shape of Hulu drama “The Act,” which it has picked up for its services in Germany, Spain, and the U.K.
The show is based on Michelle Dean’s widely read 2016 BuzzFeed article about a toxic mother-daughter relationship. Academy Award-winner Patricia Arquette plays overbearing mother Dee Dee Blanchard, and Joey King her daughter, Gypsy. The series follows Dee Dee as she manipulates Gypsy and the outside world into believing her daughter is sick. Gypsy, in turn, harbors murderous intentions towards her mother. Chloë Sevigny and AnnaSophia Robb also star.
StarzPlay has already launched the show on its service in Canada, where it is its top-ranked program. In Canada it plays day-and-date with the U.S., but in Europe StarzPlay will drop all of the episodes at once. Starz pre-bought the series for its streaming service early in the production process,...
The show is based on Michelle Dean’s widely read 2016 BuzzFeed article about a toxic mother-daughter relationship. Academy Award-winner Patricia Arquette plays overbearing mother Dee Dee Blanchard, and Joey King her daughter, Gypsy. The series follows Dee Dee as she manipulates Gypsy and the outside world into believing her daughter is sick. Gypsy, in turn, harbors murderous intentions towards her mother. Chloë Sevigny and AnnaSophia Robb also star.
StarzPlay has already launched the show on its service in Canada, where it is its top-ranked program. In Canada it plays day-and-date with the U.S., but in Europe StarzPlay will drop all of the episodes at once. Starz pre-bought the series for its streaming service early in the production process,...
- 5/7/2019
- by Stewart Clarke
- Variety Film + TV
In 2016, the first season of Ryan Murphy’s “American Crime Story,” about the arrest and trial of O.J. Simpson, swept the Emmys’ limited-series categories, sparking a revival in mainstream interest in both the Simpson case and the true-crime genre. Ever since then, crime stories — American and otherwise — have been multiplying. It’s a boom that’s turning this year’s Emmy race into a digest of recent history.
Connie Britton was a Golden Globe nominee for Bravo’s “Dirty John,” adapted from a Los Angeles Times story and podcast about one woman’s encounter with a devious criminal. Patricia Arquette earned Globe and SAG honors for her role as a real-life prison employee who assisted in a breakout in Showtime’s “Escape at Dannemora.” Making her a possible double Emmy nominee for roles taken luridly from life, Arquette currently plays a mother eventually killed by the daughter she torments in Hulu’s “The Act.
Connie Britton was a Golden Globe nominee for Bravo’s “Dirty John,” adapted from a Los Angeles Times story and podcast about one woman’s encounter with a devious criminal. Patricia Arquette earned Globe and SAG honors for her role as a real-life prison employee who assisted in a breakout in Showtime’s “Escape at Dannemora.” Making her a possible double Emmy nominee for roles taken luridly from life, Arquette currently plays a mother eventually killed by the daughter she torments in Hulu’s “The Act.
- 4/24/2019
- by Daniel D'Addario
- Variety Film + TV
At Disney’s Investor Day on April 11, Hulu CEO Randy Freer revealed that its true-crime anthology series “The Act” has set a record for the streaming service. “It has driven more new subscribers to series than any other Hulu original in the first month,” he said.
In layman’s terms, that means new subscribers watched “The Act” within the first 24 hours of signing up for Hulu. It’s not an exact science, but from that metric, one can infer that a program — in this case, “The Act” — drove someone to subscribe if they watched it so quickly after joining. But with its surging popularity and good reviews — it has 73 on Metacritic and a 91 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, along with raves for stars Joey King and Patricia Arquette — “The Act” hasn’t cracked the top five in our Best Limited Series Emmy predictions… yet.
“The Act” is currently in seventh place in our odds,...
In layman’s terms, that means new subscribers watched “The Act” within the first 24 hours of signing up for Hulu. It’s not an exact science, but from that metric, one can infer that a program — in this case, “The Act” — drove someone to subscribe if they watched it so quickly after joining. But with its surging popularity and good reviews — it has 73 on Metacritic and a 91 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, along with raves for stars Joey King and Patricia Arquette — “The Act” hasn’t cracked the top five in our Best Limited Series Emmy predictions… yet.
“The Act” is currently in seventh place in our odds,...
- 4/20/2019
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
The kids are not all right at the Emmys. The TV academy overwhelmingly favors seasoned actors over young up-and-comers, but that could change this year, especially if voters take notice of Joey King‘s her tour-de-force turn in Hulu’s true-crime anthology series “The Act.”
Based on Michelle Dean‘s BuzzFeed article “Dee Dee Wanted Her Daughter to Be Sick, Gypsy Wanted Her Mom to Be Murdered“, the first season of “The Act” follows the true story of Dee Dee (Patricia Arquette) and Gypsy Rose Blanchard (King), a mother and daughter who move to a new neighborhood in Missouri. Picture-perfect to the outside world, toxic on the inside, their relationship is not quite as it seems: Gypsy is led to believe that she’s suffering from dire medical conditions, forcing her to rely on her mother’s around-the-clock care. When Dee Dee’s overprotectiveness starts turning into control and Gypsy’s quest for independence intensifies,...
Based on Michelle Dean‘s BuzzFeed article “Dee Dee Wanted Her Daughter to Be Sick, Gypsy Wanted Her Mom to Be Murdered“, the first season of “The Act” follows the true story of Dee Dee (Patricia Arquette) and Gypsy Rose Blanchard (King), a mother and daughter who move to a new neighborhood in Missouri. Picture-perfect to the outside world, toxic on the inside, their relationship is not quite as it seems: Gypsy is led to believe that she’s suffering from dire medical conditions, forcing her to rely on her mother’s around-the-clock care. When Dee Dee’s overprotectiveness starts turning into control and Gypsy’s quest for independence intensifies,...
- 4/14/2019
- by Luca Giliberti
- Gold Derby
Hulu’s The Act launched in March with a focus on true crime, a format like True Detective and a star from True Romance. On Sunday at Deadline’s The Contenders Emmys, that star, Patricia Arquette, told moderator Pete Hammond that the show’s allure is a reminder that fact is often stranger (and more messed-up) than fiction.
“In cases of extreme co-dependency, who are you if you don’t have a strong sense of self and you have to show to the world, ‘Look I deserve to be here’?” said Arquette, who portrays Dee Dee Blanchard in the season-long tale of murder in Springfield, Mo. “It’s a case of extreme co-dependency mixed with extreme narcissism.”
The suspect is her teen daughter, Gypsy Blanchard, who was medically mistreated by her mother in an effort to earn sympathy and acclaim as the doting mother of a chronically ill child. “If...
“In cases of extreme co-dependency, who are you if you don’t have a strong sense of self and you have to show to the world, ‘Look I deserve to be here’?” said Arquette, who portrays Dee Dee Blanchard in the season-long tale of murder in Springfield, Mo. “It’s a case of extreme co-dependency mixed with extreme narcissism.”
The suspect is her teen daughter, Gypsy Blanchard, who was medically mistreated by her mother in an effort to earn sympathy and acclaim as the doting mother of a chronically ill child. “If...
- 4/8/2019
- by Geoff Boucher
- Deadline Film + TV
Is Gyspy's story compelling during the first season of The Act TV show on Hulu? As we all know, the Nielsen ratings typically play a big role in determining whether a TV shows like The Act is cancelled or renewed for season two. Hulu and other streaming platforms, however, collect their own data. If you've been watching this TV series, we'd love to know how you feel about The Act season two episodes. We invite you to rate them for us here.
A Hulu seasonal true crime drama anthology, The Act stars comes from creators Nick Antosca and Michelle Dean. The series, and its first season, are inspired by Dean’s Buzzfeed article about Dee Dee and Gypsy Rose Blanchard. Patricia Arquette, Joey King, Chloë Sevigny, AnnaSophia Robb, Calum Worthy, Ginny Cameron, Steve Coulter, and Brayhia Marshall star. In season one, Gypsy (King) appears...
A Hulu seasonal true crime drama anthology, The Act stars comes from creators Nick Antosca and Michelle Dean. The series, and its first season, are inspired by Dean’s Buzzfeed article about Dee Dee and Gypsy Rose Blanchard. Patricia Arquette, Joey King, Chloë Sevigny, AnnaSophia Robb, Calum Worthy, Ginny Cameron, Steve Coulter, and Brayhia Marshall star. In season one, Gypsy (King) appears...
- 4/4/2019
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Oscar nominated screenwriters Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani kicked off the WGFestival 2019 on Saturday with an opening keynote conversation about their paths to writing and comedy.
Presented by the Writers Guild Foundation with Academy Education and Nicholl Fellowship Programs, the festival brought together top creatives and executives from the industry for panels, discussions and intimate workshops for writers. Events included mock writers’ rooms, a look inside the writers’ room with shows like “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” and “Jane the Virgin” and a special screening of Hulu’s “The Act” followed by a Q&A with actress Joey King and creator/showrunners Nick Antosca and Michelle Dean.
Gordon and Nanjiani, who are married in real life, parlayed their story into the film “The Big Sick,” which also landed them nominations from the WGA Awards and the best first screenplay prize from the Independent Spirit Awards. Variety’s Jenelle Riley moderated the 90-minute Q&A,...
Presented by the Writers Guild Foundation with Academy Education and Nicholl Fellowship Programs, the festival brought together top creatives and executives from the industry for panels, discussions and intimate workshops for writers. Events included mock writers’ rooms, a look inside the writers’ room with shows like “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” and “Jane the Virgin” and a special screening of Hulu’s “The Act” followed by a Q&A with actress Joey King and creator/showrunners Nick Antosca and Michelle Dean.
Gordon and Nanjiani, who are married in real life, parlayed their story into the film “The Big Sick,” which also landed them nominations from the WGA Awards and the best first screenplay prize from the Independent Spirit Awards. Variety’s Jenelle Riley moderated the 90-minute Q&A,...
- 4/2/2019
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
Vulture Watch
Will there be another act? Has The Act TV show been cancelled or renewed for a second season on Hulu? The television vulture is watching all the latest TV cancellation and renewal news, so this page is the place to track the status of The Act season two. Bookmark it, or subscribe for the latest updates. Remember, the television vulture is watching your shows. Are you?
What's This TV Show About?
A Hulu seasonal true crime drama anthology, The Act comes from creators Nick Antosca and Michelle Dean. The series, and its first season, are inspired by Dean’s Buzzfeed article about Dee Dee and Gypsy Rose Blanchard. Patricia Arquette, Joey King, Chloë Sevigny, AnnaSophia Robb, Calum Worthy, Ginny Cameron, Steve Coulter, and Brayhia Marshall star. In season one, Gypsy (King) appears to be a girl with numerous, serious health problems and...
Will there be another act? Has The Act TV show been cancelled or renewed for a second season on Hulu? The television vulture is watching all the latest TV cancellation and renewal news, so this page is the place to track the status of The Act season two. Bookmark it, or subscribe for the latest updates. Remember, the television vulture is watching your shows. Are you?
What's This TV Show About?
A Hulu seasonal true crime drama anthology, The Act comes from creators Nick Antosca and Michelle Dean. The series, and its first season, are inspired by Dean’s Buzzfeed article about Dee Dee and Gypsy Rose Blanchard. Patricia Arquette, Joey King, Chloë Sevigny, AnnaSophia Robb, Calum Worthy, Ginny Cameron, Steve Coulter, and Brayhia Marshall star. In season one, Gypsy (King) appears to be a girl with numerous, serious health problems and...
- 3/21/2019
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Network: Hulu.
Episodes: Ongoing (hour).
Seasons: Ongoing.
TV show dates: March 20, 2019 — present.
Series status: Has not been cancelled.
Performers include: Patricia Arquette, Joey King, Chloë Sevigny, AnnaSophia Robb, Calum Worthy, Ginny Cameron, Steve Coulter, and Brayhia Marshall.
TV show description:
From creators Nick Antosca and Michelle Dean, The Act TV show is a seasonal true crime anthology drama, which dramatizes "stranger-than-fiction" stories. The series, and its first season, are inspired by Dean's Buzzfeed article about Dee Dee and Gypsy Rose Blanchard
To the world, Gypsy (King) appears to be a girl with numerous, serious health problems and the daughter of a devoted mother. In reality, Gypsy's relationship with Dee Dee (Arquette) is toxic, and the girl just wants to escape.
Episodes: Ongoing (hour).
Seasons: Ongoing.
TV show dates: March 20, 2019 — present.
Series status: Has not been cancelled.
Performers include: Patricia Arquette, Joey King, Chloë Sevigny, AnnaSophia Robb, Calum Worthy, Ginny Cameron, Steve Coulter, and Brayhia Marshall.
TV show description:
From creators Nick Antosca and Michelle Dean, The Act TV show is a seasonal true crime anthology drama, which dramatizes "stranger-than-fiction" stories. The series, and its first season, are inspired by Dean's Buzzfeed article about Dee Dee and Gypsy Rose Blanchard
To the world, Gypsy (King) appears to be a girl with numerous, serious health problems and the daughter of a devoted mother. In reality, Gypsy's relationship with Dee Dee (Arquette) is toxic, and the girl just wants to escape.
- 3/21/2019
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Patricia Arquette is out to single-handedly destroy “Sharp Objects.” Not only did the Oscar-winning actress steer Showtime’s “Escape at Dannemora” to a Golden Globe that could’ve belonged to Amy Adams, but now she’s playing a mentally deranged mother who poisons her daughter in order to keep the abused teen dependent on her. Plus, Arquette’s creepy new Hulu limited series has the benefit of being true — take that, Adora.
In all seriousness, “The Act” isn’t much like “Sharp Objects,” in tone or quality. Though Gillian Flynn’s adaptation will face off against both Arquette miniseries at this year’s Emmys, the latest isn’t as meticulously edited, captured, or performed as HBO’s outstanding modern gothic mystery, and it’s not trying to be. While last year’s summer sensation was an addictive, dense slice of cherry pie — with an interwoven lattice topping purposefully shaped for...
In all seriousness, “The Act” isn’t much like “Sharp Objects,” in tone or quality. Though Gillian Flynn’s adaptation will face off against both Arquette miniseries at this year’s Emmys, the latest isn’t as meticulously edited, captured, or performed as HBO’s outstanding modern gothic mystery, and it’s not trying to be. While last year’s summer sensation was an addictive, dense slice of cherry pie — with an interwoven lattice topping purposefully shaped for...
- 3/20/2019
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
After scoring big with Netflix’s “The Kissing Booth” last year, actress Joey King returns as Gypsy Rose Blanchard in Hulu’s anthology series “The Act.”
The stranger-than-fiction story centers around Blanchard and her mother Dee Dee (Patricia Arquette), who suffered from Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a condition where a caregiver either fabricates or induces an illness in someone under their care to gain attention and sympathy.
“It was such a mentally challenging role for me,” King told TheWrap. “It required a lot of vulnerability.”
Also Read: 'The Kissing Booth 2' Set at Netflix
The story of Gypsy and Dee Dee, which starts off with fraud and ends with the conviction of Gypsy Rose and her boyfriend for Dee Dee’s murder, was first told by the show’s co-creator and co-showrunner Michelle Dean in a 2016 BuzzFeed feature. It was later turned into an HBO documentary “Mommy Dead and Dearest...
The stranger-than-fiction story centers around Blanchard and her mother Dee Dee (Patricia Arquette), who suffered from Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a condition where a caregiver either fabricates or induces an illness in someone under their care to gain attention and sympathy.
“It was such a mentally challenging role for me,” King told TheWrap. “It required a lot of vulnerability.”
Also Read: 'The Kissing Booth 2' Set at Netflix
The story of Gypsy and Dee Dee, which starts off with fraud and ends with the conviction of Gypsy Rose and her boyfriend for Dee Dee’s murder, was first told by the show’s co-creator and co-showrunner Michelle Dean in a 2016 BuzzFeed feature. It was later turned into an HBO documentary “Mommy Dead and Dearest...
- 3/20/2019
- by Itay Hod
- The Wrap
Joey King's role in Hulu's The Act, detailing the true story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and the murder of her mother, Dee Dee, is unlike any the actress has starred in before.
King sat down with The Hollywood Reporter In Studio to discuss telling the story of Gypsy and Dee Dee for the series, which is based on Michelle Dean's BuzzFeed story "Dee Dee Wanted Her Daughter to Be Sick, Gypsy Wanted Her Mom to Be Murdered" and turned into a HBO documentary Mommy Dead and Dearest.
"I got the audition and I did a lot of research online, and ...
King sat down with The Hollywood Reporter In Studio to discuss telling the story of Gypsy and Dee Dee for the series, which is based on Michelle Dean's BuzzFeed story "Dee Dee Wanted Her Daughter to Be Sick, Gypsy Wanted Her Mom to Be Murdered" and turned into a HBO documentary Mommy Dead and Dearest.
"I got the audition and I did a lot of research online, and ...
- 3/20/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
There’s no shortage of prestige true-crime storytelling on television in 2019, but the new Hulu miniseries The Act has a unique spin on the genre in that both its central criminals are women. Amidst a seemingly endless array of stories about male serial killers and abusers, the story of Dee Dee and Gypsy Blanchard stands out as a disturbing and nuanced psychological horror story between a mother and a daughter. As originally chronicled by Michelle Dean in a 2016 BuzzFeed article, Dee Dee (played in the show by Patricia Arquette) was known in her Missouri community as a devoted ...
- 3/20/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
It’s a cliché in crime stories both true and fictional that neighbors and loved ones are blindsided to learn what the people close to them were truly capable of doing. But in the case of Dee Dee Blanchard and her daughter Gypsy Rose — the central figures of the first season of Hulu’s new true-crime anthology series The Act — it would be hard to blame anyone for missing what was really going on.
It’s impossible to discuss the series (the first two episodes premiere March 20th, with the...
It’s impossible to discuss the series (the first two episodes premiere March 20th, with the...
- 3/19/2019
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
Michelle Dean’s 2016 Buzzfeed article about real-life mother/daughter duo Dee Dee Blanchard and Gypsy Rose Blanchard predated the popular documentary about them “Mommy Dead and Dearest.” For the first installment of their Hulu anthology “The Act,” Dean and fellow writer, executive producer, and co-creator Nick Antosca told the story of the Blanchards’ toxic relationship, in which Dee Dee manipulated Gypsy — and the world — into believing the latter was sick, while Gypsy struggled to grow up under such rule and ultimately ended up manipulating someone else into killing her mother. Antosca and Dean looked to tell a story not about “what happened,” but instead “how it happened.”
The first episode starts with a glimpse at the fatality of the situation, but Antosca points out, the title of the show is really more about the act of deception on Dee Dee’s (played by Patricia Arquette) part, rather than the act of murder.
The first episode starts with a glimpse at the fatality of the situation, but Antosca points out, the title of the show is really more about the act of deception on Dee Dee’s (played by Patricia Arquette) part, rather than the act of murder.
- 3/13/2019
- by Danielle Turchiano
- Variety Film + TV
The stranger-than-fiction true crime story of mother-daughter pair Dee Dee Blanchard and Gypsy Blanchard is coming to the small screen courtesy of Hulu, and the first trailer, above, is downright chilling.
In The Act, which is being billed as "a seasonal anthology series that tells startling true crime stories," we meet the onscreen version of Dee Dee (Escape at Dannemora's Patricia Arquette), who initially appears to be a dedicated mother caring for her extremely ill daughter, Gypsy Rose (The Kissing Booth's Joey King). Over time the truth about their troubled bond is revealed, as people begin to wonder if Gypsy is indeed as sick as her mom says, or if it's a devastating case of Munchausen syndrome by proxy. Eventually - as we see in the trailer when a seemingly healthy Gypsy is asked in the courtroom if she killed her mom - their relationship ends in murder.
In The Act, which is being billed as "a seasonal anthology series that tells startling true crime stories," we meet the onscreen version of Dee Dee (Escape at Dannemora's Patricia Arquette), who initially appears to be a dedicated mother caring for her extremely ill daughter, Gypsy Rose (The Kissing Booth's Joey King). Over time the truth about their troubled bond is revealed, as people begin to wonder if Gypsy is indeed as sick as her mom says, or if it's a devastating case of Munchausen syndrome by proxy. Eventually - as we see in the trailer when a seemingly healthy Gypsy is asked in the courtroom if she killed her mom - their relationship ends in murder.
- 3/8/2019
- by Quinn Keaney
- Popsugar.com
Just months after playing a heavily accented woman enticed to commit crimes by her tragic pathologies in “Escape at Dannemora,” Patricia Arquette is doing the same thing — just with a different accent, different crimes, and different pathologies — in the new Hulu original “The Act.” Both Showtime’s prison-break drama from last year and Hulu’s newer offering have similar mandates, spending the length of a season looking into a single crime story and excavating from it insights about character.
And there’s plenty of character in this story, about a mother whose apparent Munchausen by proxy keeps her daughter a prisoner and eventually engenders bloody revenge. Arquette’s vivid performance in particular leans deliciously far into the show’s general lack of insight or commentary about the crime it depicts. “The Act,” contrary to a general trend of finding the nourishing nugget at the center of famous scandal, has little...
And there’s plenty of character in this story, about a mother whose apparent Munchausen by proxy keeps her daughter a prisoner and eventually engenders bloody revenge. Arquette’s vivid performance in particular leans deliciously far into the show’s general lack of insight or commentary about the crime it depicts. “The Act,” contrary to a general trend of finding the nourishing nugget at the center of famous scandal, has little...
- 3/6/2019
- by Daniel D'Addario
- Variety Film + TV
The Act is a new anthology series coming from Hulu that will focus on startling, stranger-than-fiction true crime stories. The trailer for the first season has been released, and it tells the crazy true story of Gypsy Blanchard (Joey King), a young girl trying to escape the toxic relationship she has with her overprotective, mentally ill mother, Dee Dee (Patricia Arquette). “Her quest for independence opens a Pandora’s box of secrets, one that ultimately leads to murder.”
To everyone around her, Arquette’s Dee Dee Blanchard appears to be the perfect mom to her wheelchair-bound daughter, Gypsy Rose. She has guided and protected her daughter through a staggering number of hardships: severe illnesses, homelessness, and hurricane Katrina. To the people in her new neighborhood in Springfield, Missouri, she’s an admirable figure. But behind closed doors, her insecurities and need for control often get the better of her…
It's...
To everyone around her, Arquette’s Dee Dee Blanchard appears to be the perfect mom to her wheelchair-bound daughter, Gypsy Rose. She has guided and protected her daughter through a staggering number of hardships: severe illnesses, homelessness, and hurricane Katrina. To the people in her new neighborhood in Springfield, Missouri, she’s an admirable figure. But behind closed doors, her insecurities and need for control often get the better of her…
It's...
- 3/6/2019
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Hulu has released the first trailer for The Act, its anthology series that tells startling true-crime stories. The inaugural season stars Patricia Arquette and Joey King and follows the story based on the Buzzfeed article “Dee Dee Wanted Her Daughter to Be Sick, Gypsy Wanted Her Mom to Be Murdered.”
The Season 1 logline, which is based on the true story: Gypsy Blanchard (King) is a girl trying to escape the toxic relationship she has with her overprotective mother, Dee Dee (Arquette). Her quest for independence opens a Pandora’s box of secrets, one that ultimately leads to murder. Chloë Sevigny, AnnaSophia Robb and Calum Worthy co-star.
Nick Antosca and Michelle Dean co-created and write The Act based on Dean’s original Buzzfeed story. The duo also serve as executive producers alongside Greg Shephard and Britton Rizzio. Universal Content Productions, where Antosca is under an overall deal, is the studio.
The...
The Season 1 logline, which is based on the true story: Gypsy Blanchard (King) is a girl trying to escape the toxic relationship she has with her overprotective mother, Dee Dee (Arquette). Her quest for independence opens a Pandora’s box of secrets, one that ultimately leads to murder. Chloë Sevigny, AnnaSophia Robb and Calum Worthy co-star.
Nick Antosca and Michelle Dean co-created and write The Act based on Dean’s original Buzzfeed story. The duo also serve as executive producers alongside Greg Shephard and Britton Rizzio. Universal Content Productions, where Antosca is under an overall deal, is the studio.
The...
- 3/4/2019
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
“The Act,” the newest true crime drama from Hulu, is not hiding the fact that things don’t turn out well for everyone in this story. Showing Gypsy Blanchard (Joey King) in a jumpsuit is maybe the first indication that things in this case went horribly wrong.
What “The Act” also shows, as hinted at in the trailer below, is that the relationship between Gypsy and her mother Dee Dee (Patricia Arquette) wasn’t as stellar as it seemed. The season is based on Michelle Dean’s August 2016 Buzzfeed News piece, “Dee Dee Wanted Her Daughter To Be Sick, Gypsy Wanted Her Mom Murdered,” which explains the way that Gypsy and Dee Dee’s arrival in a Missouri neighborhood devolved from a friendly new addition to the community to the center of a murder trial that upended much of the small family’s narrative.
“The Act” is another stark transformation for Arquette,...
What “The Act” also shows, as hinted at in the trailer below, is that the relationship between Gypsy and her mother Dee Dee (Patricia Arquette) wasn’t as stellar as it seemed. The season is based on Michelle Dean’s August 2016 Buzzfeed News piece, “Dee Dee Wanted Her Daughter To Be Sick, Gypsy Wanted Her Mom Murdered,” which explains the way that Gypsy and Dee Dee’s arrival in a Missouri neighborhood devolved from a friendly new addition to the community to the center of a murder trial that upended much of the small family’s narrative.
“The Act” is another stark transformation for Arquette,...
- 3/4/2019
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
How is it March already? With the Oscars fully in the rearview mirror, now is the chance for TV to take back its share of cultural attention. With Emmy season right on the horizon, that means plenty of new series vying for a spot among the most talked-about titles in the TV universe. That means plenty of offerings on the upcoming calendar across streaming, broadcast, and cable. There are shows about mysterious deaths, shows about the coming end of the world, and shows that feature Tim Tebow possibly giving someone a million dollars.
Below we’ve gathered 14 such series — if you’re looking for the Netflix list, that one’s here.
(We do this roundup of new shows pretty much every month — if you missed any of those previous picks, here are some notable TV premieres from February.)
“The Widow”
If you’re happily married on an Amazon Prime Show,...
Below we’ve gathered 14 such series — if you’re looking for the Netflix list, that one’s here.
(We do this roundup of new shows pretty much every month — if you missed any of those previous picks, here are some notable TV premieres from February.)
“The Widow”
If you’re happily married on an Amazon Prime Show,...
- 3/1/2019
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
The disturbing, tragic story of Gypsy Rose and Dee Dee Blanchard is headed to Hulu starting on March 20th, when the first season of the new anthology series, The Act, debuts. On Thursday, February 14th, Hulu released the first trailer for the true crime dramatization, revealing actress Joey King’s incredible transformation. The real Gypsy Rose Blanchard is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to second degree murder; Gypsy Rose admitted that she arranged for her boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, whom she met online, to kill DeeDee at...
- 2/15/2019
- by Amelia McDonell-Parry
- Rollingstone.com
Director Steven Piet and producer Erik Crary have signed a first-look deal with Universal Content Productions to develop scripted programming with the studio.
Piet and Crary have both worked under Nick Antosca who is under an overall deal at Ucp.
Piet directed episodes 5 and 8 of The Act, from Antosca and Michelle Dean, a seasonal anthology series that tells startling, stranger-than-fiction true crime stories. The first eight-episode season follows Gypsy Blanchard (King), a girl trying to escape the toxic relationship she has with her overprotective mother (Arquette). Her quest for independence opens a Pandora’s box of secrets, one that ultimately leads to murder. The series premieres March 20 on Hulu. A trailer follows below.
In 2016, Crary produced and Piet directed Antosca’s Ucp-produced anthology series Channel Zero: No End House, starring Amy Forsyth and John Carroll Lynch, for Syfy.
Piet, a Chicago native,...
Piet and Crary have both worked under Nick Antosca who is under an overall deal at Ucp.
Piet directed episodes 5 and 8 of The Act, from Antosca and Michelle Dean, a seasonal anthology series that tells startling, stranger-than-fiction true crime stories. The first eight-episode season follows Gypsy Blanchard (King), a girl trying to escape the toxic relationship she has with her overprotective mother (Arquette). Her quest for independence opens a Pandora’s box of secrets, one that ultimately leads to murder. The series premieres March 20 on Hulu. A trailer follows below.
In 2016, Crary produced and Piet directed Antosca’s Ucp-produced anthology series Channel Zero: No End House, starring Amy Forsyth and John Carroll Lynch, for Syfy.
Piet, a Chicago native,...
- 2/14/2019
- by Nellie Andreeva and Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
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