Gypsy Rose Blanchard is asked if she's open to being on 'Dancing With the Stars.'
Gypsy Rose Blanchard is opening up about her experiences during her prison sentence, and sharing details about her plans for the future.
Last month, 32-year-old Blanchard was released from prison eight years after she pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard, and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Her story -- marked by a complex web of deception, abuse, and tragedy -- has been recounted in various forms, from news stories to an HBO documentary and Hulu's scripted series The Act.
The upcoming six-part Lifetime documentary, The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, set to premiere Friday at 8 p.m. ET, will feature 18-month-long interviews with Blanchard conducted within the prison walls. The interviews are expected to cover the events leading up to her mother's murder, her time in prison, and the unexpected turns her life has taken since her release on parole on Dec. 28.
"I think the biggest reason why I held back all this time... is because I just wasn’t emotionally ready at the time," Blanchard tells The Hollywood Reporter. "There are a lot of things to unpack in my life -- more than just with my mother."
Blanchard, who married Ryan Anderson while incarcerated, is focused on reconnecting with family and settling into married life in Louisiana. She also shares with THR intimate details about her transformation and acknowledges the challenges of integrating into her husband's life.
Addressing the portrayal of her story in previous documentaries and series, Blanchard admits that she hasn't seen them but hopes that sharing her truth in the Lifetime doc will help correct any inaccuracies that may exist in those versions.
Reflecting on the therapeutic nature of the interviews, Blanchard acknowledges the importance of talking about her experiences and the emotional impact it had on her. The documentary also reveals shocking details about her mother's actions that even Blanchard was not aware of. Her mother is said to have had Munchausen syndrome by proxy, which is a mental illness and a form of child abuse. The caretaker of a child, most often a mother, either makes up fake symptoms or causes real symptoms to make it look like the child is sick.
As the conversation turns to her mother's mental health, Blanchard responds to a doctor in the doc calling her mother a "psychopath," stating, "She was a very sick lady that had a lot of mental health issues and she would have needed medication. She would have needed mental health therapy, and she wasn’t getting treated for it."
Blanchard opens up to THR about her personal growth during her time in prison, emphasizing the newfound maturity that allowed her to become her own advocate.
"I’m the type of person that, I will make a mistake, learn from it and move on, and hopefully never make it again," she says. "So I definitely think that that level of maturity kicked in and you can see the the transformation from when I first got to prison to me actually walking out of prison and feeling, as a confident woman, like I could stand my ground, say no when I need to, be my best advocate. That is the journey that I went through in prison, is being my best advocate."
Looking ahead, she expresses a commitment to living in the moment.
"Everyone says, 'If you blink, your life is over.' So I’m enjoying like, for the last eight and a half years, I’ve been excited about this new life and just ready to start it," Blanchard shares. "Every day is a day-by-day type of process for me."
Addressing potential Hollywood ambitions, including a question about appearing on Dancing With the Stars, Blanchard laughs off the idea, citing her lack of dancing skills and rhythm. However, she remains open to opportunities that may arise in the future.
A self-proclaimed Taylor Swift fan, Blanchard shares her favorite songs, including "Eyes Open" and the Midnights hit "Karma," which she reveals has been a frequent addition to her playlist.
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