Gypsy Rose Blanchard has been utilizing her initial days of freedom to rapidly gain momentum as a social media sensation.
However, how did she reach this point?
After being granted parole while serving a 10-year sentence for her involvement in a conspiracy to eliminate her mother Claudine “Dee Dee” Blanchard, Blanchard was released from jail in December. She spent eight years behind bars.
Gypsy Rose Blanchard is believed to be a victim of Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a psychological condition in which a caregiver deliberately induces illness in someone. In 2015, Blanchard’s then-boyfriend Nicholas Godejohn killed her mother while she concealed herself in another room.
Godejohn was sentenced to life in prison without parole, and now Blanchard is a free woman. Here’s what to watch to delve deeper into Blanchard’s life story, a subject that has been the focus of multiple TV programs and documentaries.
‘The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard’
The most recent documentary on Blanchard, “The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard,” offers a glimpse inside Chillicothe Correctional Center in Chillicothe, Missouri, during the final days of Blanchard’s prison term.
She expressed her intention to “share (her) story the way that it should be shared,” according to a sneak peak released by Lifetime.
The six-episode series includes interviews with Blanchard in the lead-up to her parole hearing, as well as interviews with her father, stepmother, sister, medical professionals, and case officials.
In addition to revealing details about her conspiracy with Godejohn to murder her mother, Blanchard offers insights into her childhood and her mother’s fabrication of her illnesses.
She also discusses her husband Ryan Scott Anderson, whom she married while incarcerated in 2022, as per a copy of their marriage license obtained by TODAY.com.
Blanchard was granted parole and released from prison on Dec. 28, 2022, three years ahead of her scheduled release date, according to the Missouri Department of Corrections.
The initial two episodes of “The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard” premieres on Jan. 5 at 8 p.m. on Lifetime. Episodes 3 and 4 air on Jan. 6, with the concluding two episodes airing on Jan. 7. All episodes will be available for streaming the day after their television premiere on any streaming service offering Lifetime.
‘Mommy Dead and Dearest’
In “Mommy Dead and Dearest,” director Erin Lee Carr utilizes home videos and interviews with Gypsy Rose Blanchard and her family members to demonstrate how Dee Dee Blanchard deceived medical professionals and others in order to feign her daughter’s illnesses.
The HBO documentary then delves into how Blanchard conspired with Godejohn to eliminate her mother, before delving into the details of the night of the murder. The film depicts the aftermath of the killing, concluding with Godejohn and Blanchard’s convictions.
“Mommy Dead and Dearest” is available to watch on Max.
‘The Act’
“The Act” is a dramatized portrayal of Blanchard’s case, featuring Joey King as Gypsy Rose.
The 2019 limited series portrays how Dee Dee (Patricia Arquette) managed to manipulate those around her, leading to her eventual murder. Arquette’s performance earned her an Emmy for outstanding supporting actress and a Golden Globe for best supporting actress.
The show’s co-creator Nick Antosca later went on to create “Candy,” a dramatized adaptation of the case of Candy Montgomery, and “A Friend of the Family,” a dramatized retelling of Robert Berchtold and his abductions of Jan Broberg.
“The Act” is available for streaming on Hulu.
‘Gypsy’s Revenge’
This 2018 documentary from Investigation Discovery delves into how Dee Dee Blanchard was able to deceive medical professionals about her daughter’s purported illnesses for so long.
Director Jesse Vile interviews Dr. Bernardo Flasterstein, a pediatric neurologist who treated Blanchard but did not identify her as a victim of Munchausen syndrome by proxy, in an effort to seek answers.
Godejohn is also featured in the film, along with others closely connected to the case. Viewers can watch “Gypsy’s Revenge” on Discovery Plus, or on Hulu with a premium subscription.
‘Gypsy Rose and Nick: A Love to Kill For’
In this 2019 Oxygen documentary, Godejohn gave his first interview following his conviction.
Among other revelations, Godejohn expressed regret for murdering Dee Dee Blanchard. “I don’t want to be staying with a murder on my hands. Being labeled as a killer … I don’t want to stay with that, but I’ll live with it,” he stated.
Viewers can catch this episode of “Snapped: Killer Couples” on Peacock.
