'The Act': Here's the real story which inspired Patricia Arquette and Joey King's Hulu show

The show will be about the real-life relationship between a mother who suffered from Munchausen syndrome by proxy and her daughter.
PUBLISHED FEB 8, 2019

Hulu's 'The Act,' starring Patricia Arquette and Joey King, is all set to premiere in March, and it has already garnered a lot of attention in part due to Joey King's look in the show and mostly due to the character she plays.

Based on a real-life incident that was reported in 2015 by then Buzzfeed contributor Michelle Dean, the story is about a mother, DeeDee Blancharde (Patricia Arquette), who suffered from Munchausen syndrome by proxy, and her relationship with daughter Gypsy Blancharde (Joey King). Munchausen syndrome by proxy is a psychological condition in which a caretaker makes up or causes an illness to the person under their care.

The original story was reported on August 18, 2016, and was titled 'Dee Dee Wanted Her Daughter To Be Sick, Gypsy Wanted Her Mom Murdered'. The story is about why a daughter orchestrated the murder of her mother, who was known to be a patient and caring parent.

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