How Gypsy Rose Blanchard went from jailbird to influencer: after her release from prison for murdering her mum, she has millions of social media followers and the media is clamouring for interviews
- Her story was dramatised in Hulu series The Act with Joey King and Patricia Arquette, while podcaster Claudia Oshry (girlwithnojob) and influencer Amanda Hirsch (notskinnybutnotfat) boosted her fame
- Gypsy Rose now has nine million followers on TikTok and eight million on Instagram – in the past, the internet has also idolised Elizabeth Holmes, Cameron Herrin and other criminals
The internet has an unlikely new star: Gypsy Rose Blanchard.
The 32-year-old was recently released from prison after eight years for orchestrating the murder of her mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard. She now has more than nine million followers on TikTok.
But Gypsy Rose’s story also isn’t a simple one, with many thinking she was wrongly imprisoned in the first place. Dee Dee, it is now believed, suffered from a mental disorder known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy, which led to her subjecting her daughter to years of unnecessary and traumatic medical treatments. This included using a wheelchair and getting two salivary glands removed, according to Gypsy Rose.
“I see Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s rapid rise to social media fame as a testament to the power of second chances and personal growth,” Nina Vargas, a celebrity and business strategist, said. “Her story of resilience and transformation has resonated with millions, showing that we’re all capable of change and redemption, no matter our past.”
Where Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s story began
Gypsy Rose grew up in a pink house in Missouri with her mother Dee Dee. She had a tough start in life, with Dee Dee telling neighbours and doctors her daughter was suffering from multiple illnesses including leukaemia and muscular dystrophy, according to ABC News.
She was given multiple medications every day, was administered liquidised food through a feeding tube, and was transported around in a wheelchair. Dee Dee also kept Gypsy Rose’s head shaved, telling her it would fall out anyway. Gypsy Rose’s teeth rotted and fell out, and the rest had to be extracted. She even had her salivary glands removed.
