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Nick Antosca Takes Us Inside Hulu’s ‘The Act’

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The Act

The Act, a series that delves into the the horrifying real-life story of DeeDee and Gypsy Blanchard, debuts March 20, 2019 on Hulu, and promises to be one of the shows everyone will be talking about this season.

In 2015, a small community in Greene County, Missouri was rocked to its core when DeeDee Blanchard was found stabbed to death in her home, but the murder was only the tip of the iceberg as revelation after revelation was revealed about the secrets she and her daughter, Gypsy, had been hiding.

It seemed that DeeDee had convinced not only the community but also Gypsy that the child was terribly ill in one of the most outlandish and horrific cases of Munchausen we’ve seen in recent years.

As friends and neighbors discovered not only that Gypsy was not terminally ill, but that she was responsible for her mother’s murder, disbelief turned to outrage.

Created by Nick Antosca and Michelle Dean, the journalist who wrote the viral BuzzFeed article exposing the case, The Act seeks to fill in some of the blanks and offer some explanations as to what life might have been like in the Blanchard home.

Antosca, whose previous work includes the Syfy original series Channel Zero and films like The Forest, spoke with iHorror about how the show came into being and the genre-blending tone of this bizarre true story.

“The feel of the show is something akin to the uneasiness I felt when I was reading Michelle’s BuzzFeed article and reading about the case,” Antosca explained. “When I think about how it must have been to live through that, to live in that house for all those years, it makes me very uncomfortable. We tried to capture a combination of innocence and increasing dread in these episodes.”

Antosca says he was drawn to Gypsy and what she must have gone through behind closed doors, and he admits that Dean’s article and the work she did was a godsend to the production.

“She interviewed Gypsy and a ton of other people in the case,” he said. “She compiled medical records and a wall of documentation. We familiarized ourselves with that and then used it as a basis for imagining what the experience must have been like.”

It wasn’t long before the casting process was under way for the series, which Antosca said was quite easy, especially after the two leads were announced.

Patricia Arquette (Stigmata) and Joey King (The Conjuring) are phenomenal in the roles of DeeDee and Gypsy, and their participation drew interest from Chloe Sevigny (Lizzie), Calum Worthy (American Vandal), and Adam Arkin (Halloween H20) who directed episode three of the series.

“These characters are so complicated that actors were drawn to it,” he pointed out. “When you have one-of-a-kind story, actors want to play those parts.”

The same philosophy informs the showrunner’s outlook on the genre of the series. It’s clearly a complicated story, and one that doesn’t fit into a particular mold, nor did he try to force it.

“I don’t always think of myself as a horror guy. By definition, I am simply because that’s where my work has been,” Antosca explained. “I’m interested in characters, psychology, and stories. This story is like a nightmare you can’t forget about. I never thought specifically about genre, though. I let the material itself guide those creative choices.”

This process also led to a creative storytelling process. The Act bounces back and forth in time, simultaneously telling the story that led to DeeDee’s murder and the way the investigation was handled.

This means that the viewer always knows the truth, such as it is, about Gypsy’s condition and what her mother was doing to her behind closed doors. Antosca points out that this really isn’t a spoiler to the story, however, because so many people had already seen the news coverage and watched the subsequent documentary, Mommy Dead and Dearest.

No, what Antosca and his predominantly women-led writing room were more interested in was peeling back the layers of deception that converged in Greene County, Missouri.

“There are so many layers of deception going on in this story,” he said. “The deception that DeeDee and Gypsy are performing for the outside world, the deception that DeeDee is performing on Gypsy, and the deception that Gypsy is performing on DeeDee for herself.”

It makes for potent television, and one that will be fascinating for viewers to watch play out, but with its tone and the sheer intensity of the story, is it something you’d want to binge?

“It depends on the type of viewer you are,” Antosca laughed. “Each episode packs a lot of power!”

The Act debuts on Hulu on March 20, 2019.

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Strange and Unusual

Man Arrested for Allegedly Taking a Severed Leg From Crash Site And Eating It

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A local California news station reported late last month that a man was being held in custody for allegedly taking the severed leg of a deceased train wreck victim and eating it. Be warned, this is a very disturbing and graphic story.

It happened on March 25 in Wasco, Calif. in a horrible Amtrak train accident a pedestrian was struck and killed and one of his legs was severed. 

According to KUTV a man named Resendo Tellez, 27, stole the body part from the impact site. 

A construction worker named Jose Ibarra who was an eyewitness to the theft revealed to officers one very grim detail. 

“I’m not sure from where, but he walked this way and he was waving a person’s leg. And he started chewing on it over there, he was biting it and he was hitting it against the wall and everything,” said Ibarra.

Caution, the following picture is graphic:

Resendo Tellez

Police found Tellez and he willingly went with them. He had outstanding warrants and now faces charges of stealing evidence from an active investigation.

Ibarra says Tellez walked past him with the detached limb. He describes what he saw in lurid detail, “On the leg, the skin was hanging. You could see the bone.”

The Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) police arrived on the scene to begin their own investigation.

According to a follow-up report by KGET News, Tellez was known throughout the neighborhood as homeless and non-threatening. A liquor store employee said she knew of him because he slept in a doorway near the business and was also a frequent customer.

Court records say that Tellez took the detached lower limb, “because he thought the leg was his.”

There are also reports that a video exists of the incident. It was circulating on social media, but we won’t provide it here.

The Kern County Sherriff’s office had no follow-up report as of this writing.


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News

Woman Brings Corpse Into Bank To Sign Loan Papers

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Warning: This is a disturbing story.

You have to be pretty desperate for money to do what this Brazilian woman did at the bank to get a loan. She wheeled in a fresh corpse to endorse the contract and she seemingly thought the bank employees wouldn’t notice. They did.

This weird and disturbing story comes via ScreenGeek an entertainment digital publication. They write that a woman identified as Erika de Souza Vieira Nunes pushed a man she identified as her uncle into the bank pleading with him to sign loan papers for $3,400. 

If you’re squeamish or easily triggered, be aware that the video captured of the situation is disturbing. 

Latin America’s largest commercial network, TV Globo, reported on the crime, and according to ScreenGeek this is what Nunes says in Portuguese during the attempted transaction. 

“Uncle, are you paying attention? You must sign [the loan contract]. If you don’t sign, there’s no way, as I cannot sign on your behalf!”

She then adds: “Sign so you can spare me further headaches; I can’t bear it any longer.” 

At first we thought this might be a hoax, but according to Brazilian police, the uncle, 68-year-old Paulo Roberto Braga had passed away earlier that day.

 “She attempted to feign his signature for the loan. He entered the bank already deceased,” Police Chief Fábio Luiz said in an interview with TV Globo. “Our priority is to continue investigating to identify other family members and gather more information regarding this loan.”

If convicted Nunes could be facing jail time on charges of fraud, embezzlement, and desecration of a corpse.

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Trailers

HBO’s “The Jinx – Part Two” Unveils Unseen Footage and Insights Into Robert Durst Case [Trailer]

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the jinx

HBO, in collaboration with Max, has just released the trailer for “The Jinx – Part Two,” marking the return of the network’s exploration into the enigmatic and controversial figure, Robert Durst. This six-episode docuseries is set to premiere on Sunday, April 21, at 10 p.m. ET/PT, promising to unveil new information and hidden materials that have emerged in the eight years following Durst’s high-profile arrest.

The Jinx Part Two – Official Trailer

“The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst,” the original series directed by Andrew Jarecki, captivated audiences in 2015 with its deep dive into the life of the real estate heir and the dark cloud of suspicion surrounding him in connection with several murders. The series concluded with a dramatic turn of events as Durst was apprehended for the murder of Susan Berman in Los Angeles, just hours before the final episode was broadcast.

The forthcoming series, “The Jinx – Part Two,” aims to delve deeper into the investigation and trial that unfolded in the years after Durst’s arrest. It will feature never-before-seen interviews with Durst’s associates, recorded phone calls, and interrogation footage, offering an unprecedented look into the case.

Charles Bagli, a journalist for the New York Times, shared in the trailer, “As ‘The Jinx’ aired, Bob and I spoke after every episode. He was very nervous, and I thought to myself, ‘He’s gonna run.’” This sentiment was mirrored by District Attorney John Lewin, who added, “Bob was gonna flee the country, never to return.” However, Durst did not flee, and his arrest marked a significant turning point in the case.

The series promises to showcase the depth of Durst’s expectation for loyalty from his friends while he was behind bars, despite facing serious charges. A snippet from a phone call where Durst advises, “But you don’t tell them s–t,” hints at the complex relationships and dynamics at play.

Andrew Jarecki, reflecting on the nature of Durst’s alleged crimes, stated, “You don’t kill three people over 30 years and get away with it in a vacuum.” This commentary suggests the series will explore not only the crimes themselves but the broader network of influence and complicity that may have enabled Durst’s actions.

Contributors to the series include a wide range of figures involved in the case, such as Deputy District Attorneys of Los Angeles Habib Balian, defense attorneys Dick DeGuerin and David Chesnoff, and journalists who have covered the story extensively. The inclusion of judges Susan Criss and Mark Windham, as well as jury members and friends and associates of both Durst and his victims, promises a comprehensive perspective on the proceedings.

Robert Durst himself has commented on the attention the case and the documentary have garnered, stating he is “getting his own 15 minutes [of fame], and it is gargantuan.”

“The Jinx – Part Two” is anticipated to offer an insightful continuation of Robert Durst’s story, revealing new facets of the investigation and trial that have not been seen before. It stands as a testament to the ongoing intrigue and complexity surrounding Durst’s life and the legal battles that followed his arrest.

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