Aleah Woodmansee ‘Doesn’t Appreciate’ Lacey’s Characterization in ‘The Act’ on Hulu

Though Hulu is releasing episodes of The Act week-by-week instead of in one binge-worthy dump, fans are already hooked — and they want to know more about Gypsy Rose Blanchard‘s story. But in addition to having questions about who the now-27-year-old is, they also want to know more about Lacey, the Blanchard’s neighbor in the show who befriends Gypsy. If you’re a fan of true crime, then you might already recognize Aleah Woodmansee’s name. In real life, she was also Gypsy’s neighbor, and it’s not a stretch to think Lacey’s character is based on her. In Touch chatted exclusively with the Missourian herself, who’s spoken out before during interviews with ABC’s 20/20, and she’s not a fan of the comparisons.

“Honestly, I have not watched the show. I’m always hesitant to watch anything that comes out, even interviews I did,” Woodmansee told In Touch. “To be quite honest, I don’t like what I hear about how I am being portrayed. I understand that it’s supposed to be dramatized but [there] are a few things I have had issues with.” Some of Lacey’s behavior (and the accent actress AnnaSophia Robb is using in the role) just doesn’t sit right with Woodmansee.

“Lacey’s twang … I hear it in the trailers and I’m not a fan of the whole hillbilly tone that gives the character,” she shared, but it’s not the thing that bothers her most. “[The show] apparently depicts me smoking with Gypsy? That never happened. Alcohol and smoking were things we never discussed. Literally the most risqué topics we even touched on were boys … and at the time I believed she was no older than the age of 15, so we can all assume that remained pretty tame.”

That stick-n-poke tattoo scene we see in the second episode, “Teeth,” was also fictional. “I do have tattoos, but all have been professionally done, and for the most part I keep them covered because not everyone appreciates it — and I get that!” Woodmansee said. “I really don’t understand why [adding that scene] was necessary.”

Though she’s had trouble wrapping her head around the idea of a version of her becoming a TV character at all, ultimately she’s not happy with how things have turned out. “Honestly, it feels a little surreal to think of an actress portraying me — however inaccurate it may be,” she said. “I’ve worked hard on maintaining a respectable image during and after the case, [and] I really don’t appreciate that being undone by the carelessness of people who prefer drama over respect.”

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