If you were into real crime in 2008 and 2009, you probably followed the story of “The Bling Ring,” one of the most bizarre scandals of the decade. Sofia Coppola’s 2013 masterpiece The Bling Ring, starring Emma Watson, Taissa Farmiga, Katie Chang, Israel Broussard, and Claire Julien, gave Hollywood a shot at the story, but a new Netflix series promises to tell the story from the perspective of the convicted thieves, giving us an entirely new perspective on the case. The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist, a new docuseries from the streaming service, will premiere on the site on September 21.
A teaser for the show was just posted, and it looks fantastic. The docuseries, directed by Miles Blayden-Ryall, will tell the narrative from the perspective of two of the seven intruders, Alexis Neires and Nick Prugo. Audrina Partridge, star of The Hills and victim of the Bling Ring, and Perez Hilton, leader of the Hollywood gossip mill at the time and tormentor of many young actresses, are both included in the interviews. The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist will provide insight into the impact of the crimes on the victims and what the two adults have to say about it all these years later through first-hand stories and archival footage from news agencies first breaking the story. The crew of mostly youthful heisters used Google Maps and other websites to locate the residences of celebrities like Patridge and Paris Hilton, and then used the stars’ public appearance schedules to figure out when the stars would be away from their homes.
The team would then break into the houses (or enter through unlocked doors) and loot valuables like money, clothing, and jewellery. Notable casualties also included Rachel Bilson, Orlando Bloom, Miranda Kerr, Brian Austin Green, Megan Fox, and Lindsay Lohan, in addition to Partridge and Hilton. A court-imposed sentence ranging from probation and penalties to years in prison for each participant. Neires, who became well-known thanks to the E! reality show Pretty Wild, is arguably the most well-known member of the team.
When the police showed up at the family’s door and arrested Neires for her part in the criminal conspiracy, things took a turn for the worse (or better, depending on your perspective), as she had starred alongside her two sisters in a show about the family’s attempt to climb the social ranks of Hollywood. Even though it was only broadcast for one season, it was riveting viewing. This new docuseries seems to be another jaw-dropping bingeable series from Netflix’s portfolio of real crime entertainment.