The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist gave us an inside look into the robberies from those involved, but we also got to learn more about the individual’s lives outside of the crimes. Here are some things we learned about Pretty Wild from the new docuseries!
In The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist, released on Netflix Wednesday (Sept. 21,) Alexis Neiers, the star of Pretty Wild and a member of the “Bling Ring,” as well as her mother Andrea Arlington, the “leader” of the “Bling Ring” Nick Prugo, and others spoke out about the string of robberies targeting celebrities in Hollywood and Calabasas.
The documentary also looked into the evolution of Pretty Wild from an idea into the iconic reality television show that materialized. Following Alexis and her family during the trial for her involvement in the burglaries, the series aired on E! for only one season. Still, the drama-filled show encapsulated the essence of early reality television, and many of us still remember the voicemail from Alexis to reporter Nancy Jo Sales from our childhoods.
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However, The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist revealed some truths behind Pretty Wild that gave us a new perspective on the iconic reality show. Some family members came forward and told the truth about how Pretty Wild contrasted with the reality of their situations at the time. The producers of Pretty Wild and attorneys of Alexis also disclosed some shocking fabrications from the show.
Producers Staged Alexis Neiers’ Arrest
Many who watched thought the camera crew just happened to strike reality gold, but producers revealed in the docuseries that they had completely staged the scene. The producers faked the arrest, acting as police officers knocking, to include in the series’ first episode.
Alexis recalled how difficult it was to relive her arrest and film the scene the morning after her release from jail. “Having to remake this was brutal,” she said. “Having staged that when I hadn’t even had any time to process what was going on, it was pretty traumatic.”
Pretty Wild Portrayed The Family’s Relationship Differently On The Show
“We were all having fun, living a life that was playful, and we were a very connected family,” said Arlington. “That’s what the filming showed. Now, the truth of the matter was, there was a lot of fractured energy between all of us.”
Pretty Wild portrayed the household as connected, loving, and down-to-earth, but in the Netflix documentary, the family revealed the truth about their lives during filming. We learn about the parent’s rocky relationship, debt, and other issues they dealt with off camera. While we were shocked to know the truth behind the family’s history, the documentary ended with updates that Alexis and her mother are doing well today. Alexis recently shared a family photo on Instagram:
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Her Relationship With Nick Prugo Was Downplayed
Nick was rarely mentioned on Pretty Wild; Alexis described him only as an “old high school friend,” and he was brought up briefly during the trial. We have now learned their relationship was a bit more profound. While the nature of their relationship during the time remains somewhat ambiguous, we did learn some pretty big details about the two.
Alexis and Nick made repeated contradictory statements throughout the documentary. Alexis claims they only went out a few times, and she wasn’t aware of his involvement in the celebrity home burglaries until it was too late. Nick disputes this, claiming she knew and wanted to get involved. While we can’t know the entire truth, the series disclosed that Alexis lived with Nick when she got involved in one of the robberies. We also find out in the Netflix original that Nick was a potential side character on Pretty Wild during the early production stages. So why wasn’t he cast to be a part of the show? Well, we get another conflicting story. Was it that he too dull, or was he not ready to live comfortably in his sexuality on television?
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Alexis’ Attorneys Gave Her False Hope Per Producer’s Instructions
“The producers of the show, they wanted to know if we could kind of do a scene where I told her things were maybe looking good,” said Neiers’ attorney Jeffery K Rubenstein. “What your seeing is produced. Highly-produced reality television,” he continued to admit that he wasn’t proud of the situation.
The Netflix documentary highlighted how closely the case and the reality show became connected, and lines between reality and “reality” television began to blur.
Netflix’s The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist ultimately shed light on one of our favorite nostalgic reality series Pretty Wild, and breathed new life into the story. With shocking revelations about the show, we can continue to look at the series as an essential blip in influencer and celebrity culture while better understanding the story it was centered around.
