Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek’s network of contributors
Gypsy Rose Blanchard is celebrating a major milestone in her post-prison life – she’s officially a licensed driver.
The 33-year-old Life After Lock Up star excitedly shared the news with her followers in an Instagram Reel on Thursday, February 27. In the video, Blanchard took fans on a ride in her car, heading to Dollar General for some essentials for her and her baby daughter, Aurora.
Blanchard began her announcement with a big smile, saying, “Hi everybody! So, I’ve got some big news, I am now, officially, a Louisiana driver!” She then gave viewers a glimpse of her driving experience, sharing that she completed her driving test in two parts – one in December and the other in January. She proudly declared, “For the most part, I’m a pretty good driver.”
Phillip Faraone/Getty Images
After pulling into the store’s parking lot, Blanchard expressed her excitement about her first car. “I feel like it’s manageable,” she said. She thanked her supporters, who had encouraged her throughout the process, saying, “I was very nervous to begin driving, and so I just wanna thank everybody for their encouragement.”
Fans flooded the comments section, sending congratulations and praising her newfound independence.
“Congrats! The amount of freedom you will feel!,” one user said, while another commented, “Yay!! Congratulations! You’re getting more independent and I’m all for it!! 😍”
A third chimed in, saying, “I’m proud of you 👏 you will love the freedom of just getting up and going wherever, especially having a baby. ❤️”
Blanchard and her partner, Ken Urker, welcomed their daughter Aurora Urker on December 28, 2024, just one year after her release from prison. The young mother was serving time for her involvement in the 2015 murder of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard, when she first met Ken. The two began their relationship in 2017, and got engaged in 2018 while Blanchard was still incarcerated, but broke up in 2019. However, the duo rekindled their romance in April 2024, just after Gypsy filed for divorce from her ex-husband, Ryan Anderson, whom she married in 2022 while in prison.
Fans can follow Blanchard’s journey in the upcoming season of Gypsy-Rose: Life After Lock Up, set to premiere on March 10.