The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist: What To Know Before You Watch The Netflix Docuseries

Nick Norgo in The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist on Netflix
(Image credit: Netflix)

In 2013, Sofia Coppola released The Bling Ring, a high-paced crime film that showed a different side of Emma Watson and the rest of the cast as they orchestrated a series of robberies of high-profile targets in the Hollywood hills. Nine years later, the Netflix true crime docuseries The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist offers up the true story behind the teenagers whose exploits and attitudes surrounding their crimes inspired the flashy affair.

But before you go and dedicate a few hours of your time to the documentary series, there are a few things you should know about it. Below, we will break down a handful of things to keep in mind before you watch one of the most outrageous stories in modern-day Los Angeles unfold before your eyes.

The Real Bling Ring Tells The Story Of A Group Of LA Teens Who Broke Into Celebrities’ Homes 

The 2022 series The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist centers on the group of Los Angeles teens who made headlines in the early 2000s after their crime syndicate was arrested for breaking into the homes of some of the most notable young Hollywood stars and socialites of the era.

The Docuseries Consists Of Three Episodes

The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist consists of three episodes that range anywhere from 46 to 50 minutes in length. This comes out to just over two hours, which is only around a half-hour longer than Sophia Coppola’s 2013 movie based on the crime ring.

The Real Bling Ring Is Rated TV-MA Because Of Language And Adult Themes

No surprise here, but The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist is rated TV-MA for a couple different reasons. First, there is adult language throughout. Plus, the subject matter itself (robberies, excess, drugs, etc.) lends itself to having that rating.

It Includes Interviews With One Of The Bling Ring’s Victims

Though some of the Bling Ring’s more high-profile victims like Orlando Bloom, Lindsay Lohan, and Paris Hilton do not provide first-hand accounts on their experience with the notorious group in this new docuseries, one person who was robbed by the teens does take part in the Netflix production. Throughout the true crime docuseries, Audrina Patridge, who appeared on the MTV reality series The Hills, provides insight into the crimes as well as the culture of the Los Angeles party scene at the time of the heists.

The Docuseries Also Features Reenactments Based On Police Transcripts

A lot of The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist’s runtime is filled with reenactments of the group’s crimes based on police transcripts, reports, and court records. This is pointed out in the first frame of the three-part docuseries along with another disclaimer stating that theses scripted portions are also based off first-hand accounts of the group’s actions, which are sometimes contradictory.

The Bling Ring Movie Is Addressed In The Docuseries

Sofia Coppola’s The Bling Ring is addressed throughout the three-part docuseries especially when it comes to the fallout of the group’s crimes. At one point, Alexis Haines, formerly Neiers, discusses the way she was portrayed by Emma Watson in the 2013 movie. If you want to revisit the movie after finishing the docuseries, it is currently available in a few different ways.

Stream The Bling Ring on Showtime.
Rent/Buy The Bling Ring on Amazon.

One other thing you should know about The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist is the fact you will need an active Netflix subscription to watch it. But you are subscribed to popular streaming service, don’t forget to check out the other great 2022 Netflix shows that are about to be released or came out earlier in the year.

Stream The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist on Netflix.

Philip Sledge
Content Writer

Philip grew up in Louisiana (not New Orleans) before moving to St. Louis after graduating from Louisiana State University-Shreveport. When he's not writing about movies or television, Philip can be found being chased by his three kids, telling his dogs to stop barking at the mailman, or chatting about professional wrestling to his wife. Writing gigs with school newspapers, multiple daily newspapers, and other varied job experiences led him to this point where he actually gets to write about movies, shows, wrestling, and documentaries (which is a huge win in his eyes). If the stars properly align, he will talk about For Love Of The Game being the best baseball movie of all time.