As with rival streaming services Netflix and Hulu, Lifetime has shown no reluctance to dramatize true-crime tales like those of Casey Anthony and JonBenét Ramsey. The upcoming film “Let’s Get Physical” marks the network’s return to the genre, telling a story that is as outlandish and unbelievable as it is true.
The film’s protagonist, played by Jenna Dewan, leads a double life as a dance teacher and the owner of a prostitution ring.
Based on the true story of Alexis Wright, a Zumba instructor who in 2012 was accused of running a prostitution ring out of her studio and pocketing nearly $150,000, “Let’s Get Physical” encourages its viewers to get up and move around. Let’s examine the true events that sparked “Let’s Get Physical” before its Oct. 15 release.
Who Is Alexis Wright?
According to Vanity Fair, after graduating from the University of Southern Maine’s Lewiston-Auburn College in the year 2010, single mom Wright made the decision to open up a Zumba dance studio called Pura Vida in the town of Kennebunk, Maine.
The town is known for its many beaches and historic homes. At least, that is what she led everyone to believe she was doing when she started the business, which consisted of renting an office and using it to provide massage services under the name Sensual Body Work by Lydia. Her goal was to earn money and save it so that she could attend medical school.
In Kennebunk, Maine, a town that is famous for its cookie-cutter architecture, many of the town’s residents began to notice that Wright was not who she claimed to be. Because her online advertisements for the massage services were sexually suggestive and on the verge of being pornographic, many people became curious about her history and looked into it further.
According to The Daily Beast, a simple search of Wright’s name on the internet returned hundreds of hits across a wide variety of websites, ranging from blogs to pornographic websites. It is true that working as a dance teacher and appearing in amateur porn as an actress is not against the law, but what Wright did behind the closed doors of her company would eventually result in a scandal that would rock the very foundation of Kennebunk.
How Did Alexis Wright Run Her Prostitution Business?
Wright ran her dance studio during the day, but between the two offices she rented, she also operated a sophisticated prostitution operation that drew a lot of clients in Kennebunk. Wright wasn’t specifically trying to conceal her business, despite operating an illegal sex business.
The Daily Beast reported that at the time, a woman posing as Wright wrote a blog post in which she stated, “Many people in my community are unaware that I am an exhibitionist and that I crave sex because I live in a small town in Maine and own my own dance studio.
I’ve had sex with a lot of married men in the area, and it feels good to know that I’m giving them what they can’t get at home. If only the women knew,”
Wright was open about offering her sexual services online and in her online confessionals. Soon after starting her job, Pura Vida began attracting interest from nearby businesses, including a pizzeria called Toppings.
The staff at the pizza parlor reportedly saw “many different motor vehicles driving behind the back of the building at all hours of the day and night” and “several males, occasionally dressed in sports jackets and various business dress attire,” with their visits timed to the exact minute of 30 minutes.
What Happened to Alexis Wright?
Wright pleaded guilty in March 2013 to 20 counts of prostitution, tax fraud, and welfare fraud. According to CBS News, she was given a 10-month prison term but only served six of them before being let out on good behavior in November 2013.
Viewers will undoubtedly be engrossed as Wright’s perplexing story plays out on screen. Watch the trailer for “Let’s Get Physical,” which premieres on Lifetime on October 15, to see Dewan’s portrayal of Sadie!
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