Reality television personality Gabby Windey is set to star in her first scripted television role on Netflix later this year.
The series is the work of filmmaker and actor Quinn Shephard, who wrote and directed the 2017 film “Blame” and created the 2024 miniseries “Under the Bridge.” According to an official synopsis of “The Body,” the plot focuses on a “group of badly behaved Catholic school girls” that create mass hysteria in their local town after apparently having prophetic visions.
The former “Bachelorette” and “Dancing With the Stars” finalist will play Coach Miller in the eight-episode drama, which premieres later this year on November 11.
Gabby Windey Plays Coach Miller in ‘The Body’
Windey’s character Coach Miller is connected to the dance team at the center of the increasingly bizarre events. It is an initiation ceremony held by the dance troupe that leads to the events that follow, as a direct consequence of a ritual that goes terribly wrong.
Shephard describes the show’s unusual tone as “gritty camp,” combining teen psychodrama with elements of Catholic horror. She also called it “a love letter to all the ’90s and Y2K teen movies and erotic thrillers” that she grew up with.
In particular, Shepard cites “Carrie,” “Jennifer’s Body,” “Heavenly Creatures,” and “Mean Girls” as inspirations, giving viewers a sense of the type of series she is trying to create. However, she has admitted that she wants to tell a story with a more grounded lens than those releases.
Shepard explained that she wanted to shine a new light on some older events and stories.“I was also a teen with an embarrassingly intense fixation on The Crucible and the Salem witch trials,” she explained. “It’s been very interesting to revisit that with the shading of our current political climate!”
She also went on to reveal that fans can expect cliffhangers along with plenty of twists and turns. “I love a spooky sense of mounting dread,” she said. “I hope people eat popcorn while they watch this, even when The Body hits hard. Maybe light some candles and throw a slumber party.”
The series also stars Kristina Bogic, Sara Boustany, Geena Meszaros, Nnamdi Asomugha, Louisa Krause, Shirley Chen, Jackson Kelly and Sofia Wylie as part of the main and recurring cast.
For Windey, “The Body” offers the opportunity for her to move away from realty television to scripted entertainment. The series will mark her first role in a scripted television role. She also has an upcoming role in the A24 comedy film “Peaked,” alongside Laura Dern and Simone Ashley.
Netflix recently released the first photos from the series on the company’s behind-the-scenes Tudum website, offering viewers an early glimpse at Windey as her character along with the rest of the cast.
Gabby Windey Became a Fan Favorite on ‘The Traitors’
Windey’s new Netflix role follows a remarkable reality television journey.
She originally appeared on Clayton Echard’s season of “The Bachelor” in 2022 before becoming one of the two leads of season 19 of “The Bachelorette” alongside Rachel Recchia in the same year.
Later in 2022, Windey competed with Val Chmerkovskiy on “Dancing With the Stars,” reaching the Season 31 finale. She placed as the runner-up to eventual winner Charli D’Amelio, who was partnered with Mark Ballas.
She later became one of the breakout personalities of “The Traitors” Season 3 and a fan-favorite throughout the 2024 series. Windey went on to win the season, beating out the likes of Dolores Catania and Dylan Efron.
