Located off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada is an oak-shrouded island, seemingly inconspicuous compared to the other 300 or so islands that make up Mahone Bay. The small expanse of land, appropriately titled Oak Island, is home to much more than just a 140-acre forest. It’s the setting of History’s massively successful “The Curse of Oak Island” reality series and home to a supposedly epic loot. According to History.com, legends that date back to the late 1700s have identified the island as being home to buried pirate treasure, among other goods.
“The Curse of Oak Island” plays right into those pirate legends with the brother duo, Rick and Marty Lagina. The Laginas have dedicated their lives to uncovering the hidden treasure allegedly buried beneath Oak Island, and their treasure-hunting escapades are all brought to life on their show. But as with every reality TV series, the question viewers tend to have while watching is how much of the show is real life. Fans of “The Curse of Oak Island” will be pleased to hear the answer.
The Curse of Oak Island is not scripted according to the series stars
Many reality TV series tend to be more TV than reality, but that doesn’t seem to be the case for “The Curse of Oak Island.” What we do know is that Rick and Marty Lagina have invested a lot of their own time and money into discovering the island’s mysteries. It’s their passion for the hunt that’s behind every dig and discovery, not a script.
In an interview with Reality Blurred, Marty confirmed that the show is authentic. He said, “Everything about that show is real. There are no scripts. We said early on we would not do a scripted show.” Rick, also speaking with Reality Blurred, added that they had already been involved on the island for about three years before History producers approached them about a show. Whether or not there is truth to the Oak Island mystery remains a question, but it appears that if we take the Laginas brothers at their word, then “The Curse of Oak Island” is authentic.
Now currently on their ninth season, the Lagina brothers have reached History fame, but that wasn’t part of their plan. Marty said, “We weren’t looking for any sort of fame. We still don’t really like that.” Marty went on to explain that the production behind their reality show isn’t as simple as one may think. “Things take more time, you have to get mic’d, and all that. So it’s not them just following us, but it is real,” he explained.
He continued and set the record straight, “We will not do scripts. All the discussions in the war room are what we are discussing.”