Lori Loughlin Reportedly Relied on ‘Actress Side’ to Survive Nerve-Wracking Court Appearance

Lori Loughlin seems to be putting on a performance as she faces legal trouble for her part in the college admissions cheating scandal.

The Full House star and her husband Mossimo Giannulli appeared in Boston for a court hearing Wednesday in connection to the scandal, and her behavior caused backlash among fans.

When she arrived at the court house, the actress was caught by many paparazzi and fans trying to get comments and take a look. Rather than ignoring them, as Desperate Housewives star Felicity Huffman did earlier in the day, Loughlin was spotted smiling for the cameras and signing autographs.

“She was obviously extremely nervous and the actress side of Lori came out,” one source told E! News of Loughlin’s behavior. “She doesn’t know how else to be in public.”

The insider told the outlet that Loughlin is not used to receiving negative press, which also explains her reaction outside of the court.

“Her natural reaction was to just smile and try to be light-hearted,” the source added. “She’s always been so well loved and charming, that’s the part she knows how to play in public.”

Outside of the public eye, the insider said Loughlin is “terrified and the uncertainty of the whole thing worries her.”

As for Giannulli, who is also facing charges for taking part in the bribery scheme, he is coping with the controversy by avoiding being out in public. The source added that his desire to not be seen can explain why the couple chose to take a private jet to Boston for the hearing.

“They took a private jet because Mossimo wanted to,” the source said. “He is mortified by this whole thing and wants to avoid unwanted attention in public.”

They added, “It’s extremely awkward and they know they can’t say anything.”

Loughlin and Giannulli have been accused of paying bribes in order to falsely classify their daughters as student athletes and members of the rowing team.

Prosecutors claimed in court documents that the couple “agreed to pay bribes totaling $500,000 in exchange for having their two daughters designated as recruits to the USC crew team — despite the fact that they did not participate in crew — thereby facilitating their admission to USC.”

Huffman was also identified in the scandal with authorities accusing her of paying $15,000 to cheat on her eldest daughter’s SAT scores.

A new report claims the actresses could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, there years probation and a $250,000 fine if found guilty of the charges.