Forget 'Grey's Anatomy,' Ellen Pompeo Is Starring in a Crime Series — Is It Based on a True Story?
This series is inspired by several versions of events, from the same story.
Published Feb. 20 2025, 12:32 p.m. ET
When Ellen Pompeo announced she would no longer be a series regular on Grey's Anatomy after Season 19, the world stopped. It was so still, it felt as if we were collectively trying to stop a bomb from exploding inside a man's torso. We were so devastated, it was as if McDreamy died all over again. Where would we go to get our fill of a woman who went from a deeply flawed resident to an award-winning part-owner of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital? Hulu has us covered.
Ellen, along with Mark Duplass, stars in Good American Family, which premieres on the streamer in March 2025. The first trailer dropped in February, leaving us with a ton of questions. Namely, is it based on a true story? Here's what we know.
It turns out 'Good American Family' is based on a true story, and many of us know it.
If you've been following the saga that is Natalia Grace, then you know what to expect when it comes to Good American Family. The series is based on her life after she was adopted from Ukraine by an American family. After her adoption, her family convinced themselves she was actually an adult and proceeded to mistreat and abuse her.
Mark confirmed this in an Instagram post, writing, "For those of you who know the story of Natalia Grace ... I play Michael Barnett in this new mini-series that's inspired by the insanity that tore this family apart." He then added that we are in for a real treat. If the trailer is any indication of how the show is going to look and feel, Mark couldn't be more correct. It's equal parts over-the-top, frightening, and sad. It's the perfect limited-series cocktail, and we cannot wait to sip it.
There are many sides to every story, and 'Good American Family' shows them all.
When it comes to explaining what transpired between Natalia and the Barnett family, it would take multiple PowerPoint presentations to sort it out. Thankfully, there are a few documentaries that do a great job of assembling a timeline using all the information available. They also involve Natalia and her adoptive family, as well as two more families who took her in after she was abandoned by the Barnetts.
Essentially, Kristine Barnett (played by Ellen) came to believe that Natalia wasn't actually 7 years old, after claiming she saw pubic hair while bathing the young girl. After getting Natalia checked out by a doctor, the Barnetts were surprised to learn she had adult teeth. This prompted the couple to petition the state of Indiana to re-age her, thus turning the child into a 22-year-old woman. They then moved her into an apartment and fled to Canada.
After they were caught, the Barnetts claimed that Natalia threatened to harm them, which we see played out in the Good American Family trailer during one harrowing scene. By the looks of it, this series is going to treat the Natalia Grace story as if it believes both the Barnetts and Natalia's version of events. It will undoubtedly be an interesting chapter in the Curious Case of Natalia Grace.