Good American Family: All you Should know About the Ellen Pompeo Series Based on a true Story

Ellen Pompeo will be back on the TV screens again, but this time not as Meredith Grey on Grey’s Anatomy, but as Kristine Barnett in Hulu’s Good American Family. The drama will follow Barnett who believes that the child she and her family have adopted, is an adult woman masquerading as a child. 

The story of Natalia Grace has been the subject of a documentary called The Curious Case of Natalia Grace by Investigation Discovery. Good American Family doesn’t promise to be a documentary. Instead, it says that it is inspired by real events. It will be interesting to see how the makers adapt this high-profile case. 

A trailer has been released, and it gives a hint of the perspective the show will take. Want to know more about this? In this article, we will discuss everything we know about the series and the real-life case that inspired it. Also, stay tuned for more details, as we will update this article as soon as new details emerge. 

Release date and Where to Watch 

All the eight episodes of Good American Family will premiere on Wednesday, Mar. 19, 2025, with two episodes on Hulu. After this, one episode will be released per week. 

What is the Good American Family About?

The series follows a midwestern couple, Kristine Barnett and Michael Barnett, who adopt a girl, Natalia Grace, suffering from a rare form of dwarfism. But they begin to notice that something is off about her as they raise her alongside their three biological children. 

They discover that she might be lying about her age and background. So, they try to defend their family from the terror that begins to unfold while Natalia fights her own battle to tell her side of the story. Told from multiple POVs, the series explores the real-life case as it plays out in tabloids and courtrooms. 

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Ellen Pompeo said that the series will take some creative liberties with the story. She said, “We’re coming up with our own version of what this story could have been, so this isn’t sort of a beat-for-beat of what their experience was.”

She continued, “It’s really what we do here, I guess, in Hollywood. We make entertainment that hopefully provokes thought, and we take a set of circumstances and put our spin on it.”

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Who is Starring in Good American Family?

• Ellen Pompeo stars as Kristine Barnett
• Mark Duplass as Michael Barnett
• Imogen Faith Reid as Natalia Grace
• Dulé Hill as Brandon Drysdale
• Sarayu Blue as Valika 
• Azriel Dalman as Ethan Barnett 
• Aias Dalman as Jacob Barnett
• Christina Hendricks as Cynthia Mans
• Kim Shaw as Jennifer 
• Chase Mangum as Older Wesley Barnett 
• Jerod Haynes as Antwon Mans
• Liam Anderson as Wesley Barnett

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Good American Family Trailer

The trailer begins with Ellen Pompeo’s Kristine Barnett and Mark Duplass’s Michael Barnett adopting a girl called Natalia Grace. Initially, the couple, who already have biological kids, are happy to have her. Kristine says, “I have always considered myself blessed. I’ve known that I was put on this Earth to build a world where all kids can feel safe.”

They also make sure that she feels at home. However, soon Kristine finds out that Natalia might not be who she claims to be. X-rays seem to show that she has adult teeth, a scene in the bathroom hints that Natalia is not the little girl she claims to be. The growing discord between the couple as well as the involvement of Child Protective Services heightens the tension. 

The trailer claims that the series is “Inspired by multiple stories, perspectives, threats, interpretations, and accusations.” Check it out below:

What is the true Story Good American Family is Based on?

Good American Family is inspired by the real-life events that allegedly transpired after Kristine and Michael Barnett adopted a Ukrainian orphan called Natalia Grace in 2010. As per USA Today, Natalia came to the USA as part of an adoption program in 2008. She said that she has spondyloepiphyseal, a form of dwarfism. 

As the days went by, the Barnett couple became increasingly convinced that the girl they had adopted was not a child at all. They claimed that she had a menstrual cycle, pubic hair, and mental illness. As per them, she was an adult woman who had intentions of hurting their family. 

The couple changed her age from 11 to 22, even though allegedly medical reports confirmed that she was a child and there was possibly a lack of solid evidence to prove otherwise. Later on, the family signed Natalia up for public assistance and moved her into a Lafayette, Indiana apartment, where she stayed by herself. 

The family then moved to Canada, where their oldest son planned to attend college. Natalia was evicted a year later and the couple, who were divorced, faced charges of neglect of a dependent. But the charges have since been dismissed. 

Behind the Scenes 

Good American Family was created by Katie Robbins, who is also the executive producer along with Sarah Sutherland and Ellen Pompeo. Andrew Stearn, Dan Spilo, Niles Kirchner, and Mike Epps also executive produce. Liz Garbus has directed the pilot. The series is produced by 20th Television.