Ellen Pompeo, known for her role in Grey’s Anatomy, stars in a new Hulu series inspired by the story of Ukrainian orphan Natalia Grace Barnett. Natalia gained widespread attention after her adoptive parents alleged she was an adult pretending to be a child.
Good American Family, set to debut on March 19 on Hulu, takes inspiration from “multiple stories, perspectives, threats, interpretations, and accusations.” While the show’s description does not explicitly mention Natalia or her adoptive family, it centers on “disturbing stories” about a Midwestern couple who adopt a girl with a rare form of dwarfism.
Similar to the real-life case of the Barnett family from Indiana, the adoptive parents in the series start questioning the girl’s true age and believe she poses a danger to them.
In reality, the Barnetts accused Natalia of being violent, mentally unstable, and plotting to harm them while deceiving them about her identity.
The case gained national attention around 2014 and became one of the most unusual true crime stories. Legal battles followed, with the Barnetts successfully petitioning to have Natalia’s age changed, then leaving her in a rented apartment while they moved out of the country.
Natalia’s story has inspired several television projects, including Investigation Discovery’s *The Curious Case of Natalia Grace*, which premiered last month.
Natalia Grace Barnett, originally from Ukraine, was adopted in 2010 by Indiana residents Kristine Elizabeth Barnett and Michael Barnett, who initially believed she was six or seven years old.
She was diagnosed with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita, a rare genetic disorder affecting bone and spinal development, leading to a small stature and other skeletal abnormalities.
Shortly after her adoption, the Barnetts became suspicious of her true age, pointing to signs such as “pubic hair, a menstrual cycle and a mental illness.” They alleged that her condition made her look younger and accused her of endangering them.
Medical professionals, DNA tests, and a woman from Ukraine claiming to be Natalia’s biological mother were consulted in an effort to confirm her real age.
In 2012, a Marion County judge ruled that Natalia was 22 years old, changing her Ukrainian birth records, despite medical reports indicating she was a child and the absence of definitive proof.
The Barnetts later applied for public assistance for Natalia and relocated her to an apartment in Lafayette, Indiana, in July 2013. They and their other children then moved to Canada, where their eldest son planned to attend college. Natalia was evicted a year later, and the Barnetts faced accusations of abandonment and neglect.
Both parents, now divorced, denied the allegations, and the charges were later dismissed.
Natalia’s age remains unclear, with records suggesting she could be either 21 or 34. She recently reflected on her past, her new adoptive family, and her future aspirations in an exclusive *People* interview.
"It's a blessing to be alive today because looking back at my 7-year-old self, I should have been dead," Natalia told *People*.
She is currently preparing for her GED and hopes to become a teacher.
According to *People*, Natalia is learning to drive, enjoys listening to Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus, and is planning medical procedures necessary for her condition. She has also found love with her boyfriend, Neil.
"Learning everything that I have about how to live with my dwarfism—it's been a great experience," Natalia told *People*. "I love it. I mean, of course, I still miss my siblings and everything. But I love it. I feel free."
*Good American Family* presents its story from “multiple points of view, as a means to explore issues of perspective, bias, and trauma,” according to Hulu’s official description. Although Natalia Grace and her former adoptive family are not directly mentioned, the case seems to have served as inspiration.
"This compelling drama is inspired by disturbing stories surrounding a Midwestern couple who adopts a girl with a rare form of dwarfism. But as they begin to raise her alongside their three biological children, mystery emerges around her age and background, and they've slowly start to suspect she may not be who she says she is," the show description states. "As they defend their family from the daughter they've grown to believe is a threat, she fights her own battle to confront her past and what her future holds, in a showdown that ultimately plays out in the tabloids and in the courtroom."
The first two episodes of *Good American Family* will be available on Hulu starting March 19, with new episodes released weekly. Subscribers with a Disney+ bundle that includes Hulu can also stream the series, as reported by *Variety*.
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