Having established herself in television history as Dr. Meredith Grey, Ellen Pompeo is now set to make a significant shift with her upcoming venture.
The actress—who has also represented Grey's Anatomy Since 2005, although she's no longer a full-time castmember - is featured in Hulu's Good American Family Based on the true events involving Natalia Grace, this narrative revolves around a significant human interest story. For individuals unfamiliar with the actual case details, Natalia—a young Ukrainian orphan diagnosed with dwarfism—was taken into adoption by an American couple, Kristine and Michael Barnett, in 2010 at age seven. However, within one year of adopting her, the Barnetts suspected that Natalia might actually be an older individual deceiving them, leading to their decision to relinquish guardianship over her back to authorities.
Pompeo, who additionally takes on the role of executive producer, portrays Kristine, and shared this information. The Hollywood Reporter at the show On Thursday’s debut, she mentioned following her 20-year tenure as Meredith Grey, “I definitely wanted to explore something entirely distinct from what I’ve been engaged with for such a considerable period, and this opportunity arose.”
She mentioned that she wasn't very familiar with the storyline prior to joining the project, as she hadn't watched it. The Peculiar Story of Natalia Grace The documentary was surprising because after reading the script, I was captivated by the first episode.
The narrative is intricate and encompasses various contrasting perspectives, which the series portrays through an innovative method. As explained by creator/co-showrunner Katie Robbins, “I conceived the notion of initiating the series from the viewpoint of Kristine and Michael Barnett, after which the stance abruptly changes. This shift causes us to doubt everything we initially believed was true. Through this process, we begin confronting our preconceived notions in surprising manners.”
Mark Duplass, who portrays Michael Barnett, mentioned that his interest was piqued primarily due to this approach since at first mention of the series, he admits being doubtful. He explains, “Initially, when I heard about the show, I had reservations. Having come across many accounts of this story, I thought, ‘Another real-life event turned into a limited series – why should we create yet more content for people’s overflowing queues unless our intention is purely financial gain?’ But then again, they tackled my skepticism head-on by asking, ‘How much do you genuinely understand regarding this particular tale?’”
The squad chose not to directly interact with anyone actually connected to the tale; instead, they relied heavily on their research team for information. Fresh face Imogen Faith Reid, aged 27, portrays Natalia. Since she hails from the U.K., she remained unaware of the storyline prior to her audition.
Reid also mentioned, “I didn’t reach out to the actual person involved—now aged 21—as I wanted to ensure that I portrayed my interpretation of Natalia. My focus was on depicting her as empowered, highlighting her inner strength, and showcasing her relentless pursuit of justice.”
Good American Family begins streaming March 19 on Hulu.
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