Curious if Good American Family is based on a true story? Hulu’s 2025 drama explores the unsettling story of a couple who adopt a girl with dwarfism, only to question her true identity. As tensions rise, accusations, shifting perspectives, and legal battles unfold, blurring the line between truth and deception.
Let’s dive into the inspiration behind the series, its complex themes, and what viewers can expect from this gripping drama.
Is Hulu’s Good American Family based on the true story of Natalia Grace Barnett?
Hulu’s upcoming drama series Good American Family is inspired by the real-life case of Natalia Grace Barnett, a Ukrainian orphan with dwarfism (via CNN).
The show premieres on March 19, 2025, and stars Ellen Pompeo and Mark Duplass. It follows a Midwestern couple who adopt a girl with dwarfism and later suspect she is an adult posing as a child. While the series does not name Natalia or the Barnett family, its premise closely mirrors their case.
Natalia Grace was adopted in 2010 by Kristine and Michael Barnett, who believed she was six or seven years old. Later, they claimed she was much older, citing puberty and adult teeth. In 2012, a Marion County judge changed her birth year from 2003 to 1989, legally making her 22 years old. The Barnetts then moved her into an apartment and left for Canada with their biological children. This led to neglect charges in 2019 (via Rolling Stone).
The Investigation Discovery docuseries The Curious Case of Natalia Grace explored the conflicting claims surrounding the case. Medical professionals, DNA evidence, and Natalia’s biological mother later confirmed she was a child at the time of adoption. In 2022, a court acquitted Michael Barnett, and in 2023, prosecutors dismissed the charges against Kristine. Antwon and Cynthia Mans took Natalia in, sought legal guardianship in 2016, and officially adopted her in 2023.
Hulu describes Good American Family as a dramatization told from multiple perspectives, exploring themes of bias, trauma, and conflicting narratives. The series aims to present the case from various viewpoints rather than adhering strictly to one version of events.
Originally reported by Vritti Johar on Comingsoon.
