The Creepy True Story Behind Ellen Pompeo's 'Orphan' Series

Ellen Pompeo finally said goodbye to Grey’s Anatomy (well, sort of), but that doesn’t mean she’s retiring. Before her farewell episode to Dr. Meredith Grey even aired, she was already gearing up for her next project: a true-crime series based on the story of a family who adopted a child with a rare form of dwarfism. They eventually come to suspect that the adoptee isn’t a little girl at all, but rather an adult woman who’s actively conning them.

If this story sounds familiar, it’s because it’s very similar to the plot of Orphan, a 2009 horror movie starring Isabelle Fuhrman as the titular adoptee. That film, however, was loosely inspired by a different story of an adult woman posing as a teen. This is a lot of alleged identity theft to keep track of, so read on for a full breakdown of Pompeo’s new show and how it relates (or doesn’t) to the Orphan movies.

Related: Ellen Pompeo's Net Worth in 2023 and the Massive Grey's Anatomy Salary She's Giving Up

What is the Orphan series about?

Pompeo’s new show—which for the moment is just called Untitled Orphan Project—is about a Midwestern couple who adopts an 8-year-old girl with what they believe is a rare form of dwarfism. But when they bring her home and start raising her alongside their three biological children, they begin to question whether she is who she says she is. As things begin to escalate, they must decide how far they’ll go to protect their marriage and family while also becoming the subject of tabloid intrigue.

Is the Orphan series based on a true story?

Untitled Orphan Project is inspired by the true story of Kristine and Michael Barnett, who in 2010 adopted Natalia, a Ukrainian girl with severe dwarfism who they believed was about 8 years old. In September 2019, they were charged with abandoning Natalia in 2013, when they moved her to an apartment in Indiana and relocated to Canada with their two biological sons. The Barnetts alleged that Natalia was really an adult woman pretending to be a child, claiming that she was already having menstrual cycles when they adopted her. They also accused her of trying to harm Kristine and their children.

In October 2022, Michael was found not guilty on all charges, which included neglect of a dependent and conspiracy to commit neglect of a dependent. Five months later, all charges against Kristine were dismissed due to “insufficient evidence.”

As for Natalia, an Indiana court ruled in 2012 that her birth year was 1989, but she maintains she was a child when the Barnetts adopted her. During a 2019 interview with Dr. Phil, Natalia claimed she was then 16 years old.

Related: Best True Crime Shows 

Is the Orphan series based on the Orphan movies?

The upcoming Untitled Orphan Project is not based on the Orphan movies, but they’re both loosely inspired by true stories of adults allegedly posing as children. The 2009 horror movie and its 2022 prequel, Orphan: First Kill, drew inspiration from the story of Barbora Skrlova, a 33-year-old Czech woman who posed as a 13-year-old boy named Adam in order to avoid giving testimony in a child abuse case. (The character in the movie pretended to be a young girl.) Skrlova was caught in early 2008 after “Adam” went missing and authorities discovered Skrlova hiding out in Norway.

Pompeo’s series, meanwhile, is based on another true story of an adult woman allegedly pretending to be a child. Untitled Orphan Project will focus on the story of Natalia Barnett and her adoptive parents, Kristine and Michael, who abandoned her after claiming she wasn’t really the 8-year-old child they thought she was when they adopted her. Natalia’s adoption took place in 2010—one year after the original Orphan movie hit theaters.

Who does Ellen Pompeo play in the Orphan series?

Ellen Pompeo plays Kristine Barnett, the woman who adopted Natalia with husband Michael Barnett. Untitled Orphan Project marks her first major role since she exited Grey’s Anatomy in February 2023 after 19 seasons on the ABC medical drama. Pompeo has also guest starred on Station 19 as Dr. Meredith Grey, and she has appeared as herself on episodes of RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars and Martha Stewart’s Discovery+ series Martha Gets Down and Dirty.

Who else is cast in the Orphan series?

As of April 2023, the only other person confirmed to star in Untitled Orphan Project is Imogen Reid, who will play the adopted Natalia. Reid has previously appeared in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Crimes of Grindelwald and HBO’s series The Third Day.

When is the Orphan series release date?

No release date has been announced for Untitled Orphan Project, but it will eventually be available to stream on Hulu.

How to watch the Orphan series

Pompeo’s limited series will stream via Hulu.

How many episodes are in the Orphan series?

Pompeo’s Untitled Orphan Project will consist of eight episodes.

Is there a trailer for the Orphan series?

As of May 4, 2023, no trailer has been released for Untitled Orphan Project.

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