The chilling true story behind Ellen Pompeo's upcoming series.

Just when you thought you'd seen every wild true crime story possible, Hulu says "hold my beer."

Grey's Anatomy queen Ellen Pompeo is finally hanging up her stethoscope (well, kind of) to star in Good American Family, an eight-part limited series that's going to have everyone talking. And trust us, the story is unbelievable. Not only is it haunting on paper, but it is actually based on a true story. 

In 2010, the Barnetts adopted a six-year-old Ukrainian girl with a rare form of dwarfism — or at least, that's what they believed at the time. Plot twist: They later claimed she was actually a grown woman masquerading as a child.

A first look at Good American Family. Article continues after video.

The series follows this Midwestern couple, Kristine and Michael Barnett (played by Pompeo and Mark Duplass), as they navigate increasingly disturbing situations with their adopted daughter. We're talking allegations of attempted murder, questions about age and identity, and enough plot twists to make your head spin. 

The series is based on the documentary The Curious Case of Natalia Grace, which was released in 2023 and dropped some major bombshells. It revealed how Natalia's first adoptive family, the Barnetts, legally changed her age from eight to 22. They then moved to Canada, leaving her to live alone in an apartment in Indiana. 

During her time with them, The Barnetts accused Natalia of trying to harm Kristine in several ways, including poisoning her coffee, trying to pull her toward an electric fence, and leaving thumbtacks face-up on the stairs, hoping she'd step on them.

"She threatened to stab my sons, drag their bodies outside and bury them underneath the deck," Michael said in the documentary. "I promise you within five years someone is dead."

But wait, there's more.

Natalia's adoptive parents accused of her fakine her age and threatening their family. Image: ID.

The documentary series sparked so much controversy that they had to film a follow-up called The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks, where she finally told her side of the story. Natalia claimed that all of the Barnett's allegations about her were false. 

"The things that Kristine and Michael have said that I have done is a lie. I have never done anything that Kristine and Michael have said that I have done," she said.

In 2013, Natalia moved in with Cynthia and Antwon Mans and their children. The Mans family stood by her throughout her legal battles and even appeared on Dr. Phil in 2019 to confirm that she was a minor and didn't have the violent tendencies the Barnetts had claimed.

In a third and final chapter of the docuseries, The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: The Final Chapter, the story took another startling turn when it is claimed that life with the Mans family wasn't as it seemed. Allegations suggest that Natalia endured both physical and financial abuse while under their care.

Though Natalia never directly confirmed or denied these accusations, she did escape from the home in the middle of the night, which is shown in the series.

She is now living with friends Nicole and Vince DePaul, a couple with dwarfism. "At first it was bumpy because the Mans were still involved. They were calling Natalia constantly and trying to wheel her back in," Nicole told People.

Ellen Pompeo will play Kristine Barnett in the upcoming limited series. Image: Getty.

The upcoming series promises to dive even deeper into the psychological warfare that played out in this family's home. We're talking about the bone density tests that supposedly proved Natalia's real age and the absolutely wild courtroom drama that followed. Interestingly, Kristine Barnett, the real-life mother who inspired Pompeo's character, has actually endorsed the show.

When it comes to taking on this new role, Pompeo wanted to challenge herself to do something different.

"It was important for me as an actor to do something that I was afraid to do. It was important for me as an actor to play someone who is not necessarily the most likeable person," she said to Vanity Fair. "I have not done anything new in 20 years. I have to go all in, there's no half-assing it. I have a lot to prove here."

Good American Family will premiere in March, and honestly? We're already clearing our schedules for this one. Because sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction.

Feature Image: Getty / ID.