Natalia Grace followers slam “unethical” Good American Family as trailer sparks backlash

While the new Good American Family trailer has received plenty of praise, the Hulu series is facing backlash from those who have followed the real-life case of Natalia Grace, with some branding it “unethical.”

For the uninitiated, The Curious Case of Natalia Grace is a true crime docu-series that debuted in 2023, centering on the titular Ukrainian orphan who was adopted by Michael and Kristine Barnett in 2010.

Two years later, the Barnetts had Natalia’s legal age changed from eight to 22, before moving her into an inaccessible apartment on her own. However, DNA testing has since proven Natalia was, in fact, a child when she was adopted by the Barnetts.

Natalia has accused the Barnetts of psychological and physical abuse, but the case hasn’t been to trial. The entire ordeal is the subject of Good American Family, raising concerns about how the drama series will handle the allegations without misrepresenting the facts.

Natalia Grace followers slam Good American Family trailer

The trailer dropped on February 19, and it’s already been viewed more than 1.7 million times. Many have shared excitement for the new TV show, including for Ellen Pompeo and Mark Duplass – who are playing Kristine and Michael Barnett.

However, those familiar with the details of the case are not happy with the way it’s been portrayed. Certain clips portray Natalia as a villain, leading to comparisons to the horror movie Orphan, while others are unaware Good American Family is based on a true story.

“Wow the orphan girl is actually an adult. What an original idea,” wrote one, while another said, “This is literally Orphan in a TV series format.” A third added, “They TOTALLY stole the concept from the Orphan.”

Taking to the comments section, one person who’s aware of the situation said, “I don’t expect everyone to be knowledgeable about true crime but it’s truly saddening to see people connecting this to a fictional made up story (Orphan)…

“They turned her into the perpetrator when she was the real victim that endured horrific treatment by her adoptive parents.”

Hulu

Another wrote, “I don’t like the way they are portraying the adoption of a disabled child… this is horrible, especially now that we are aware of the truth and how much she was abused and taken advantage of. 

“Why did they make her face like that, almost like mocking her… the adoptive mom was a psycho.”

“This looks like an absolute hit piece. Literally the definition of unethical true crime drama. I’ll be watching, to prove or debunk whatever they present,” added a third. 

“The Barnetts are horrible people and I can tell by the tone of this preview that these producers didn’t give a flying F about presenting this truthfully.”

A fourth chimed in, “NOT INSPIRED BY THE ORPHAN. I swear people, Google is right there. The movie came out a decade before this poor girl’s story even went public (2019). 

“No one knew of her before that. The only parallel with the movie is that many people think her adopted parents used THE MOVIE as an excuse/way to push their lies.”

Good American Family debuts on Hulu on March 19, 2025. Until then, check out the new true crime documentaries coming to streaming this month. To read more about the case, find out if there’ll be a Natalia Grace Season 4 and why Kristine Barnett faced backlash for endorsing the Hulu series.