Mark Duplass and Ellen Pompeo, photographed in Los Angeles this month, star in Hulu’s limited series “Good American Family,” based on the Natalia Grace case. (Jennifer McCord / For The Times)
Despite being a well-known television figure, Ellen Pompeo feels that the creators of “Good American Family” took a risk by casting her.
Having spent nearly 20 years portraying Meredith Grey in “Grey’s Anatomy,” Pompeo reduced her role in 2022 to pursue a new project that marks her significant departure from the long-running series.
Pompeo expressed that she felt an obligation to demonstrate she could diversify her acting career, acknowledging the leap of faith taken by the “Good American Family” team.
“It required immense bravery from everyone involved to choose me for this part. It presented a real opportunity,” she stated, admitting that she hadn’t taken on a new role in two decades, creating the potential for failure.
Set to premiere on Hulu, the series recounts the true story of the Barnett family and Natalia Grace, a Ukrainian girl with dwarfism, whose tumultuous adoption sparked national attention. The narrative transitions into various perspectives to highlight differing views on the events that unfolded.
Duplass, who shares the screen with Pompeo, reassured her during their first meetings about their potential in their respective roles. He reflected on her apprehensions, indicating that her self-doubt underscored their mutual comfort working together.
Pompeo and Duplass both acknowledged initial reservations about portraying Kristine and Michael Barnett, fearing the narrative could come across as exploitative. Their discussions with the showrunners helped cement their decision to participate, which aims to delve deeper into the complexities of trust and morality within the context of the Barnetts’ controversial story.
