Latest news with #TheCuriousCaseofNataliaGrace
IOL News
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
'Good American Family': a heartwrenching tale of adoption gone awry – when family ties turn toxic
Ellen Pompeo and Imogen Faith Reid as Kristine Barnett and Natalia Grace in 'Good American Family'. Image: Disney+ Some years back, I happened upon "The Curious Case of Natalia Grace", a documentary about a Ukrainian girl who was adopted by an American family, only to be abandoned two years later. There was nothing ordinary about this story, as there was uncertainty around Natalia's real age. Suffering from spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita, a rare form of dwarfism, she looked much younger than certain physiological changes that were observed by her adopted mom. However, Natalia's behaviour presented as a little girl prone to tantrums. Disney+ has revisited this true-life story in an eight-part dramatised series, "Good American Family". The narrative is drawn from allegations, court proceedings, as well as what has been publicly reported on the story. Of course, some creative liberties have been taken to ensure it's an engaging story. The writers employed a Rashomon-style narrative, intentionally creating a polarised viewer perception of Natalia. The first episode opens with Kristine Barnett (Ellen Pompeo), Natalia's (Imogen Faith Reid) adoptive mother and a celebrated author on raising children with autism. What started out as Kristine wanting to be a good mother and helping as many children, including those she adopted, somehow goes pearshaped. At first, you see this picture-perfect all-American family. Kristine is doing her best to run her home with her three boys: Jacob, Wesley and Ethan. Jacob is Kristine's proudest success story as he is about to start university and is making waves for his genius-level IQ. She comes across as most busy mothers do; doing drop-offs, planning meals and taking care of her family. Her husband, Michael (Mark Duplass), is supportive and quickly bonds with Natalia when she joins their family. At first, Kristine fobs off Natalia's strange behaviour; she doesn't like to be treated like a child, doesn't like being told what to do, and doesn't want to be bathed by her mother. However, her gut instinct tells her there's more to the unruly behaviour and outbursts. Her suspicions are slowly confirmed when she finds a knife in Natalia's room, notices she has been menstruating and hiding it and finds her coffee spiked with a cleaning product. It isn't long before the nurturing mother changes her attitude towards Natalia, especially when she causes her to have an accident and tries to kill one of her brothers by throwing his toys into oncoming traffic. Imogen Faith Reid as Natalia Grace in 'Good American Family'. Image: Disney+ Aside from being at her wits' end, she spots something amiss with Natalia's paperwork and starts to suspect that they have been misled on Natalia's real age. Hellbent on proving her theory and getting Natalia, who Kristine feels exudes sociopathic tendencies, out of their home, they legally changed her birthdate from 2003 to 1989, moved her into her own apartment and distanced her from the family. That's one version of the story. The other centres on Natalia, her struggles with feeding and taking care of herself. She wrestles with anxiety over being abandoned, being physically abused by her stepmom. Her actions suggest underlying trauma and fear. After being abandoned by her adoptive parents, Natalia meets Cynthia Mans and her husband Antwon, who invite her to stay with them and their seven adopted children. There are hints of Cynthia's concern being financially motivated, but Natalia is oblivious to it, as she only sees her kindness. In watching the series, I've gone from taking a strong dislike to Natalia to empathising with her. Again, this is attributed to because the story is being told from different perspectives, and so the roles of victim and abuser constantly shift. Pompeo and Faith Reid cover a wide gamut of emotions with the varying stages of their respective characters. They are the anchors of the series, and they are marvellous to watch in a Jekyll and Hyde sense. Rating: **** a standout series with exceptional qualities. Update on the real Natalia Grace… Like the Menendez Brothers, this story has seen streamers develop renewed interest in the real-life Natalia Grace. Born in Ukraine, she was adopted by Dyan and Gary Ciccone of New Hampshire in 2008. However, she was placed back for adoption in 2010 for her 'disruptive behaviour'. That year, she was adopted by Kristine and Michael Barnett and took on their surname. Two years later, the Barnetts petitioned the court to have her birth date legally changed from 2003 to 1989, which immediately made her an adult. They moved her to an apartment in Westfield, Indiana, and later Lafayette, Indiana, before relocating to Canada. Not long after, she found a home and family with Antwon and Cynthia Mans, which then led to charges of neglect being brought against the Barnetts. However, living with her new family wasn't without challenges, and after years of being abused, she eventually managed to escape and find a home with Nicole and Vince DePaul, who have helped her find an attorney and recoup the money she lost. She's reportedly thriving and leading a good life with her new family, and she has a boyfriend.
Business Insider
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
'Good American Family' doesn't cover Natalia Grace's full true story. Here's what we know about a potential season 2.
Hulu's scripted miniseries " Good American Family," which recounts the true story of Natalia Grace's disastrous adoption from multiple perspectives, aired its first season finale on Wednesday. The dramatic episode, titled "Blood on Her Hands," follows Natalia (Imogen Faith Reid) as a legal case is mounted against her adoptive parents, Kristine and Michael Barnett, played by Ellen Pompeo and Mark Duplass. In real life, the Barnetts were arrested and charged with neglect after leaving Natalia in Indiana and moving to Canada. They had adopted her in 2010, believing her to be a 6-year-old Ukrainian orphan, but later claimed Natalia was an adult con artist pretending to be a child. (Natalia has denied all their accusations.) The Barnetts petitioned a court to re-age Natalia, successfully changing her legal birth year from 2003 to 1989. However, the Barnetts remained her legal guardians as a result of Natalia's disability. Natalia, who has a rare form of dwarfism called spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia, was eventually adopted by another set of parents, Cynthia and Antwon Mans, played by Christina Hendricks and Jerod Haynes. In the TV show, as in real life, the Barnetts don't go to jail; the case against Michael falls apart when the judge rules against any mention of Natalia's age in court. The charges against Kristine were later dismissed. Despite the harsh legal verdict, causing Natalia to fear the world would see her as a "monster," the finale gestures toward a happier future for Natalia with the Mans family — but that's not where Natalia's real story ended. People interviewed in season three of ID's docuseries, "The Curious Case of Natalia Grace," said they witnessed abuse in the Mans household. Natalia also confirmed she'd left the family, and as of January 2025, she said she was living with another family, the DePauls, in New York. Cynthia and Antwon Mans did not respond to BI's request for comment on the abuse allegations. Will "Good American Family" return for a second season to keep following the twists and turns of Natalia's story? Here's what we know. "Good American Family" was originally created as an eight-episode limited series. As of writing, Hulu has not announced a renewal. The series creator, Katie Robbins, told TV Insider that the showrunners have not planned for a second season. "This series ends very specifically where it does," Robbins said. "At the end of that trial, when there is empirical, scientific fact [available about] Natalia's age, and having that not change anything in the court of law. Having that be not admissible in the court of law really lands this horrifying idea — in a show that grapples with horror tropes — that is the most kind of horrifying thing at the end of the day, that that doesn't matter. That doesn't change anything." Although she didn't definitively rule out another season, Robbins explained the "Good American Family" finale was constructed in a way for the show's key themes — the deceptive effects of bias, the dangers of performative charity, the fallibility of the justice system — to land "sharply."
Business Insider
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
'Good American Family' doesn't cover Natalia Grace's full true story. Here's what we know about a potential season 2.
Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Good American Family." Hulu's scripted miniseries " Good American Family," which recounts the true story of Natalia Grace's disastrous adoption from multiple perspectives, aired its first season finale on Wednesday. The dramatic episode, titled "Blood on Her Hands," follows Natalia (Imogen Faith Reid) as a legal case is mounted against her adoptive parents, Kristine and Michael Barnett, played by Ellen Pompeo and Mark Duplass. In real life, the Barnetts were arrested and charged with neglect after leaving Natalia in Indiana and moving to Canada. They had adopted her in 2010, believing her to be a 6-year-old Ukrainian orphan, but later claimed Natalia was an adult con artist pretending to be a child. (Natalia has denied all their accusations.) The Barnetts petitioned a court to re-age Natalia, successfully changing her legal birth year from 2003 to 1989. However, the Barnetts remained her legal guardians as a result of Natalia's disability. Natalia, who has a rare form of dwarfism called spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia, was eventually adopted by another set of parents, Cynthia and Antwon Mans, played by Christina Hendricks and Jerod Haynes. In the TV show, as in real life, the Barnetts don't go to jail; the case against Michael falls apart when the judge rules against any mention of Natalia's age in court. The charges against Kristine were later dismissed. Despite the harsh legal verdict, causing Natalia to fear the world would see her as a "monster," the finale gestures toward a happier future for Natalia with the Mans family — but that's not where Natalia's real story ended. People interviewed in season three of ID's docuseries, "The Curious Case of Natalia Grace," said they witnessed abuse in the Mans household. Natalia also confirmed she'd left the family, and as of January 2025, she said she was living with another family, the DePauls, in New York. Cynthia and Antwon Mans did not respond to BI's request for comment on the abuse allegations. Will "Good American Family" return for a second season to keep following the twists and turns of Natalia's story? Here's what we know. 'Good American Family' creator Katie Robbins said there are no plans for season 2, but 'never say never' "Good American Family" was originally created as an eight-episode limited series. As of writing, Hulu has not announced a renewal. The series creator, Katie Robbins, told TV Insider that the showrunners have not planned for a second season. "This series ends very specifically where it does," Robbins said. "At the end of that trial, when there is empirical, scientific fact [available about] Natalia's age, and having that not change anything in the court of law. Having that be not admissible in the court of law really lands this horrifying idea — in a show that grapples with horror tropes — that is the most kind of horrifying thing at the end of the day, that that doesn't matter. That doesn't change anything." Although she didn't definitively rule out another season, Robbins explained the "Good American Family" finale was constructed in a way for the show's key themes — the deceptive effects of bias, the dangers of performative charity, the fallibility of the justice system — to land "sharply." "I think that to do an additional story here, there would need to be a reason, something to say with it," Robbins said. "And never say never, but that would be the thing: 'Why tell it?'"
Forbes
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Where Is Cynthia Mans Now? What Happened After Natalia Grace Left The Religious Family
Mans family from Instagram In Episode 6 of Hulu's Good American Family, inspired by the true story of Natalia Grace, viewers are introduced to Indiana couple Cynthia and Antwon Mans, portrayed by Christina Hendricks and Jerod Haynes. They encounter Natalia, a Ukrainian orphan with a rare form of dwarfism, and develop a relationship that lasts for a decade, though it eventually takes a troubling turn. At this point in the miniseries, Natalia is still struggling to live on her own after her adoptive parents, Michael and Kristine Barnett, left her behind as they prepare to move to Canada with their three biological sons. The Barnetts had legally changed Natalia's age to 22 so she'd be considered an adult (a DNA test later confirmed she was still a child). While living alone in Indiana, Natalia crossed paths with Cynthia and Antwon Mans, who would go on to adopt her in 2023. In Good American Family, questions linger about Cynthia's true motives and whether her intentions with Natalia are genuine. 'It's very clever of them,' Hendricks told TV Insider about the subtle hints of doubt woven into the episode. '[She] As you watch the episode, here's what to know about the Mans family's history with Natalia Grace and whether they still have a relationship with her today. Antwon Mans, Natalia Grace Mans, and Cynthia Mans. Antwon and Cynthia Mans, a couple who once lived in Indiana and now reside in Tennessee, became Natalia's guardians for over a decade, according to Antwon is a pastor who established a small church, and they have 10 children. Natalia met the Mans family after moving into her second apartment in Lafayette, Indiana. One day, while hobbling down the street, she paused a few houses down to take a rest. A nearby homeowner noticed her and came outside to chat with her. That woman eventually introduced Natalia to her friend, Cynthia. A few days later, Natalia moved in with Cynthia, her husband Antwon, and their kids. Cynthia later testified during Michael trial—where he faced multiple neglect charges alongside his ex-wife Kristine—that they charged Natalia $250 a month in rent and taught her how to read, write, and do math. At that time, Natalia admitted that she did not know how to count money, did not understand how to use her food stamp card, and had no idea that she was receiving Social Security disability benefits. In 2016, the Manses filed a petition in court seeking guardianship of Grace. However, Michael objected because Natalia's birth year had been legally changed from 2003 to 1989, according to documents from the Indiana Court of Appeals obtained by Ultimately, the Manses were unsuccessful in their attempt to have the original age change order overturned. Natalia Grace in 'The Curious Case of Natalia Grace" on ID. The Mans family officially adopted Natalia in 2023. In the second season of Investigation Discovery's docuseries, The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks, their relationship is portrayed positively. Antwon supported Natalia when she received her DNA results, which confirmed that she was indeed a child while living with the Barnetts. He was also present when Natalia confronted Michael for the first time. The docuseries shows one troubling moment involving a past incident between Natalia and a member of the Mans family. Genesis Mans, one of the children in the household, recalled in an interview that Natalia bit her when she was a baby. The Mans family acknowledged that Natalia faced some challenges when she first moved in but added that she has since apologized for her behavior. 'Natalia been with us all these years, and let me tell you, we have corrected Natalia, and she's never came at us with the knife or put thumbtacks up on our stairs, or tried to hurt our children,' Cynthia said in the series, referencing the allegations against Natalia. Unfortunately, tensions started to rise between Grace, Cynthia, and Antwon after they found her communicating online with her boyfriend in the U.K. By the end of Season 2 of Natalia Speaks, a black screen appears with text that reads, 'Two weeks ago, and six months after Natalia's adoption, the producers got a shocking phone call.' Then, as the camera slowly zooms in on Natalia sitting on a porch, Antwon and Cynthia's voices play over again. 'Something ain't right with Natalia,' he says. 'This girl is tweakin'. I feel like she's the enemy in the house. And she said to us, we have held her hostage. Made us look like we're the enemy.' 'Natalia is stabbing her family in the back over a complete lie,' Cynthia adds. 'She's done other things, too,' Antwon continues. Natalia Grace in 'The Curious Case of Natalia Grace" on ID. According to People, in the docuseries, several neighbors and friends claim they witnessed the Mans physically abusing Natalia. They alleged that she was whipped with a belt, slapped in the face, locked in a room, and assaulted. Natalia declined to confirm or deny those allegations to People. She also refused to comment on the abuse in the documentaries, telling the producers, 'I don't want to talk about that.' When a producer asked her if she was ever hit, she responded, 'Not anything crazy. Maybe a little pop on the butt or something.' After a decade of living with the Mans, Natalia began planning her escape. With the help of her boyfriend, she reached out to Nicole DePaul, an old friend who, along with her husband Vince, had tried to adopt Natalia in 2009 but was turned down. In late 2023, Nicole and her daughter Mackenzie, 19, drove from upstate New York and secretly picked up Natalia outside a church in Nashville. Natalia told People she was nervous about leaving the Mans but knew it was the right decision for her. "The last thing I told my sisters were, 'You guys go ahead to the church sanctuary and I love you,' Natalia said. "And then I saw the [DePauls] pull up and Mack jumped out and I'm like, 'Oh, my gosh, she's actually here.' My heart started pounding. I was terrified. I was completely terrified," she says. Cynthia Mans and her family have stepped out of the public eye following their fallout with Natalia Grace. Their public Instagram account, @hemansfamily11, has 109 posts and 16.8K followers but hasn't been updated since November 23, 2023. When the third installment of the docuseries aired, Natalia was still in contact with the Mans family, as Cynthia remained the recipient of her disability funds. However, Nicole told People that things were complicated in the beginning. "At first it was bumpy because the Mans were still involved. They were calling Natalia constantly and trying to wheel her back in," Nicole said. 'It was just this constant thing where we were walking a fine line of not doing too much. See, she just came from this house that basically was ruled by a dictator, so I didn't want to tell her what to do.' In one episode of Season 3, Nicole is heard arguing with Cynthia Mans over the phone. 'That is not your daughter, that is mine!' Mans says in the recorded call. She also tells DePaul to 'shut up' and accuses her of living a 'sinful life," according to TODAY. 'Going forward, Cynthia, you listen and respect her as an adult,' DePaul responded. Good American Family Episode 6 is now streaming on Hulu. Watch the official trailer below.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What Actually Happened To Natalia Grace Barnett?
The controversial adoption of Natalia Grace has continued to capture nationwide intrigue, particularly after Hulu's latest release of the crime drama . And while the fictionalized version of the story is captivating, nothing made our collective jaws drop more than Natalia Grace Barnett's real story that unfolded in her documentary, The Curious Case of Natalia Grace. From her time with the Barnett family to navigating life with The Mans family as an adult, there's certainly a lot to unpack. Here's everything you need to know about how Natalia Grace is right now. Only four episodes of the dramatization, starring Ellen Pompeo as Kristine Barnett, Mark Duplass as Michael Barnett, and Imogen Faith Reid as Natalia Grace, have come out thus far, with the fifth being released on Wednesday, April 9. It follows the Barnetts, a family from Indiana, who adopted Natalia Grace, a Ukrainian orphan with dwarfism, in 2010. Natalia, whose birth certificate said she was born in 2003, was thought to be about 6 years old at the time, but the Barnetts eventually accused her of lying about her age and terrorizing their family. After adopting her, Kristine and Michael Barnett alleged that Natalia had traits that suggested she wasn't a child, such as adult teeth and body hair. Plus, Natalia was accused of standing at the end of Kristine and Michael's bed with a knife, trying to poison Kristine's coffee, and attempting to push Kristine into an electric fence. So, in 2012, the Barnetts petitioned the court to have Natalia's birth date changed from 2003 to 1989. This made her legally 22 years old, and Natalia was put in her own Lafayette apartment. At the same time, the Barnett family cut contact with her and moved to Canada in order to pursue their biological son Jacob's education. "I didn't understand why I was alone. I just knew I had this instinct in me to push and survive. All I was told was, 'You're 22 now. Whenever somebody asks you what your age is, you say you're 22 and you tried to murder your family.' I was taught to lie," Natalia told earlier this year. Natalia befriended a neighbor, Cynthia Mans, after she began living alone as a child. Cynthia and her pastor husband, Antwon, had 10 children and ultimately invited Natalia to live with them. The Mans then worked to obtain Natalia's guardianship, but this meant her prior age-change order would need to be vacated via more court petitions. Following DNA analyses and medical examinations, which reportedly proved Natalia was 22 years old at the time and, therefore, a child when the Barnetts moved to Canada, Natalia's birthdate was changed back to 2003, and in 2023, the Mans finally adopted her. The same year, public interest in Natalia's adoption story skyrocketed due to the docuseries The Curious Case of Natalia Grace. She got a chance to speak out about the allegations against her during the series' second season, but by the end, Antwon and Cynthia Mans surprisingly echoed the concerns of Natalia's past adoptive parents, saying she'd become "the enemy of the house." Season 3 of The Curious Case of Natalia Grace expanded on why Natalia wound up leaving the Mans family at the tail end of 2023. She accused them of being controlling, and a UK man she met online named Neil claimed they were financially exploiting her. Natalia proceeded to leave Nashville, where the Mans family had relocated, and get on a plane with Nicole DePaul, a woman who'd tried to adopt her in 2009. Neil reportedly helped concoct the plan. Today, Natalia lives in upstate New York with Nicole DePaul and her husband, Vince, who both have dwarfism. In an interview with , Nicole detailed, "At first, it was bumpy because the Mans were still involved. They were calling Natalia constantly and trying to wheel her back in." She has been diagnosed with multiple conditions, including anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, and reactive attachment disorder. In January, Natalia was learning how to drive and studying for her GED with the goal of becoming a teacher. She also expressed her desire to get married and have kids. Looking for more pop culture news? Follow us on .
