Christina Hendricks Joins Ellen Pompeo in Hulu Limited Series Natalia (Exclusive)

Michael Ausiello
·2-min read

Mad Men vet Christina Hendricks is set to co-star opposite Grey’s Anatomy‘s Ellen Pompeo in Hulu’s forthcoming limited series Natalia, TVLine has learned exclusively.

Formerly titled Orphan, Natalia is inspired by the true story of Natalia Grace and follows a Midwestern couple — Kristine and Michael Barnett (played by Pompeo and The Morning Show‘s Mark Duplass) — who adopt what they believe is an 8-year-old Ukrainian girl with a rare form of dwarfism. But as they begin to raise the girl alongside their three biological children, they slowly start to believe she may not be who she says she is.

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Hendricks plays Cynthia Mans, a no-nonsense pastor’s wife and foster mother, who enters Natalia’s life when she’s at her most vulnerable.

The cast also includes Dulé Hill (The West Wing, Psych) as Brandon Drysdale, a detective investigating criminal allegations made against the Barnetts, and Sarayu Blue (Expats) as Valika, a parent of one of the kids at Kristine’s daycare.

Grace’s story was the subject of a 2023 Investigation Discovery series The Curious Case of Natalia Grace. A second season, titled The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks, debuted earlier this year.

It was back in August 2022 when Pompeo signed on to star in and executive-produce the series — news that was accompanied by the announcement that she would henceforth continue with Grey’s in a “limited capacity” (ultimately appearing in less than half of Season 19).

Katie Robbins (The Affair, Apple TV+’s Sunny) serves as creator/writer on Orphan and is executive-producing with Pompeo, writer Sarah Sutherland, Pompeo’s producing partner Laura Holstein, Mike Epps, Dan Spilo, NIles Kirchner, Andrew Stern and director Liz Garbus.

In addition to her career-making turn as Joan Holloway on Mad Men, Hendricks’ TV credits also include a starring role in NBC’s Good Girls.

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