Everything to Know About ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Star Ellen Pompeo’s Untitled Orphan Show

Credit: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

Everything to Know About 'Grey's Anatomy' Star Ellen Pompeo’s Untitled Orphan Show

Stepping out from behind the stethoscope. Ellen Pompeo will star in and executive produce a new limited series for Hulu, marking her first significant role since landing Grey's Anatomy in 2005. The eight-episode show is still untitled but follows a midwestern couple who adopts someone they believe is an 8-year-old girl with a rare form of dwarfism, Variety reported in August 2022, but the family quickly realizes all is not what it seems. "As they begin to raise her alongside their three biological children, they slowly start to believe she may not be who she says she is," the synopsis said. "As they question her story, they’re confronted with hard questions of their own about the lengths they’re willing to go to defend themselves, falling into a battle that’s fought in the tabloids, the courtroom, and ultimately their marriage." Pompeo and will executive produce along with Laura Holstein and the actress' Calamity Jane production company for ABC Signature Studios. This is Pompeo's first major TV role since 2005 outside of playing Dr. Meredith Grey on Grey's Anatomy, also an ABC Signature Studios production. The order for her limited series follows news that she'll have a reduced presence on the medical drama in season 19. [jwplayer ghjlBbQL-zhNYySv2] The Boston native will reportedly only appear in eight episodes of Grey's Anatomy season 19, which is expected to have 20 to 24 episodes total. She'll continue to narrate every episode and executive produce. In May 2022, the actress — who has publicly said she debated leaving the show — hinted that instead of trying to end Grey's Anatomy, she and creator Shonda Rhimes was trying to figure out how the franchise could survive without Meredith. “Shonda and I, I think — we’ll see, we’ll see,” told Entertainment Tonight at the time of whether the show will last without her in the future. “Trying to reinvent the show and continually trying to reinvent the show is the challenge at this point.” She added, “Listen, the show speaks to a lot of people, and the young people love the show. It’s inspired so many generations of healthcare workers, so, I think for the young people, it’s a really good piece of content and we’re going to try to keep it going for the young people, not necessarily with me, but keep it going beyond me.” Since starting the long-running medical drama, Pompeo has appeared on spinoff Station 19, lent her voice to an episode of Doc McStuffins and made a cameo in Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood" music video. Prior to starting her more than 400-episode run on Grey's, Pompeo appeared on TV shows such as Friends and Law & Order as well as movies like Daredevil, Old School and Catch Me if You Can. Scroll down for everything to know about her new limited series: [podcast_block]

Credit: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

Everything to Know About 'Grey's Anatomy' Star Ellen Pompeo’s Untitled Orphan Show

Stepping out from behind the stethoscope. Ellen Pompeo will star in and executive produce a new limited series for Hulu, marking her first significant role since landing Grey's Anatomy in 2005. The eight-episode show is still untitled but follows a midwestern couple who adopts someone they believe is an 8-year-old girl with a rare form of dwarfism, Variety reported in August 2022, but the family quickly realizes all is not what it seems. "As they begin to raise her alongside their three biological children, they slowly start to believe she may not be who she says she is," the synopsis said. "As they question her story, they’re confronted with hard questions of their own about the lengths they’re willing to go to defend themselves, falling into a battle that’s fought in the tabloids, the courtroom, and ultimately their marriage." Pompeo and will executive produce along with Laura Holstein and the actress' Calamity Jane production company for ABC Signature Studios. This is Pompeo's first major TV role since 2005 outside of playing Dr. Meredith Grey on Grey's Anatomy, also an ABC Signature Studios production. The order for her limited series follows news that she'll have a reduced presence on the medical drama in season 19. [jwplayer ghjlBbQL-zhNYySv2] The Boston native will reportedly only appear in eight episodes of Grey's Anatomy season 19, which is expected to have 20 to 24 episodes total. She'll continue to narrate every episode and executive produce. In May 2022, the actress — who has publicly said she debated leaving the show — hinted that instead of trying to end Grey's Anatomy, she and creator Shonda Rhimes was trying to figure out how the franchise could survive without Meredith. “Shonda and I, I think — we’ll see, we’ll see,” told Entertainment Tonight at the time of whether the show will last without her in the future. “Trying to reinvent the show and continually trying to reinvent the show is the challenge at this point.” She added, “Listen, the show speaks to a lot of people, and the young people love the show. It’s inspired so many generations of healthcare workers, so, I think for the young people, it’s a really good piece of content and we’re going to try to keep it going for the young people, not necessarily with me, but keep it going beyond me.” Since starting the long-running medical drama, Pompeo has appeared on spinoff Station 19, lent her voice to an episode of Doc McStuffins and made a cameo in Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood" music video. Prior to starting her more than 400-episode run on Grey's, Pompeo appeared on TV shows such as Friends and Law & Order as well as movies like Daredevil, Old School and Catch Me if You Can. Scroll down for everything to know about her new limited series: [podcast_block]

Credit: ABC/Mike Rosenthal

Has Hulu Set a Release Date?

A release date has not been set.

Credit: Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

Is It Based on a True Story?

The Hulu series is "inspired" by a true story. Real-life couple Kristine and Michael Barnett experienced something similar when adopting Natalia, a Ukrainian girl they believed to be a 7-year-old with dwarfism. She was later accused by the Barnetts of being a 21-year-old con artist. The parents allege that she threatened to kill them and their biological sons.

After legally changing Natalia's birth year from 2003 to 1989 on official records, the Barnetts moved Natalia into an apartment in a new city and moved their family to Canada in 2013. They were charged with neglect of a dependent in 2019, but the case is ongoing. Although her age change — which Natalia claims is inaccurate — is legal, her dwarfism still makes her dependent on her adoptive parents.

Credit: Jim Smeal/BEI/Shutterstock

Who Is on the Creative Team?

Erin Levy (Mad Men) will serve as showrunner. Katie Robbins (The Affair) is writing and executive producing, with Pompeo, Holstein, Mike Epps, Dan Spilo, Niles Kirchner and Andrew Stearn.