It is decided. Mark Duplass has been set as the male lead opposite Ellen Pompeo and Imogen Faith Reid in Hulu’s Orphan, an eight-episode limited series, according to Deadline.
- Duplass will play Michael Barnett, at the time husband of Pompeo’s Kristine Barnett, and adoptive father to Natalia (Reid).
- In 2019, Michael, an upbeat Midwestern dad and retail manager, was charged, along with his ex-wife Kristine (Pompeo), for the neglect and abandonment of their daughter Natalia, whom they adopted in 2010. Already in the public eye because of Kristine’s bestselling book The Spark– about raising their son Jacob, a science prodigy– Michael’s world begins to crumble as he and Kristine are forced to defend the narratives they’ve spun about Natalia in the courts of law and public opinion.
- Duplass is best known for his role in Apple TV+s The Morning Show, for which he earned a 2020 Emmy nomination and a 2022 Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
- He also starred in FX’s fantasy football-focused comedy The League.
- Orphan, which is a working title, is written by Katie Robbins, who also serves as showrunner.
- The series is inspired by the true story of Natalia Grace and the Midwestern couple who adopted her believing she was a little girl with dwarfism but gradually started to believe she may not be who she said she was.
- Robbis is also credited as creator and executive producer on the series.
- She is joined by writer/executive producer Sarah Sutherland and executive producers Pompeo, Laura Holstein. Mike Epps, Dan Spilo, NIles Kirchner and Andrew Stern.
- Liz Garbus will direct and executive produce the pilot.
- ABC Signature is the studio.