Christina Hendricks revealed she had only 30 hours to prepare for her role as Cynthia Mans in Hulu’s Good American Family before stepping onto the set.

Hendricks told US Weekly, “I got cast 30 hours before I was on set, so I had to work very, very quickly.” 

Moreover, the actress immediately studied the script and watched The Curious Case of Natalia Grace documentary to understand the real-life story. 

Additionally, she also worked with a dialect coach to distinguish her character from the Barnetts, the adoptive parents at the center of the controversy.

As per the publication, Hendricks joins the series in the second half, portraying Cynthia Mans, the third adoptive mother of Natalia Grace. 

The real Natalia, now 21, was adopted from Ukraine at age seven but was abandoned by her adoptive parents, Kristine and Michael Barnett, who later changed her birth year, alleging she was an adult pretending to be a child. 

A DNA test later confirmed she was a minor at the time, as per the outlet. 

Despite the rushed timeline, Hendricks called the experience “fast and furious” but said she trusted the team, describing the production as a “well-oiled machine.”