Kristen Lee Gutoskie Reveals First Dialog with “Octomom” Natalie Suleman—And Her Son Elijah
Kristen Lee Gutoskie, who performs “Octomom” Natalie Suleman within the new Lifetime movie I Was Octomom: The Natalie Suleman Yarn, completely suggested E! News what it become esteem to talk to the mother of 14.
In the trailer for her new biopic, Natalie “Nadya” Suleman tells viewers, “You’d command you recognize Octomom, nevertheless you don’t know me.”
And whereas Kristen Lee Gutoskie remembers seeing the endless headlines in regards to the mother of 14 within the gradual aughts, she insists she didn’t hang preconceived notions when she signed on to play her in I Was Octomom: The Natalie Suleman Yarn, which premieres on Lifetime March 8.
“After all, no,” she suggested E! News' Francesca Amiker in an unprecedented interview. “I simply remembered, 'Oh yeah, that's the lady who had a bunch of babies.' I simply remembered the photos that I'd seen again then, nevertheless I truly didn't pay a great deal of consideration.”
For sure, quite quite a bit of the sector did.
Natalie become catapulted into the public view in January 2009 when she added to her family of six younger individuals by giving starting up to the sector's first surviving octuplets, with all of her younger individuals being conceived by job of in vitro fertilization. Over time, she and Dr. Michael Kamrava—who transferred 12 embryos to Natalie in 2008 and had his license revoked by the Scientific Board of California three years later—confronted intense public scrutiny. For Natalie, this incorporated questions over her ability to financially toughen her family, accusations of her chasing status and headlines about her 2012 preserve at a rehab heart.
As she build it within the Lifetime movie, “At one point, I become one in all primarily the most hated individuals in The usa.”
Then all but again, Kristen wished to be taught extra in regards to the simplest mother within the again of the tabloid covers and paparazzi photos.
“After I started to analyze her and kind of dive into the characteristic, I become esteem, 'Oh wow, there become quite a bit going on'—a great deal of tabloids, a great deal of assorted issues,” she suggested E! News. “It become all news to me. So, it's form of cool in that formula. Bask in, I knew who she become, nevertheless I didn't know all of the main points. So, I could well well form of peep at it in nearly a hindsight standpoint from the point of scrutinize of on the original time with out having all these preconceived solutions around her.”
To space up for the characteristic, Kristen watched online videos from Natalie’s previous interviews.
“In the prep old to, I truly handiest had what I’d seen on TV,” shared The Handmaid’s Yarn alum, who talked about she flew to Vancouver to launch filming about per week after being solid. “And so when I become doing the scenes, I needed to strive to achieve what she become going thru in a non-public formula. These were the extra stressful scenes.”
Later on within the filming job, she persevered, she got to be taught Natalie’s unpublished manuscript. And whereas Natalie is an government producer of I Was Octomom and, in step with Kristen, become also “very bearing in thoughts the writing job” with script creator Kelly Fullerton, she wasn’t on space for the movie shoot. So, Kristen wasn’t ready to have a study with Natalie till no longer too lengthy within the past.
“Afterwards, it become truly nice when I truly at last spoke to Natalie,” the actress persevered. “She become truly, truly glad with it, and he or she felt truly represented. And he or she become so sweet. She's esteem, 'Nobody else could well well hang performed this share.' And I become esteem, 'Thanks. I become skittish.' You by no method know because you’ll need to meet them, and you're esteem, 'I’m hoping you esteem what I did because you're alive. You're a precise human respiration air.' So, it become a anxious screech to make certain she felt glad with what we build up on display mask mask.”
The movie comes 16 years after Natalie gave bith to octuplets Noah, Maliyah, Isaiah, Nariyah, Jonah, Makai, Josiah and Jeremiah—with them joining older siblings Elijah, 23; Amerah, 22; Joshua, 21; Aidan, 19, and twins Calyssa and Caleb, 18.
As for the reason she wished to declare her fable now?
“Well, her younger individuals are grown now,” Kristen explained. “I got to talk truly truly rapid with her eldest son Elijah on the phone, which become so awesome because her younger individuals are significant and I truly desire to make certain they're glad. And on the total, I bear when they were so younger, she become asked to maintain shows and hang them in, I deem, a actuality sequence. And he or she become esteem, ‘No, I don't desire that. They’ll't talk for themselves.’ Now, because they're older, her and her younger individuals can at last talk for themselves and also form of peep again on the experience and up to the moment it from a ‘right here's why I did what I did, and right here's where we are.’”
After all, Kristen—who welcomed her first child, a son, in June 2023—talked about she and Natalie were ready to connect thru their shared experience of being moms.
“She's a human being who is, on the finish of the day, a mother and seemingly a in point of fact lawful mother,” she persevered. “She has amazing younger individuals—14 younger those that’re thriving and dazzling and trim and stunning. So yeah, I linked with her. We chatted about a great deal of stuff, in particular motherhood. I feel esteem I wouldn't were ready to play this characteristic had I no longer became a mother no longer too lengthy within the past. I’ve performed moms old to, and I could well well realize in my nurturing instincts a formula to faucet into the characteristic. I don't command it be a ought to to be a mother to play a mother. Then all but again, something about it truly helped me realize her.”
And he or she hopes viewers are commence to notion a aspect of Natalie—who also became a grandmother last yr— that’s assorted from the one they salvage out about online.
“All individuals is a entire human, and there's so noteworthy extra to each person than what is within the headlines,” Kristen talked about. “Natalie had so many selections and experiences which will likely be shared within the movie that you possibly didn't salvage to designate within the within the public view. So I bear, yeah, there's extra to all individuals than doubtlessly shared within the media. And also that we’re going to overcome something else, and that family is this kind of fantastic screech to push us thru.”
I Was Octomom: The Natalie Suleman Yarn premieres on Lifetime March 8 at 8 p.m. EST, followed by the docuseries Confessions of Octomom March 10.
For now, sustain reading to designate photos Natalie has shared of her family over the years.
Making Memories
Natalie “Nadya” Suleman fundamental her first grandchild turning six months aged with some sweet photos.
“I can’t deem our shrimp angel is already 6 months aged!” she wrote on Instagram in March 2025 alongside photos of the shrimp one, who is the daughter of her son Joshua. “That it’s possible you’ll well well also were one in all the final discover blessings in all of our lives. Your stunning, sweet smile fills my heart immeasurably. I delight in you bigger than words could well well categorical. We are all so grateful to leer you grow and thrive each day!”
Borrowing the words from the younger individuals's book Love You Forever, Natalie added, “I’ll delight in you with out a crash in sight. I’ll esteem you for continually As lengthy as I’m living My immense-shrimp one you’ll be.”
Contented Thanksgiving
Natalie thanked her younger individuals Noah, Nariyah, Jonah, and Isaiah for their “laborious work and dedication within the kitchen” for Thanksgiving 2024.
“Your healthy plant primarily based mostly, entire food, nutrient dense creations are compassionate and dazzling!” she wrote on Instagram on the time. “We are all grateful and blessed.”
Halloween Stress-free
The mother of 14 marked Halloween 2024 by sharing a throwback characterize of her and a few of her younger individuals dressed up in their costumes in 2015.
Changing trusty into a Grandma
In September 2024, Natalie announced that she'd became a grandma.
“Thanks God for blessing my son Joshua and dazzling daughter in regulations with this stunning reward!” she wrote on Instagram. “We are so grateful she is a brand new addition to our family! Dinky one lady you is possibly so very cherished and we’re going to’t wait to leer you grow!! 8/30/24.”
Surrounded by Love
While her younger individuals smiled for the digicam, Mother snuck in a desire on her 49th birthday in July 2024.
“Thanks younger individuals for making my birthday the old day so special!” she wrote on Instagram. “I delight in you all.”
Compliments to the Cooks
Jonah, Nariyah, Noah and Jeremiah were accountable of the family's vegan feast on Native American Heritage Day in 2023.
“Contented belated Thanksgiving and Contented Native American Heritage Day!” Natalie wrote on Instagram in November 2023. “Thanks to the head cooks Jonah, Nariyah, Noah, and Jeremiah, who worked relentlessly cooking dazzling meals for the family. You are cherished and liked, and deserved these two overflowing plates of your creations! Hope all our kind supporters had a earn and blessed special time with family!”
Ladies Night Out
Mother took Amerah and Calyssa out for ramen (vegan, needless to command) in August 2023.
Birthday Bliss
In lieu of 48 candles, the younger individuals introduced balloons for their mother's birthday in July 2023.
Younger Queen
Natalie's eldest daughter Amerah fundamental her Twenty first birthday in July 2023.
Dynamic Duo
The 2 enjoyed a mother daughter movie night in July 2023.
We've Bought Each and every Other
Natalie marked twins Caleb and Calyssa's sweet 16 with this adorable throwback pic.
“Contented sweet 16th birthday to my, (couldn’t be extra polar opposite), twins Caleb and Calyssa!” she wrote on Instagram in October 2022. “Calyssa, it’s possible you’ll well even hang grown trusty into a form, loving, compassionate (in direction of all living issues), brilliant, stunning younger lady. Words can not listing how proud I’m to call you my daughter. You are a proficient creator and artist, and can tranquil maintain any purpose you space for yourself, as lengthy as you by no method stop. I like your psychological energy, decision, and perseverance, and am blessed to be your mother. Caleb, it’s possible you’ll well even hang grown trusty into a loving, caring, extremely brilliant, comedic, rapid witted, perceptive, and devoted younger man. I’m blessed to hang you ever as a son. Could possibly perchance God continue to bless you both abundantly. I delight in you.”
First Day of College
In August 2022, Natalie fundamental her octuplets starting up eighth grade.
“Be overjoyed with yourselves younger individuals for being kind, respectful, and helpful to all of your fellow peers, lecturers and workers,” she wrote on Instagram alongside their first day of faculty characterize. “You are excellent characteristic gadgets to the 6th and seventh graders. I delight in you.”
And to any “critics” wondering about why her older younger individuals weren't within the snap, Natalie made it clear “their older siblings did no longer desire me to post a image on their first day. I admire their alternative, so can also tranquil you.”
Beloved Cats
The family loves their fur babies too.
Search What I Made
Exhibiting off a cat and crafts on the couch.
Twinning!
Maliyah and Nariyah were a coordinated sister act.
Fur Dinky one Bonding
The Sulemans are a cat family, so Maliyah took the choice to maintain some dog-sitting.
Man of the Dwelling
Natalie snuck a rare fresh pic of eldest son Elijah onto her feed in honor of his Twenty first birthday in 2022.
Each and every Day is Mother's Day
Mother's Day is by no method lonely for Natalie, right here celebrating with her octuplets and their tall sister Amerah in 2022.
12th Birthday
“Contented 12th birthday to eight of primarily the most kind, caring, and respectful younger individuals I hang ever identified,” Natalie wrote to her octuplets on Instagram in January 2021. “Your compassion for all living issues and the worth of humbly serving others is the definition of delight in. You maintain my heart corpulent, and hang blessed our lives abundantly. I’m honored to be your mother.”
Brotherly Love
Noah and Jonah got prepared to dig in.
14 and Counting
The Suleman octuplets enjoyed baked goods on their 14th birthday.
Throwback Photos
Joshua, wearing the quick face tat, and tall brother Eli were about to clutch flight on this throwback pic their mother shared.
Loving Siblings
In this throwback characterize, Natalie reflected on how “Makai has continually been Aidan’s guardian angel, looking out out for him from day one.”
Santa's Helpers
Getting eight younger individuals to line up and smile for a pic sounds esteem a Christmas miracle to us.
Source credit : eonline.com
