Who is the real family behind Instant Family? Inspiration behind the film, explored

Instant Family, a 2018 drama-comedy film directed by Sean Anders, narrates the story of a couple whose life completely changes when they adopt three siblings. Starring Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne, the film is partly based on director Sean Anders' own experiences of fostering and then adopting three siblings.

In the film, husband and wife Pete and Ellie Wagner, portrayed by Wahlberg and Byrne, consider adoption after their family members show no confidence in their parenting abilities. They embark on a journey through foster care, guided by social workers Karen and Sharon, and are drawn to a teenage girl named Lizzie, played by Isabela Marced.

However, Lizzie has two younger siblings, Juan and Lita. Pete and Ellie decide to adopt all three, instantly expanding their family to five members. Yet, life in the Wagner household isn't without its challenges, as both the parents and children grapple with their new dynamics.

In this article, we'll explore the real family behind the story of Instant Family.

Note: Spoilers for the film ahead.

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Instant Family is based on director Sean Anders' own experiences

Director Sean Anders in the middle (Image via Instagram/@instantfamily)

Instant Family is based on the real-life experiences of director Sean Anders and his wife, Beth, who fostered and adopted three children. In the film, Pete jokes with Ellie about adopting a five-year-old to feel like they've had a child sooner, which mirrors the conversation that sparked the idea of adoption for Sean and Beth Andrews.

Taking the idea seriously, Sean and Beth started researching the foster care system and eventually made the bold decision to become foster parents. Just as depicted by Pete and Ellie in the film, they took classes to become certified to foster a child, but their journey took an unexpected turn when they ended up adopting three siblings.

One notable difference between the film and reality is that the Anders did not adopt a teenager like Lizzie in the film. Sean Anders shared this detail about the character of Lizzie with RogerEbert.com. The director explained that Lizzie is based on a real teenager that they wanted to adopt, but she refused the placement because she was hoping for her mother to come back.

Anders remarked,

"There wasn’t anything we could do about that, so it just scuttled. The social worker called back after that and said, “There are three other kids, if you’re still interested.” Those are now my kids and they were six, three, and eighteen months at the time. But that other girl, I never forgot her, and she was the genesis of the Lizzy character."

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Instant Family mostly succeeds at capturing the complexity of adoption

Mark Wahlberg and Rose Bryne (Image via Instagram/@instantfamily)

Instant Family captures both the joys and struggles of opening one's home and heart to foster children. The film has its most heartwarming moments when Pete and Ellie slowly bond with each of the children. The mother-daughter dynamic between Ellie and Lizzie is specifically the most intriguing part of the film. As Ellie has never had a real parent and has taken care of herself and her siblings without any help, she struggles to let Ellie into her life as a mother.

Instant Family also takes inspiration from the journey and struggles of other families that took on the responsibility of fostering and adopting children. Sean Anders, at a press conference for the film in New York City, stated:

"The movie is inspired by my own family, but also by a lot of other families that I met along the way."

The end credits of Instant Family feature pictures of many such families, alongside Anders. The director intended to make a film that focuses more on the journey that one goes through during the process of adoption, including both happy and struggling moments, rather than showcasing just the problems and troubles.

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Final Thoughts

Drawing from his personal experiences, Sean Anders carved an earnest and heartwarming story centered on adoption and foster care. The film serves as a poignant reminder that adoption is as normal as having biological children. It also advocates the urgent need to focus on the millions of orphans who are left at the mercy of the system.

Released in the United States on November 16, 2018, Instant Family received critical acclaim and enjoyed a good box office response. The film is now available for streaming on Netflix.