Animal Kingdom: A Blend of Fact, Fiction and Fanatics

TNT’s Animal Kingdom is a cocktail of intrigue, dark introspection and Oceanside’s mafia world led by the matriarch Smurf Cody.

Smurf’s life story and relationship with her kin are so peculiar, that it sometimes gets tough to separate what could be fact from fiction. The big question on everyone’s minds: Is it actually based on a true story?

TNT’s Animal Kingdom is based on the 2010 Australian film of the same name by David Michôd, both of which are inspired by the Melbourne-based Pettingill family. However, the show does not cover any real-life events.  

Which crime family is Animal Kingdom based on?

First of all, TNT’s Animal Kingdom show is based on a 2010 Australian film of the same name, which was directed by David Michôd. Like the show, the film too starts off with J dealing with his mom’s death, and then following the new trajectory of his life with the Codys, his once-estranged criminal family.

Animal Kingdom has been inspired by several Australian mafia families from the 1970-80s, but the main one is the Melbourne-based Pettingill family. Smurf Cody is modelled after Kath Pettingill, the Pettingill crime family’s matriarch. 

Pettingill had ten children, and the family was alleged to have indulged in a bunch of criminal activities like running brothels, armed robbery, drug dealing and trafficking, and murder.

How much of Animal Kingdom is based on real life?

As a show that is six seasons long, Animal Kingdom has to sustain itself on a lot of original writing.

Plus, you also have to remember that the show is more so based on the film than on the Pettingill family. So, it doesn’t really adapt anything that happened in real life.

Even if you compare the show to the film, you’ll see a lot of major differences, as the film focuses mainly on J’s moral conflict.

On one side, he’s just found his blood relatives after the death of his mother. He’s young and impressionable and feels the need to fit in with them. On the flip side, he knows that their whole enterprise is corrupt and dangerous.

Which side should he choose? This is the whole “animal kingdom” metaphor and dilemma that lends itself to the title.

Given how extensive the show is, it not only gets to explore J’s initial predicament but also gives the other characters a chance in the limelight — even allowing room for some rather psychologically incestuous dynamics.

In fact, this is why Smurf emerges as the true protagonist (rather than J), giving the show a whole new edge over the film. 

About Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom is an American drama television series developed by Jonathan Lisco. It is based on the 2010 Australian film of the same name directed by David Michôd, who is executive producer for the series, alongside Liz Watts, who also produced the 2010 film.

The series follows a 17-year-old boy, who, after the death of his mother, moves in with his estranged relatives, the Codys, a criminal family clan governed by the matriarch Smurf.

The crime drama stars Ellen Barkin, Shawn Hatosy, Ben Robson, Jake Weary, Finn Cole, Danielle Alonso, Molly Gordon, and Denis Leary. Season 6 will be the final season of the show.