“Triptych” or “Triada” is a fascinating Mexican TV series that debuted on Netflix in 2023. It features the character of Rebecca, a forensic medicine specialist, who uncovers the existence of her twin sisters Aleida and Tamara. Although Aleida dies in the first episode, Rebecca is determined to unravel the mystery behind her sister’s demise. The series is based on actual events and draws inspiration from the real-life account of triplets who embarked on a unique journey.
While Netflix didn’t reveal much about the true story that inspired “Triptych,” it is based on the real-life account of three triplets – David Kellman, Bobby Shafran, and Eddy Galland – who accidentally discovered each other as adults. Their story gained media attention in 1980, and a photo of them appears in episode 6 of the series. The true story that inspired “Triptych” is different from the TV series plot, as it does not involve any attempts at murder or control of large corporations. The Netflix writers took the concept of discovering one’s secret twin as an adult and developed a crime drama around it. In 1980, Robert Shafran enrolled in a college in New York and was mistaken for someone else by other students. He soon learned about Eddy Galland, who was also attending the same college, and the two discovered that they were twins.
The story received media attention, and David Kellman discovered that he shared a birthday and a striking resemblance with the twins. It was later revealed that they were triplets, separated at birth, and placed with different families through an adoption agency that kept their existence secret. In addition to their DNA test, Robert, Eddy, and David shared similar personalities, interests, and depression caused by abandonment issues. Tragically, Eddy took his own life in 1995, 15 years after reuniting with his brothers.
After the triplets’ reunion, a darker side to their adoption story emerged. The adoption agency claimed that they were unable to place the brothers together, leading to their separation. However, this explanation does not justify why the agency kept its existence hidden. Additionally, an agreement between the child development center and the adopting families was in place, which included regular home visits by researchers to monitor the children’s development. These visits were presented as a routine procedure for adoption cases but were not conducted as claimed. The child development center conducted a secret experiment on the triplets, placed intentionally in families with varying levels of wealth. Dr. Peter Neubauer led the study to gather data on genetically identical individuals’ development in different social contexts without their consent. Many twins and triplets from the agency were also part of the experiment, similar to the plot of Triptych.
The protagonists were shocked to discover that the researchers were aware of their mental issues but prioritized collecting data for the experiment over helping them. The true story that inspired Triptych was previously documented in the 2018 film Three Identical Strangers, which featured interviews with David and Bobby. This led to the discovery of some of the experiment’s papers, which were eventually shared with the brothers. According to a Los Angeles Times article, the brothers are considering legal action following their revelations.
The Netflix series Triptych is based on the true story of three triplets who were separated at birth and reunited later in life. Although the show presents a crime story with three girls and a mysterious death, those familiar with the real-life story may recognize the similarities.
