Directed by:
George C. WolfeCinematography:
Sofian El FaniComposer:
Branford MarsalisCast:
Oprah Winfrey, Rose Byrne, Courtney B. Vance, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Ellen Barkin, Lisa Arrindell, Reed Birney, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Rocky Carroll (more)VOD (5)
Plots(1)
Emmy® winner and Oscar® nominee Oprah Winfrey stars in HBO Films' THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS, based on Rebecca Skloot's critically acclaimed, bestselling nonfiction book of the same name. The film tells the true story of Henrietta Lacks, an African-American woman whose cells were used to create the first immortal human cell line. Told through the eyes of her daughter, Deborah Lacks (Winfrey), the film chronicles her search to learn about the mother she never knew and to understand how the unauthorized harvesting of Lacks' cancerous cells in 1951 led to unprecedented medical breakthroughs, changing countless lives and the face of medicine forever. It's a story of medical arrogance and triumph, race, poverty and deep friendship between the unlikeliest of people. (HBO Europe)
(more)Cast
![Oprah Winfrey](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/163/938/163938657_319982.png)
Oprah Winfrey
USA
Best movies:
Dangerous: The Short Films (1993) (video compilation)
The Color Purple (1985)
Tina Turner: Celebrate Live 1999 (1999) (concert)
![Rose Byrne](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/161/060/161060588_1edb10.png)
Rose Byrne
Australia
Best movies:
The Boys (2019) (series)
X-Men: First Class (2011)
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)
![Courtney B. Vance](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/000/271/271958_88428c.jpg)
Courtney B. Vance
USA
Best movies:
The Hunt for Red October (1990)
12 Angry Men (1997) (TV movie)
Isle of Dogs (2018)
![Renée Elise Goldsberry](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/165/003/165003872_56123c.jpg)
Renée Elise Goldsberry
USA
Best movies:
Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway (2008) (theatrical recording)
Hamilton (2020) (theatrical recording)
The Get Down (2016) (series)
![Ellen Barkin](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/000/267/267837_2db82b.jpg)
Ellen Barkin
USA
Best movies:
Down by Law (1986)
This Boy's Life (1993)
Up in Smoke (1978)
![Lisa Arrindell](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/162/716/162716526_bc8172.jpg)
Lisa Arrindell
USA
Best movies:
Clockers (1995)
The Second Chance (2006)
A Lesson Before Dying (1999) (TV movie)
![Reed Birney](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/040/844/40844707_639213.jpg)
Reed Birney
USA
Best movies:
Changeling (2008)
Four Friends (1981)
A Perfect Murder (1998)
![Ruben Santiago-Hudson](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/000/271/271135_5ec686.jpg)
Ruben Santiago-Hudson
USA
Best movies:
American Gangster (2007)
The Devil's Advocate (1997)
Coming to America (1988)
![Rocky Carroll](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/160/654/160654735_a68d6a.jpg)
Rocky Carroll
USA
Best movies:
Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
The Death of Superman (2018)
The Death and Return of Superman (2019)
Adriane Lenox
USA
Best movies:
The Blind Side (2009)
Where God Left His Shoes (2007)
Black Snake Moan (2006)
![Reg E. Cathey](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/000/386/386686_3399da.jpg)
Reg E. Cathey
USA
Best movies:
Se7en (1995)
The Corner (2000) (series)
Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
Leslie Uggams
USA
Best movies:
Roots (1977) (series)
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Deadpool (2016)
![John Benjamin Hickey](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/160/273/160273916_8b7883.jpg)
John Benjamin Hickey
USA
Best movies:
Freedom Writers (2007)
The Ice Storm (1997)
Truth (2015)
![Michael Gaston](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/000/277/277234_449763.jpg)
Michael Gaston
USA
Best movies:
Inception (2010)
Togo (2019)
Bridge of Spies (2015)
![Peter Gerety](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/160/786/160786942_b92570.jpg)
Peter Gerety
USA
Best movies:
K-PAX (2001)
Changeling (2008)
Sleepers (1996)
![Alpha Trivette](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/161/201/161201227_34db08.jpg)
Alpha Trivette
Best movies:
American Made (2017)
Mine 9 (2019)
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (2017) (TV movie)
Sean Freeland
USA
Best movies:
A Dark Place (2018)
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (2017) (TV movie)
The Shadow Effect (2017)
Sylvia Grace Crim
Best movies:
The Dirt (2019)
Blue Bayou (2021)
The Hunt (2020)
David Shae
USA
Best movies:
Richard Jewell (2019)
Bad Boys for Life (2020)
Dolly Parton's Heartstrings (2019) (series)
Ninja N. Devoe
Best movies:
Green Book (2018)
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016)
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (2017) (TV movie)