MEDIA RELEASE: Monday, May 1, 2017
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Starring Oprah Winfrey and Rose Byrne
Premieres Sunday, May 14 at 8.30pm on
Or stream it on Foxtel Play
On Sunday, May 14 at 8.30pm AEST, a stunning new HBO film The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
will premiere on Foxtel’s showcase.
Starring Oprah Winfrey and Rose Byrne and based on Rebecca Skloot’s critically acclaimed 2010
bestseller of the same name, this fascinating drama tells the true story of Henrietta Lacks, an AfricanAmerican woman whose cells were harvested without her knowledge to create the first immortal human
cell line, known as “HeLa” cells.
Told primarily through the eyes of Lack’s daughter, Deborah (Oprah Winfrey) and journalist Rebecca
Skloot (Rose Byrne), the film chronicles Deborah’s search to learn about the mother she never knew,
and to understand how the unauthorised harvesting of Lacks’ cancerous cells in 1951 lead to
unprecedented medical breakthroughs, from cancer to polio to radiation to AIDS, changing countless
lives and the face of medicine forever.
Henrietta gave birth to five children before learning she was dying of cervical cancer, and was treated at
Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. During testing, cells from her malignant tumour were removed
without her knowledge, or that of her family. Up until this time, scientists were unable to grow human cells
in the culture of a Petri dish, but Dr. George Otto Gey at Hopkins was amazed to find that Henrietta’s
cells multiplied at a feverish pace.
Although they accelerated the deadly cancer inside Henrietta’s body, the cells, almost miraculously,
continued to grow and multiply in lab conditions. Since Henrietta’s death in 1951, the cells have been
used in tens of thousands of research studies – from the development of drugs for polio, leukaemia,
influenza and Parkinson’s disease, to cloning, gene mapping, and their inclusion in the first space
missions to study the impact of zero gravity on human cells. It was more than 20 years before her family
learned that she was responsible for HeLa.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lack is a story of medical arrogance and triumph, race, poverty and deep
friendship between the unlikeliest of people. The film is collaboration between the award-winning HBO
Films team, Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Films and Alan Ball’s Your Face Goes Here Entertainment.
Following the 8.30pm broadcast on showcase, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks will be available to
watch when you want, on demand, via Foxtel Anytime on internet connected iQ boxes. You can also
stream the documentary on demand on Foxtel Play or Foxtel Go. Foxtel Go is included in all residential
and Foxtel play subscriptions at no extra cost.
For further information:
Helen Johnson – Foxtel Publicity
[email protected]
Tel: +61 2 9813 7395 / Mob: +61 (0) 414 469 815
About Foxtel
Foxtel is one of Australia’s most progressive and dynamic media companies, directly employing around 2,800 people and delivering a diverse subscription television
service over cable, satellite and broadband distribution. Foxtel effortlessly connects Australians to all the stories they love by offering a better entertainment
experience every day to more than 2.8 million subscribing homes through delivery of new and inspiring programming across all genres, the world’s most popular
channel brands, and investment in high quality local content. As constant champions of innovation we have brought customers the iQ personal digital recorder;
Australia’s largest HD channel offering; the Foxtel Go App for tablets and mobile devices; internet TV service, Foxtel Play; and television, broadband and home
phone bundles with Foxtel internet and voice services delivered over Australia’s largest telecommunications network. Foxtel is owned by Telstra Corporation Limited
ACN 051 775 556 (50%) and News Corporation (50%). foxtel.com.au