Linda Hamilton guides Kal Penn in Anna Nicole Smith film trailer
Briarcliff Entertainment's new trailer for Trust Me, I'm a Doctor shows Kal Penn as Dr. Sandeep Kapoor fighting to clear his name after being implicated in Anna Nicole Smith's death, with Linda Hamilton as his attorney Ellyn Garofalo. The comedy-drama opens in theaters October 16.
The first trailer landed Thursday, framing a tabloid-era legal battle as a surprisingly comedic story drawn from real events. Kal Penn stars opposite Abbie Cornish as Smith and Linda Hamilton as the respected lawyer guiding Kapoor through a high-stakes drug conspiracy trial.
Key Takeaways
- Linda Hamilton plays attorney Ellyn Garofalo, who advises Kal Penn's Dr. Sandeep Kapoor in Trust Me, I'm a Doctor.
- The film follows Kapoor after he is implicated in Anna Nicole Smith's 2007 death from combined drug intoxication.
- Abbie Cornish portrays Smith; Thane Economou wrote and directed the Briarcliff Entertainment release.
- The trailer mixes comedy with a serious early-2000s celebrity case rooted in Kapoor's memoir.
- Trust Me, I'm a Doctor opens in theaters on October 16.
What happens in the Trust Me, I'm a Doctor trailer?
The trailer introduces Penn as Kapoor, a doctor whose life unravels when he is linked to the death of his former patient, model and reality TV star Anna Nicole Smith. Paparazzi swarm his office, police raid his home, private journals leak, and every detail of his personal life becomes public fodder.
Despite the grim premise, JoBlo notes the footage plays more like a comedy, leaning into the absurd and surreal reality of the case. TheWrap adds that the story explores celebrity, justice, politics, and personal redemption amid one of the most sensational celebrity trials of the early 2000s.
Who does Linda Hamilton play in the Anna Nicole Smith movie?
Linda Hamilton portrays Ellyn Garofalo, the respected attorney who helps Kapoor navigate the drug conspiracy trial. In the official synopsis, Garofalo is the steady legal voice as Kapoor confronts media frenzy and criminal allegations tied to Smith's death.
The cast also includes David Julian Hirsh, Dhirendra, Dan Willmott, Al Sapienza, Elon Gold, Kathy Maloney, and Nico DeCastris. Economou adapted the screenplay from Kapoor's memoir, Trust Me, I'm a Doctor: My Life Before, During and After Anna Nicole Smith, published roughly nine years before the film's release, according to TheWrap.
How is Anna Nicole Smith portrayed in the film?
Abbie Cornish stars as Smith, and Penn told Variety's Marc Malkin that her performance is respectful rather than caricature. "She really embodied Anna Nicole in a very striking way," Penn said, adding that Cornish captured the heart, vulnerability, and complexity of Smith rather than offering an impersonation.
Penn briefly met Smith early in his career when she was on a reality show. He said Cornish's presence made his scenes easier because she fully inhabited the role. For more on trending culture and headline-driven stories, see our Fintech & Crypto Alerts coverage hub.
When does Trust Me, I'm a Doctor open in theaters?
Briarcliff Entertainment will release Trust Me, I'm a Doctor in theaters on October 16. Ryan Hawkins, Al Engemann, Rebecca Case, and Geenah Krisht serve as producers on the project.
Smith died in February 2007 at age 39. The film revisits the intense legal battle and tabloid storm that followed, with Penn's Kapoor insisting he does not understand why he is being blamed as Hamilton's Garofalo pushes for a second opinion on the case.