Story perspectives

Birkhead Files Complaint Over Anna Nicole Biopic

7/11/2026

Summary

Birkhead Files Complaint

Larry Birkhead filed a complaint with the California Medical Board over Dr. Sandeep Kapoor’s role in a biopic about Kapoor and Anna Nicole Smith.
He told Entertainment Tonight on July 9, 2026 that the film could emotionally harm him and his daughter Dannielynn.
The film “Trust Me, I’m a Doctor” will star Kal Penn as Kapoor and Abbie Cornish as Smith, though Birkhead opposes Cornish’s casting.

Summary

Economou Pushes Biopic

Director Thane Economou is moving forward with the Anna Nicole Smith biopic despite the family’s objections.
Dr. Sandeep Kapoor was charged in 2007 with conspiracy, excessive opioid and sedative prescribing, and fraud using false identities.
Anna Nicole Smith died at 39 from a drug overdose, which prompted the investigation into Kapoor’s prescribing.
Analysts say the unresolved criminal case may hinder the film’s distribution because studios avoid litigation-linked projects.

Summary

Birkhead Challenges Film

The biopic “Trust Me, I’m a Doctor” will open in U.S. theaters on Oct. 16, 2026.
Abbie Cornish, who plays Anna Nicole Smith, has not commented on Larry Birkhead’s objections.
Larry Birkhead said his 19-year-old daughter Dannielynn used “choice words” about the film and that he will await the California Medical Board’s response.
The release joins earlier dramatizations, including a 2013 Lifetime movie and a “Law & Order” episode, raising saturation concerns.

1 of 3

Birkhead Files Complaint

Larry Birkhead filed a complaint with the California Medical Board over Dr. Sandeep Kapoor’s role in a biopic about Kapoor and Anna Nicole Smith.
He told Entertainment Tonight on July 9, 2026 that the film could emotionally harm him and his daughter Dannielynn.
The film “Trust Me, I’m a Doctor” will star Kal Penn as Kapoor and Abbie Cornish as Smith, though Birkhead opposes Cornish’s casting.

1 / 3