Sarandon To Star in “Dr. Death” Biopic

I didn’t know about it until just now but HBO is making a biopic about the life of Jack Kevorkian, otherwise known as “Dr. Death.”  He garnered the nickname for assisting in more than 130 suicides and even served jail time after he sent 60 Minutes a video of him helping a terminally ill man end his life.  The film will be loosely based on the book Between the Dying and the Dead: Dr. Jack Kevorkian’s Life and the Battle to Legalize Euthanasia.

image: Newscom

I tend to love the HBO original movies and one thing that always impresses me is their ability to cast the right actors for very specific roles.  I will admit that I don’t know very much about Kevorkian’s actual life but I do believe that John Goodman and Susan Sarandon will do a great job.

Goodman will portray Kevorkian’s good friend, Nicol, who worked alongside the doctor since 1961 and, due to his firm belief in a person’s right to die, he provided (by way of his laboratory supply company) materials that help Kevorkian carry out the requests of his patients.

Sarandon has signed on as Janet Good, an activist who worked tirelessly with Kevorkian (Al Pacino) to make humane suicide an option for terminally ill individuals and, when she was diagnosed with cancer, she opted to be euthanized surrounded by friends and family.  I’m sure Sarandon will draw from her experience playing a terminally ill mother in Stepmom as well as the insight she gleaned as a nun who works with condemned criminals in Dead Man Walking.

The movie’s current working title is You Don’t Know Jack and is expected to be released on May 26, 2009.