Larry Birkhead is speaking out against the upcoming Anna Nicole Smith film, saying he does not support the project. Birkhead, who shared a daughter with the late model and TV personality, has long worked to preserve her legacy while raising their daughter, Dannielynn.
The biographical movie, “Trust Me, I’m a Doctor,” tells the story of Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, who was implicated in Smith’s death in 2007.
On July 7, first-look photos of “Trust Me, I’m a Doctor” were released, prompting Larry Birkhead to share his honest thoughts about the biographical film that centers on Dr. Sandeep Kapoor and his patient, the late Anna Nicole Smith.
Birkhead was in an on-and-off relationship with Smith from 2003 to 2006, and the former model gave birth to a daughter, Dannielynn, several months after their split. Over the years, Birkhead, a photographer, has spoken fondly of Smith, defending her legacy and ensuring Dannielynn remembers her mother beyond what tabloids reported about her.
Now, he is speaking out about the upcoming film, sharing that he doesn’t support it and has expressed his thoughts to Dr. Kapoor in the past.
“I warned them about the harm and the emotional distress that this puts on not just myself but also, most importantly, Dannielynn, and how this could impact her and things that she sees,” Birkhead told Entertainment Tonight.
The Film Is Based On Dr. Kapoor’s Memoir
“Trust Me, I’m a Doctor” was directed by Thane Economou and stars Kal Penn as Dr. Kapoor and Abbie Cornish as Smith. It was based on the doctor’s memoir, “Trust Me, I’m A Doctor: My Life Before, During and After Anna Nicole Smith,” which was released in 2017.
“We don’t condone this. We’re not involved in this production, and we absolutely object to any of Anna Nicole’s, my life, my daughter’s life being used in a movie and be made characters out of by someone that was a doctor that supposedly that people are supposed to trust,” Birkhead said.
Smith’s ex said he heard about the movie from reporters asking him to comment about it when the project was announced sometime in 2024, but he was not sure if it was going to push forward. When he saw that it was going to be released this year, however, he felt the need to do something about it.
Larry Birkhead Is Attempting To Stop The Film’s Release
In Birkhead’s opinion, the film “gives doctors a bad name” as it’s not typical for a doctor to condone a movie about their patient, adding that Dr. Kapoor’s perspective doesn’t need to be glorified.
Birkhead shared that he filed a complaint with the California Medical Board over the film. “I’m just going to let the process, you know, play itself out, and see what they have to say about that,” he shared.
As for the actress playing his ex, Birkhead said she doesn’t quite embody Smith. “That’s not really an attack on her,” he added, explaining that in all the shows and TV movies about Smith, he has not seen anyone truly capture the model’s true character.
Dr. Kapoor Was Implicated In Anna Nicole Smith’s Death
Smith died of an accidental overdose in 2007, a few months after giving birth to Dannielynn. She was 39 years old. A medical examiner determined she had a combination of prescription drugs in her system.
Three people were implicated in her death: her psychiatrist, Khristine Eroshevich; her boyfriend, Howard K. Stern (not to be confused with the radio personality of the same name); and her doctor, Sandeep Kapoor. They were accused of supplying excessive amounts of prescription drugs to Smith, which they all vehemently denied.
Eroshevich was convicted on a misdemeanor charge and was sentenced to one year of probation and a fine of $100. Stern was convicted of two counts, which were later exonerated. Dr. Kapoor was fully acquitted, with the jury finding him not guilty of his six felony charges.
Dannielynn Had Some ‘Choice Words’ About The Film
Dannielynn was just 5 months old when Smith died. At that time, a highly publicized legal battle ensued, with both Stern and Birkhead claiming they were her biological father. A DNA test proved the latter was Dannielynn’s father, and he was subsequently awarded custody of her.
Birkhead chose to raise his daughter in Louisville, Kentucky, away from the Hollywood spotlight. The two have a close relationship, as seen in photos on the photographer’s Instagram. Dannielynn has not spoken publicly about the upcoming film, but Birkhead said she had some “choice words” about Dr. Kapoor and the movie.
Birkhead said that despite Dannielynn being 19 years old, he still feels protective over her, especially when it comes to matters involving her mother. “My job is to kind of continue to protect her daily,” he said.