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'The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks' Trailer, Updates & More: Oprah Winfrey On One 'HeLa' Journey [WATCH VIDEO]

By Ella Lexington | Update Date: Mar 16, 2017 08:08 PM EDT

"The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" is an upcoming drama TV film, which will premiere on Apr. 22, 2017. The movie will star Oprah Winfrey and Rose Byrne in the lead roles. Read on for more details.

This is Oprah Winfrey's latest venture on the big screen, reports TV Line. She previously took part in "The Butler" and "Selma." Her Deborah character marks her return to the drama category. The outlet also said that Winfrey's last dramatic role was in the 1988 film, "The Beloved."

Based on the non-fiction book from Rebecca Skloot, "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" sheds light on Lacks' contributions to the human race. Winfrey takes on the role of Deborah, Lacks' daughter, while Byrne portrays the role of Rebecca.

"The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" Trailer
Prior to the official trailer, the movie released a short teaser a few weeks ago. The clip begins with Rebecca's first meeting with Deborah. The latter learns surprising details about her mother with Rebecca's help.

The late Henrietta Lacks was an African-American woman, whose cells were used in the name of science. Known as "HeLa," experts considered it as the first immortal cell line. Through the use of her cells, they managed to make several breakthroughs in the medical world.

Deborah then makes a startling discovery. She and Rebecca found out that the doctors did not ask for Lacks' consent. They even used the term "HeLa" in order to conceal her identity and avoid issues.

No one knew from Lacks' family until the arrival of Rebecca Skloot. The journalist was the one who exposed the truth about the massive milestones that Henrietta Lacks achieved after her death. Skloot published two well-researched articles prior to the release of her best-selling book of the same name in 2010.

"The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" Cast Update
Winfrey and Byrne lead the cast of the film. Apart from the two, Renée Elise Goldsberry will play the titular role of Henrietta Lacks. Other cast members are Courtney B. Vance (Sir Lord Keenan Kester Cofield), Reg E. Cathey (Zakariyya Lacks), Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Dr. Pattillo), and Leslie Uggams (Sadie).

Written and directed by George C. Wolfe, the film is produced by HBO Films. Winfrey also joined other executive producers such as Alan Ball, Carla Gardini, Peter Macdissi, and Lydia Dean Pilcher. It will debut on Saturday, Apr. 22, 2017, at 8:00 p.m. on HBO.

Watch the trailer for "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" below:

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