Painkiller, the new Netflix series that was released recently, has got everyone talking about it. The show has directed by Peter Berg and produced by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster. With a stellar cast of Matthew Broderick, Uzo Aduba, Taylor Kitsch, Dina Shihabi and West Duchovny in lead roles, fans had been excited to explore this limited series which is spread across six episodes. The limited series is among the streaming platform’s newest offerings in terms of producing content that sheds light on real-life incidents.
The show explores the mid-90s opioid crisis in the US and traces its history. It is based on Patrick Radden Keefe’s New Yorker article about the family that owned Purdue Pharma which was responsible for the introduction of OxyContin. The limited series focuses on the birth of the opioid crisis in the US and who was behind it as well as who tried to find the right answers and bring justice to the victims.
Painkiller Cast and Characters Based on Real People
Who Played Richard Sackler?
Matthew Broderick plays the former Purdue Pharma Chairman and President, Richard Sackler. The series reveals him as being one of the key men in the development of OxyContin, which has been known to be the reason for the start of the opioid epidemic in the United States. The real-life Richard Sackler reportedly currently lives in Boca Raton. In 2015, Sackler was deposed from the company in concern of the development and marketing of OxyContin.
Sam Anderson as Raymond Sackler
Raymond Sackler was Richard Sackler’s father. In the show, he is played by actor Sam Anderson. He was an American physician and businessman who acquired Purdue Pharma together with his brothers Arthur M Sackler and Mortimer Sackler. In the show, Anderson doesn’t get much screen time given that the show revolves around his son, Richard and his idea to introduce the new drug called OxyContin that would change the Pharma world forever.
Arthur Sackler Sr Played by Clark Gregg
Among the show’s characters based on real people, one of the most interesting ones is Richard’s uncle, Arthur Sackler, played by Clark Gregg. In the series, he appears in hallucinations of Richard as he gives him advice on the company’s new developments. It seems Arthur and Richard shared a close bond. As for the real-life personality of Arthur, he was an American psychiatrist and marketer of pharmaceuticals. He made a fortune out of medical advertising and trade publications. He was also known to be an avid art collector.
Mortimer Sackler Played by John Rothman
Mortimer Sackler, Richard Sackler’s uncle, was another co-owner of Purdue Pharma. In the series, this character has been played by John Rothman. The actor doesn’t get much screen time in this role but is still impressive in the crucial scenes. As for the fate of the real personality, he was reported to have passed in 2010 at the age of 93.
Tyler Ritter as John Brownlee
One of the crucial characters in the series is John Brownlee, the lawyer who teams up with Uzo Aduba’s Edie Flowers to take down Purdue Pharma. In the show, the role is impressively played by Tyler Ritter. Brownlee was the United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia from 2001 to 2008. He was fired in 2006 and also testified before the Senate that his removal was related to his refusal of a request by his superiors at the DOJ to delay the settlement of the Purdue Pharma case in 2006.
Also Read: Painkiller Ending Explained: Did Richard Sackler and Purdue Pharma Get Criminally Charged?
Howard Udell Played by Brian Markinson
He was the exec VP/General Counsel at Purdue Pharma, and in the Netflix show, the role has been played by Brian Markinson. It is an important role in the show, given that he not only knew about the problems caused by OxyContin but also tried to keep it away from public knowledge. He played a main role in Purdue Pharma not getting criminally charged. Udell died of a stroke in 2013.
The other major characters on the show, including Uzo Aduba as Edie Flowers, Taylor Kitsch as Glen Kryger, West Duchovny as Shannon Schaeffer and Dina Shihabi as Britt Hufford, were an amalgamation of several real-life people who were involved with the case. Their addition was to mainly provide different sides of the story and show how their lives were turned upside down due to the opioid crisis.
Painkiller is streaming on Netflix.