What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Rebecca Skloot · Book · 2010
If you loved The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, start with The Help (2011) — a film on the same thread. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks across media.
You were drawn to The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by how it uncovers the silenced human stories behind monumental historical milestones.
Films on the same thread
The Help
Film · 2011
Explores: Racial Injustice, Female Empowerment, Civil Rights.
Like The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, this story centers on the overlooked labor of Black women whose resilience and personal history are essential to understanding the American experience.
Hidden Figures
Film · 2016
Explores: Racial segregation, Women in STEM, Gender equality.
Much like the scientific breakthroughs in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, this narrative highlights the brilliant contributions of Black women that were historically marginalized by institutional systemic bias.
12 Years a Slave
Steve McQueen · Film · 2013
Explores: Injustice, Survival, Loss of Freedom.
Both this film and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks force a confrontation with the brutal reality of how individual bodies are exploited by systems of power and profit.
Sarah's Oil
Cyrus Nowrasteh · Film · 2025
Explores: Systemic racism, Corporate greed, Resilience.
This biopic mirrors the themes of structural exploitation found in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by documenting a Black individual fighting against predatory forces for their rightful legacy.
Series on the same thread
The Clone
Glória Perez · Series · 2001
Explores: Forbidden Love, Cultural Clash, Identity Crisis.
If you were fascinated by the ethical implications of cell culture in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, this exploration of human cloning offers a similarly gripping look at bioethics.
Call the Midwife
Heidi Thomas · Series · 2012
Explores: Women's Issues, Community, Social Issues.
This drama captures the intersection of medicine and social status in the 1950s, echoing the era and medical focus that defined The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.
Roots
Alex Haley · Series · 1977
Explores: Family Saga, Cultural Identity, Oppression and Resistance.
This series shares the commitment to reclaiming erased ancestry found in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, emphasizing the importance of family history in a broader societal context.
The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst
Andrew Jarecki · Series · 2015
Explores: Wealth and Privilege, Elusive Justice, Unsolved Mystery.
The investigative rigor used to track the Lacks family history in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is mirrored here as a complex, long-standing mystery is slowly unraveled.
Podcasts on the same thread
1619
The New York Times · Podcast · 2019
Shares a thread with The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks: social justice.
This podcast provides the necessary historical context for the systemic disparities explored in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by charting the foundational impact of slavery on America.
This Podcast Will Kill You
Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts · Podcast · 2026
Explores: pathogen history, public health awareness, scientific curiosity.
If the intersection of science and humanity in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks captivated you, this podcast offers a similarly compelling look at the history behind medical discoveries.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks based on a true story?
Yes, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a factual account of Henrietta Lacks, a poor tobacco farmer whose cells were taken without her knowledge in 1951. The book documents how these cells became essential tools for medical breakthroughs like the polio vaccine and gene mapping.
What medical breakthroughs are discussed in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks?
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks details how HeLa cells were vital for the development of several medical advancements. These include the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mapping, and in vitro fertilization, all made possible by cells taken from Henrietta Lacks without her knowledge or consent.
Why are Henrietta Lacks' cells referred to as HeLa in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks?
In The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, the name HeLa refers to the cell line derived from Henrietta Lacks. Scientists used this shorthand to identify the cells that were taken from her in 1951, which were subsequently bought and sold by the billions for global medical research.
Does The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks cover the history of her family?
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks focuses on the story of Henrietta Lacks and the impact of her cells on medicine. It highlights that while her cells became one of the most important tools in medical history, she remained virtually unknown and her family was not compensated.