Australian actress Abbie Cornish has undergone a significant transformation to portray the late Playboy model Anna Nicole Smith in the upcoming biopic film, titled "Trust Me, I'm Doctor." Newly released images offer a first glimpse of Cornish embodying Smith, notably recreating a memorable appearance from the 2005 West Hollywood Pride Parade.
In the images, Cornish, 43, sports a platinum blonde wig and captures Smith's signature smile and glamorous persona. She is seen alongside Kal Penn, who plays Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, Smith's physician. The film is set to explore the complex relationships within Smith's inner circle in the years leading up to her death.
"She really embodied Anna Nicole in a very striking way. She was a completely different person," Penn told Variety of Cornish's performance. "It definitely brought me back to that time. Abbie is excellent. She's phenomenal in this role."
Cornish described taking on the role as "just incredible" and expressed her excitement when the project was initially announced. The film, written and directed by Thane Economou, is adapted from Kapoor's memoir, "Trust Me, I'm a Doctor: My Life Before, During and After Anna Nicole Smith."
"Trust Me, I'm a Doctor" is scheduled for release in October. The supporting cast includes Linda Hamilton as Kapoor's lawyer, Ellyn Garofalo, and David Julian Hirsh as Howard K. Stern, Smith's attorney and boyfriend at the time of her death. Kapoor was charged with eight felonies following Smith's accidental overdose in 2007 at the age of 39.
Cornish, who rose to fame after winning a modeling competition and subsequently pursuing acting, reflected on her own journey. She noted the intense scrutiny she faced regarding her appearance early in her career and learned to embrace all parts of herself. The actress was photographed filming scenes as Smith at the WeHo Pride Parade in West Hollywood, California, in June 2024, recreating Smith's 2005 appearance in a silver dress with open sides.