Samantha Beckinsale to tackle ‘The Boogeyman’ in unprecedented feature documentary Stars of Cancer.

Sam Beckinsale, a British actress best-known for playing firefighter Kate Stevens in London’s Burning, is set to present an upcoming feature film documentary, Stars of Cancer.

This film, which is the first of its kind, plans to showcase one specific group of people: British cancer research scientists. With an unprecedented format, Stars of Cancer will focus entirely on the realities facing researchers today. More specifically, its director, Michael Redwood, is hoping to eliminate the stereotype that surrounds these experts, whilst unveiling exactly what’s happening within their laboratories. Cancer researchers do not fit a mould and their research is often misunderstood, something which can be largely attributed to plummeting donations (According to Cancer Research UK, in 2021/22 donations available to beat cancer reduced by 7% to 81pm in every £1).

Using her on camera experience, and harnessing her personal desire to better understand cancer, Sam Beckinsale is delighted to be fronting this project. She says:

“I represent the general public in this film – I am not a researcher or sufferer, I’m just someone who wants answers.

As I’ve got older, the word ‘cancer’ has loomed over me like a black cloud – I’ve always had a feeling that it would get you at some point, like a ticking time bomb. Unfortunately, I think this is a feeling most of us share. We’re surrounded by terrifying messaging and few real facts, leaving us with a sense of dread.

Stars of Cancer will tell us who these exceptional researchers really are and how donations are used to battle this horrendous disease. I will be asking the questions we all want answering, in laymen’s terms, to fill in some crucial gaps and connect researchers with the public in a way that hasn’t been done before.

I am thrilled to be a part of this project and I feel it is incredibly important. When I first spoke with Michael Redwood about the film, I felt a sense of relief; it’s reassuring to hear about the amazing work that’s being done behind-the-scenes, instead of solely being faced with harrowing statistics. We know cancer is a killer, but it’s important that we give people hope.

For me, cancer is The Boogeyman we all fear – that’s something I want to be a part of changing. Have we made any progress? Does age really make a difference? How important is lifestyle? Does a ‘cancer gene’ really exist? These are all questions I’ll be directly asking researchers in the film.”

Zlatina Filipova, the film’s Executive Producer, says of Samantha’s involvement:

“We are over the moon that Sam agreed to be a part of this project. She is a renowned, yet relatable personality who is truly passionate about sharing the work that’s being done to tackle cancer. Her role will be invaluable.”

Within this film, which is the first of its kind, viewers will see inside labs, hear directly from researchers, and have their long-awaited questions answered.

Stars of Cancer is currently in pre-production and a release date will be announced later this year.