The former lab director for Elizabeth Holmes’ company Theranos is suing Hulu claiming a fictional character in its limited series “The Dropout” ruined his reputation as a doctor, new court papers show.
Adam Rosendorff – a licensed doctor whose testimony helped convict Holmes– claims the character Mark Roessler was based on him as both had the same role as lab director at the biotech company, according to a Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit from Thursday.
But Roessler was portrayed as unethical in the Emmy-nominated 2022 series, “shown as covering up Theranos’ fraudulent scheme, thereby endangering patients’ lives … and as otherwise unfit to practice medicine,” the filing states.
Rosendorff said he is “utterly different” from the character. He resigned from the company after witnessing fraud and eventually becoming a key witness against disgraced CEO Holmes, 39, who was convicted on federal fraud charges in 2022.
People who know Rosendorff have publicly stated they believe the character is based on him and the media has concluded that he and Roessler “are one and the same,” his lawsuit alleges.
Former Theranos worker Adam Rosendorff is suing Hulu claiming a character from “The Dropout” defamed him. Getty Images
“The Dropout” was a fictional show about Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes – played by actor Amanda Seyfried. HULUThe character has “had a devastating effect upon the plaintiff’s reputation and professional status as a physician,” the suit claims.
During Holmes’ 2021 trial, Rosendorff “was considered a heroic whistle-blower, a witness who was instrumental in the jury’s verdict convicting Holmes,” the filing claims.
But now, he’s been “falsely portrayed as a perjurer, a criminal, and of being completely unfit to practice his profession,” the suit claims.
Rosendorff said the character Mark Roessler was portrayed as unethical and so people assume that Rosendorff is also. HULU
Rosendorff said the character was portrayed as an unfit doctor which harmed his reputation as a doctor. HULURosendorff says the false portrayal of him through the character was done “with malice” and with “reckless disregard,” the court papers say.
He’s suing Hulu, parent company Disney, the show’s creator, and three other production companies for unspecified damages.
Holmes was sentenced to 11 years in prison last year but her lawyers have been fighting to delay her imprisonment after she gave birth to a second child last month.
Hulu didn’t return a request seeking comment Thursday.
