Peter Berg

You think about the FDA, a big government organization, and it is probably a big organization that probably does need a haircut, and I'll bet they're going to get one now with the new administration, which is probably a good thing, I think. But you think, oh, wow, the FDA has to approve OxyContin. That's probably a team of 50 scientists, and they're going to have to go.

It was really just one guy. And it was this kind of nerdy dude named Curtis Wright, and he was the obstacle. He kept saying to the Sacklers and to Purdue Pharma, I can't approve this drug. This is heroin in a little M&M wrapper. Like, what, are you fucking crazy? No. And they kept trying—he went through multiple applications, and this one guy was saying no.

It was really just one guy. And it was this kind of nerdy dude named Curtis Wright, and he was the obstacle. He kept saying to the Sacklers and to Purdue Pharma, I can't approve this drug. This is heroin in a little M&M wrapper. Like, what, are you fucking crazy? No. And they kept trying—he went through multiple applications, and this one guy was saying no.

It was really just one guy. And it was this kind of nerdy dude named Curtis Wright, and he was the obstacle. He kept saying to the Sacklers and to Purdue Pharma, I can't approve this drug. This is heroin in a little M&M wrapper. Like, what, are you fucking crazy? No. And they kept trying—he went through multiple applications, and this one guy was saying no.

And that was putting the entire Sackler family and Purdue Pharma in real risk of financial ruin. And so at some point prior to getting the approval, some members of Purdue Pharma took Curtis Wright to a hotel room in the Virginia area, somewhere near D.C., and they spent a couple of days in a hotel room. And no one knows what happened in that hotel room.

And that was putting the entire Sackler family and Purdue Pharma in real risk of financial ruin. And so at some point prior to getting the approval, some members of Purdue Pharma took Curtis Wright to a hotel room in the Virginia area, somewhere near D.C., and they spent a couple of days in a hotel room. And no one knows what happened in that hotel room.

And that was putting the entire Sackler family and Purdue Pharma in real risk of financial ruin. And so at some point prior to getting the approval, some members of Purdue Pharma took Curtis Wright to a hotel room in the Virginia area, somewhere near D.C., and they spent a couple of days in a hotel room. And no one knows what happened in that hotel room.

When they came out, Curtis Wright had signed the approval with the words that OxyContin is believed to be non-addictive. Is believed. Is believed. Which is weird language. It's not OxyContin is not addictive. It is OxyContin is believed to not be addictive. But no one ever used that language. Doesn't make any sense. Curtis, he approved it.

When they came out, Curtis Wright had signed the approval with the words that OxyContin is believed to be non-addictive. Is believed. Is believed. Which is weird language. It's not OxyContin is not addictive. It is OxyContin is believed to not be addictive. But no one ever used that language. Doesn't make any sense. Curtis, he approved it.

When they came out, Curtis Wright had signed the approval with the words that OxyContin is believed to be non-addictive. Is believed. Is believed. Which is weird language. It's not OxyContin is not addictive. It is OxyContin is believed to not be addictive. But no one ever used that language. Doesn't make any sense. Curtis, he approved it.

The drug gets going, and it becomes a grand slam home run, and the money's off the chart. About a year and a half later, Curtis Wright leaves the FDA and goes and works for Purdue Pharma. Oh, shit. He was making, they say, $70,000 at the FDA, hundreds of thousands at Purdue. They bought him. And when I heard that, I'm like, OK. That is how the fucking world operates. And it's not a conspiracy.

The drug gets going, and it becomes a grand slam home run, and the money's off the chart. About a year and a half later, Curtis Wright leaves the FDA and goes and works for Purdue Pharma. Oh, shit. He was making, they say, $70,000 at the FDA, hundreds of thousands at Purdue. They bought him. And when I heard that, I'm like, OK. That is how the fucking world operates. And it's not a conspiracy.

The drug gets going, and it becomes a grand slam home run, and the money's off the chart. About a year and a half later, Curtis Wright leaves the FDA and goes and works for Purdue Pharma. Oh, shit. He was making, they say, $70,000 at the FDA, hundreds of thousands at Purdue. They bought him. And when I heard that, I'm like, OK. That is how the fucking world operates. And it's not a conspiracy.

It's a fact. And, you know, it's public. People know about it. Human beings like your friends and friends that I have are dying and are still dying. People are getting addicted. Families are being thoroughly fucked up and derailed. And this is how it goes. And so it was making Painkiller... was, you know, just an emotionally powerful experience.

It's a fact. And, you know, it's public. People know about it. Human beings like your friends and friends that I have are dying and are still dying. People are getting addicted. Families are being thoroughly fucked up and derailed. And this is how it goes. And so it was making Painkiller... was, you know, just an emotionally powerful experience.

It's a fact. And, you know, it's public. People know about it. Human beings like your friends and friends that I have are dying and are still dying. People are getting addicted. Families are being thoroughly fucked up and derailed. And this is how it goes. And so it was making Painkiller... was, you know, just an emotionally powerful experience.

I don't think there was a day filming it when someone on the crew didn't come up to me and say, hey, can I talk to you for a second? My best friend died. My cousin died. My mother died. Just in your studio today, someone that works for you came up to me and started sharing me a story about their relationship to a family member and the drug. And it's omnipresent and it's, Horrible.

I don't think there was a day filming it when someone on the crew didn't come up to me and say, hey, can I talk to you for a second? My best friend died. My cousin died. My mother died. Just in your studio today, someone that works for you came up to me and started sharing me a story about their relationship to a family member and the drug. And it's omnipresent and it's, Horrible.

I don't think there was a day filming it when someone on the crew didn't come up to me and say, hey, can I talk to you for a second? My best friend died. My cousin died. My mother died. Just in your studio today, someone that works for you came up to me and started sharing me a story about their relationship to a family member and the drug. And it's omnipresent and it's, Horrible.

And it's, you know, what I get from it is like, let's open up our eyes and be real honest about how this world operates. Yeah. And usually it's money.