Is Painkiller’s Glen Kryger Based On A Real Person? Taylor Kitsch’s Character Explained

Netflix’s limited series Painkiller features Taylor Kitsch as Glen Kryger, and his dramatic performance has viewers questioning if Kryger is based on a real person. Painkiller dramatizes reality by combining characters based on real people with fictional characters to expose Purdue Pharma’s influence on the nation and the effects of the opioid crisis. Glen Kryger struggles with the pain of using Oxycontin, a highly addictive pain medication, throughout the series and effectually portrays the dark side of “pain-free” life.