The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson
“A life that launched a revolution, a death that remains a mystery.”
Describing herself as a 'street queen,' Johnson was a legendary fixture in New York City’s gay ghetto and a tireless voice for LGBT pride since the days of Stonewall, who along with fellow trans icon Sylvia Rivera, founded Street Transvestites Action Revolutionaries (S.T.A.R.), a trans activist group based in the heart of NYC’s Greenwich Village. Her death in 1992 was declared a suicide by the NYPD, but friends never accepted that version of events. Structured as a whodunit, with activist Victoria Cruz cast as detective and audience surrogate, The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson celebrates the lasting political legacy of Johnson, while seeking to finally solve the mystery of her unexplained death.
Where to watch The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson in United States
Netflix
Netflix Standard with AdsClick a service to open The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson there. Availability last verified on July 11, 2026.
Where is The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson streaming around the world?
| Country | Streaming on | Rent / Buy |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads | — |
| India | Netflix | — |
| United Kingdom | Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads | — |
| Canada | Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads | — |
| Australia | Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads | — |
| Germany | Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads | — |
| France | Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads | — |
| Spain | Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads | — |
| Brazil | Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads | — |
| Japan | Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads | — |
About The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson
The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson is a 2017 English-language documentary film directed by David France. The cast is led by Marsha P. Johnson, Victoria Cruz, Sylvia Rivera. It has a runtime of 1h 45m. Viewers rate it 7.1/10 across 100 ratings. In United States, it is currently streaming on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson was produced by Terasem Media & Films, Faliro House Productions, and Race Point Films and made in United States of America. It was released on July 27, 2017.
- Director
- David France
- Writers
- Mark Blane, David France
- Release date
- July 27, 2017
- Original language
- English
- Status
- Released
- Country
- United States of America
- Production
- Terasem Media & Films, Faliro House Productions, Race Point Films
The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson cast & crew
The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson was directed by David France and written by Mark Blane and David France.
The cast features Marsha P. Johnson as Self (archive footage), Victoria Cruz as Self, Sylvia Rivera as Self (archive footage), Taylor Mead as Self (archive footage), Pat Bumgardner as Self (archive footage), and Vito Russo as Self (archive footage).
Behind the camera, the score was composed by Bryce Dessner and cinematography is by Tom Bergmann.
Is The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson worth watching?
The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson holds an audience score of 7.1/10 from 104 ratings, marking it as well-reviewed documentary films.
At 1h 45m, it's a standard feature-length watch.
If you enjoy documentary, The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson is worth a place on your watchlist.
How and where to watch The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson
In United States, you can stream The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson on Netflix and Netflix Standard with Ads. Click any service above to open it directly.
Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.
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Cast of The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson
Marsha P. Johnson
Self (archive footage)
Victoria Cruz
Self
Sylvia Rivera
Self (archive footage)
Taylor Mead
Self (archive footage)
Pat Bumgardner
Self (archive footage)
Vito Russo
Self (archive footage)
The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson — FAQs
▸Where can I watch The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson in United States?
The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson is streaming on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads in United States.
▸Is The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson on Netflix?
Yes — The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson is currently available on Netflix in United States.
▸What language is The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson in?
The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson is originally in English. Subtitle and dub options vary by streaming service.
▸How long is The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson?
The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson runs 1 hours 45 minutes (105 minutes).
▸What is The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson rated?
It holds a 7.1/10 audience score from 104 ratings.
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