taking on du pont and exposing the danger of forever chemicals has been robert bilott's life work.the end of the movie it says after 20 years that you're still fighting. >> mm-hmm. >> reporter: what does that mean? >> well, we still have people in that community that are getting diagnosed with cancer. and it's being found in drinking water all over the country. new communities are waking up almost every day to learn this is in our water and may have been there for a long time. >> reporter: du pont eventually settled over 3,000 lawsuits related to pfoas, paying out over $670 million. once again, without admitting wrongdoing. bucky bailey, who has a cameo in the film, has endured over 40 reconstructive surgeries on his face. ♪ happy birthday to daddy now 38, he's the father of two beautiful children. >> it's interesting to see just how it has shaped my life as a father of a 3-year-old and a 7-month-old now, just wanting the best for them and wanting them to have success. >> reporter: what's the overall message that audiences would walk away from having seen the movie? >> even one ind

mark ruffalo stars in the powerful new movie "dark waters" the true story of corporate lawyer robert bilott'sned thousands by dumping toxic waste into west virginia and ohio's waterways. it left entire communities devastated, angry, and suspicious. take a look. >> you're right, they should. and it kills me that they won't. but that would mean going to trial and proving that c.a. killed your cows, and every scientist who knows anything about any of this already works with these chemical companies. that's not an accident, earl. earl, these companies, they have all the money, all the time, and they'll use it. trust me, i know, i was one of them. >> you're still one of them. >> please welcome mark ruffalo and the man he portrays, mark bilott. [ applause ] this is a movie that has nothing -- it doesn't -- it's not political. this is about the environment which is not a political animal. the environment doesn't care whether you're left, right or center. the environment affects everybody, so, mark, when you first heard about this story, what hit you and you said oh, no, got to do this? >> i guess th