Ryan Gosling is opening up about the personal journey behind “Project Hail Mary,” the ambitious adaptation that has already generated early awards buzz. In a recent conversation with The Backstage Experience, the actor, who stars as astronaut Ryland Grace, spoke candidly about the years he invested in the picture and why its hopeful message resonates so deeply with him.
A Five Year Journey Into Space
Gosling did not approach this project lightly. “I dedicated five years of my life to making it. I believe in this book, I believe in the Hail Mary … It’s beautiful,” he said, underscoring just how long the adaptation has been in development. His commitment extended beyond acting, taking on a producing role to help shepherd the story to the screen.
The film follows a man who awakens alone on a spacecraft with no memory of how he got there, only to discover he is humanity’s last hope. As Grace pieces together his mission to save Earth, he forms an unlikely alliance with an alien he names Rocky. The sweeping premise blends hard science with an emotional core that Gosling clearly connected to from the start.
Part of that connection stems from his admiration for Weir’s storytelling voice. “Andy Weir is such a special voice … and gives us this opportunity to pivot away from fearing the future and maybe think of it as just something to figure out … The hopefulness of that … is what I hope people [take away] from the film,” Gosling explained.
That optimism has already struck a chord with early audiences. “I’m watching people tear up after seeing it … it’s making me tear up. There’s something about it, it’s almost bigger than the movie or book, it’s tapped into something that I think is really special,” he shared.
With positive early reactions from invited press and a cast that includes Sandra Hüller, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung, and Milana Vayntrub, “Project Hail Mary” is shaping up to be more than just another space adventure. If Gosling’s reaction is any indication, audiences may want to bring tissues along with their popcorn.