Kermode & Mayo’s Take

Ryan Gosling on PROJECT HAIL MARY

8 snips
Mar 12, 2026
Ryan Gosling, actor known for La La Land and Blade Runner 2049, chats about leading the sci‑fi film Project Hail Mary. He talks about loving Andy Weir’s book, crafting the heart of a solo space survival story, and creating Rocky with puppetry. There’s also chat on sci‑fi influences, a surprise karaoke moment, and whether he’d ever really go to space.
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INSIGHT

Hail Mary Is Sci Fi About Friendship

  • Project Hail Mary uses hard sci‑fi mechanics to foreground an intimate friendship rather than spectacle.
  • Mark Kermode and Ryan Gosling compare it to Silent Running, highlighting loneliness in space as the film's emotional engine.
INSIGHT

The Book Felt Like An Optimistic Pandemic Hail Mary

  • Gosling read Andy Weir's manuscript during the pandemic and saw the project as an optimistic pivot from fear to problem‑solving.
  • He felt the story reframes the future as something humans can figure out, which appealed during lockdown.
ANECDOTE

Rocky Was Brought To Life With Five Puppeteers

  • Ryan Gosling described the practical, puppeteered creation of Rocky with five puppeteers to keep interactions real on set.
  • James Ortiz doubled as Rocky's off‑camera reader and shaped Rocky's voice and behaviour, making the bond feel authentic on camera.
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