Stars of 'Hidden Figures' get a taste of space at KSC
Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson, Janelle Monae -- and Pharrell! -- visited Kennedy Space Center to promote new film.
Stars of 'Hidden Figures' get a taste of space at KSC Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson, Janelle Monae -- and Pharrell! -- visited Kennedy Space Center to promote new film. Check out this story on floridatoday.com: http://on.flatoday.com/2hxtiY3
Jennifer Sangalang, FLORIDA TODAY Published 8:06 p.m. ET Dec. 12, 2016 | Updated 6:33 a.m. ET Dec. 13, 2016
Monday press conference for the upcoming film "Hidden Figures" was held at Kennedy Space Center. Left to right, Host John Zarrella, Director and co-writer Theodore Melfi, actresses Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson, and Janelle Monae.(Photo: TIM SHORTT/FLORIDA TODAY)Buy Photo
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — "Hidden Figures" isn't just a tale of the Space Race. It's a tale about space and race.
So says the cast of "Hidden Figures." Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson and Janelle Monae were in town Monday to promote their critically acclaimed film along with the movie's director Ted Melfi and R&B music star Pharrell. In the movie, the actresses play African-American female engineers, the mathematical geniuses who helped launch astronaut John Glenn into space.
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"This is a part of American history, important in American history, and these are American heroes," Monae said of their "human computer" characters.
Space films have long told the tales of astronauts and different journeys into space (some even a little outlandish). A short-lived TV show on ABC even focused on the Astronaut Wives Club.
Photos: Hidden Figures movie press conference
Monday press conference for the upcoming film "Hidden Figures" was held at Kennedy Space Center. Left to right, actresses Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson, and Janelle Monae. The film is based on the true story of a team of African-American women whose mathematical skills helped NASA in the early days of space missions. TIM SHORTT/FLORIDA TODAY
The panel closes the event with the Vulcan gesture to "Live long and prosper" Monday press conference for the upcoming film "Hidden Figures" was held at Kennedy Space Center. Left to right, Moderator John Zarrella, Director and co-writer Theodore Melfi , actresses Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson, and Janelle Monae, Pharell Williams, one of the the producers, who also wrote some of the music, and NASA historian Bill Barry. The film is based on the true story of a team of African-American women whose mathematical skills helped NASA in the early days of space missions. TIM SHORTT/FLORIDA TODAY
Monday press conference for the upcoming film "Hidden Figures" was held at Kennedy Space Center. Actress Octavia Spencer, seen here sharing a laugh while waving to the press, has been nominated for a Golden Globe award for her performance in this film, which is based on the true story of a team of African-American women whose mathematical skills helped NASA in the early days of space missions. TIM SHORTT/FLORIDA TODAY
Monday press conference for the upcoming film "Hidden Figures" was held at Kennedy Space Center. Left to right, Host John Zarrella, Director and co-writer Theodore Melfi, actresses Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson, and Janelle Monae. TIM SHORTT/FLORIDA TODAY
Monday press conference for the upcoming film "Hidden Figures" was held at Kennedy Space Center. Left to right, moderator John Zarrella, Director and co-writer Theodore Melfi , actresses Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson, and Janelle Monae, and Pharell Williams, one of the the producers, who also wrote some of the music. The film is based on the true story of a team of African-American women whose mathematical skills helped NASA in the early days of space missions. TIM SHORTT/FLORIDA TODAY
Monday press conference for the upcoming film "Hidden Figures" was held at Kennedy Space Center. Left to right, Director and co-writer Theodore Melfi , actresses Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson, and Janelle Monae, and Pharell Williams, one of the the producers, who also wrote some of the music. The film is based on the true story of a team of African-American women whose mathematical skills helped NASA in the early days of space missions. TIM SHORTT/FLORIDA TODAY
Monday press conference for the upcoming film "Hidden Figures" was held at Kennedy Space Center. TIM SHORTT/FLORIDA TODAY
Monday press conference for the upcoming film "Hidden Figures" was held at Kennedy Space Center. Left to right, Director and co-writer Theodore Melfi , actresses Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson, and Janelle Monae, Pharell Williams, one of the the producers, who also wrote some of the music, and NASA historian Bill Barry. TIM SHORTT/FLORIDA TODAY
Monday press conference for the upcoming film "Hidden Figures" Pharell Williams, one of the the producers, also wrote some of the music. TIM SHORTT/FLORIDA TODAY
Press conference for the upcoming film "Hidden Figures" . Actress Taraji P. Henson discusses her role. TIM SHORTT/FLORIDA TODAY
Janelle Monae at the press conference for the upcoming film "Hidden Figures". TIM SHORTT/FLORIDA TODAY
Monday press conference for the upcoming film "Hidden Figures" was held at Kennedy Space Center. Left to right, Host John Zarrella, Director and co-writer Theodore Melfi , actresses Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson, and Janelle Monae, Pharell Williams, one of the the producers, who also wrote some of the music. TIM SHORTT/FLORIDA TODAY
Oscar winner Octavia Spencer at the press conference for the upcoming film "Hidden Figures". She has been nominated for a Golden Globe ths year. TIM SHORTT/FLORIDA TODAY
Press conference for the upcoming film "Hidden Figures" was held at Kennedy Space Center. Left to right, actresses Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson, and Janelle Monae. TIM SHORTT/FLORIDA TODAY
Press conference for the upcoming film "Hidden Figures" was held at Kennedy Space Center. Actresses Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson, and Janelle Monae. TIM SHORTT/FLORIDA TODAY
But "Hidden Figures" is the first film that showcases the brains behind the launch formulas. It's a little-known story about the African-American women who were key to America's fight in the Space Race.
The film is based on the book of the same name by Margot Lee Shetterly, and the screenplay was written by Melfi and Allison Schroeder, a 1997 Melbourne High grad.
Glenn died Thursday at age 95. The cast honored him this weekend during their press tour.
In the film, Monae plays mathematician Mary Jackson. She was impressed with NASA's role in that era, saying, "They put aside the 'isms,' the sexism, the racism, the classes when they realized that at the end of the day, we're all the same color. That's when we achieve the extraordinary."
Spencer portrays Dorothy Vaughan, who fights for a supervisor title at NASA in the '60s.
On Monday at KSC, the women touched on the movie's hot topics: race, gender equality and math.
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"There was a universal understanding when I was coming up that math and science was for boys," said Henson, adding she sat in the back of those classes at school. But once she read the script for "Hidden Figures," it really spoke to her. She said she contacted Melfi and told him she had to be in the film. She had to play Katherine Johnson.
NASA chief historian Bill Barry, who was part of the KSC panel, helped out on the research. He praised the cast and production team. "They were so into telling the story and getting it right, they wanted as much detail, as much accuracy as possible," he said.
Some aspects of the film were dramatized, but parts of "Hidden Figures" did happen.
"There are liberties taken here and there," Melfi said.
Monday press conference for the upcoming film "Hidden Figures" was held at Kennedy Space Center. Left to right, Director and co-writer Theodore Melfi , actresses Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson, and Janelle Monae, and Pharell Williams, one of the the producers, who also wrote some of the music. The film is based on the true story of a team of African-American women whose mathematical skills helped NASA in the early days of space missions. (Photo: TIM SHORTT/FLORIDA TODAY)
Former CNN space reporter John Zarrella moderated the news conference, which was broadcast on NASA-TV. Zarrella asked Melfi about "unconscious bias" and how it plays a part in the film.
"The movie's about colored bathrooms, colored coffeepots and not getting promotions ... not becoming a supervisor when you're qualified to become a supervisor," said Melfi. He — and the stars of "Hidden Figures" — hopes the film empowers society to look beyond skin color.
John Glenn remembered by 'Hidden Figures' cast at premiere
The music score has strong meaning, too. Pharrell said he started working on music with a '60s-esque vibe in 2014, and the call to compose music for "Hidden Figures" came in 2015.
"There were so many walls of adversity, so many barriers for race and for gender and just advancement, period, that when people made music, they called it 'soul music' because the music literally came from their souls," said Pharrell. "It had to cut through those barriers."
A good song is a good song, he added.
He's working with Hans Zimmer on the project.
Sneak peek: Unsung heroines at heart of 'Hidden Figures'
The news conference happened the same day the nominations for Golden Globes were announced. Spencer, an Oscar winner for "The Help," got a supporting actress nod, and Pharrell, Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch were nominated for original score. The 74th annual Golden Globes will air on NBC on Jan. 8.
"Hidden Figures" is set for release on Jan. 6 with a few theaters showing it on Christmas Day.
Kevin Costner, Jim Parsons and Kirsten Dunst also star in the film.
Sangalang is FLORIDA TODAY's entertainment reporter and Nerdgirl columnist.
Contact Sangalang at 321-242-3630
or jsangalang@floridatoday.com.
Twitter: @byjensangalang
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