Ryan Gosling Shares Connection Between His Kids and Project Hail Mary

Ryan Gosling’s daughters with wife Eva Mendes share an unexpected link to his role in Project Hail Mary.

“Eva and I are eager to create one of those core memory moments in a movie theater with our kids, similar to what we experienced as children,” Gosling, 45, mentioned during a Wednesday, March 18, appearance on Today with Jenna & Sheinelle. “Unfortunately, we haven’t had that yet. A lot of what they come across seems aimed at frightening them. There’s an overwhelming sense of hopelessness.”

Enter Project Hail Mary, the 2021 science fiction novel written by Andy Weir. It took six years for Gosling, who is also a producer on the film, to adapt and develop it. The Project Hail Mary movie is set to release in theaters on Friday, March 20.

“We aimed to create something that was not just for them but also, in a loftier sense, for their generation,” he added, speaking about daughters Esmeralda, 11, and Amada, 9. “It’s about science and making STEM appealing, and believing in human potential.”

Gosling elaborated, “The character’s journey reflects this — he starts off doubting his abilities but comes to recognize his capacity for greatness, and that’s true for all of us.”

Project Hail Mary follows Dr. Ryland Grace (played by Gosling), a scientist turned schoolteacher who awakens on a spaceship with no recollection of how he arrived there. Through flashbacks, we learn that he is on a mission to save Earth and befriends an alien named Rocky during his journey.

As Gosling approached the role, he was initially hesitant about the “cliche” of having a scientist wear glasses. However, that accessory ultimately defined the character, thanks to a nudge from his daughter.

“I was experimenting with the character and put on some glasses,” Gosling recalled. “My daughter said, ‘You do look smarter in glasses.’ I thought, then I’ll definitely wear them. Thank you!”

Fans of the book are often quite protective of it, which Gosling was mindful of. Early responses to the film suggest that this adaptation is authentic. (Us Weekly can confirm this after attending an Amazon Books screening of the film on Tuesday, March 17.)

“Writer Andy Weir has a unique voice and is a remarkable talent right now. While he writes science fiction, we have been overwhelmed by dystopian narratives over the last decade. It often feels like negative outcomes are inevitable,” Gosling remarked on Wednesday. “What Andy creates, which I find truly special, is an opportunity to shift that narrative and envision the future as something that doesn’t have to be feared.”