Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Taraji P. Henson | ... | ||
Octavia Spencer | ... | ||
Janelle Monáe | ... |
Mary Jackson
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Kevin Costner | ... |
Al Harrison
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Kirsten Dunst | ... | ||
Jim Parsons | ... |
Paul Stafford
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Mahershala Ali | ... |
Colonel Jim Johnson
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Aldis Hodge | ... |
Levi Jackson
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Glen Powell | ... | ||
Kimberly Quinn | ... |
Ruth
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Olek Krupa | ... |
Karl Zielinski
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Kurt Krause | ... |
Sam Turner
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Ken Strunk | ... |
Jim Webb
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Lidya Jewett | ... | ||
Donna Biscoe | ... |
As the United States raced against Russia to put a man in space, NASA found untapped talent in a group of African-American female mathematicians that served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in U.S. history. Based on the unbelievably true life stories of three of these women, known as "human computers", we follow these women as they quickly rose the ranks of NASA alongside many of history's greatest minds specifically tasked with calculating the momentous launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, and guaranteeing his safe return. Dorothy Vaughn, Mary Jackson, and Katherine Johnson crossed all gender, race, and professional lines while their brilliance and desire to dream big, beyond anything ever accomplished before by the human race, firmly cemented them in U.S. history as true American heroes. Written by 20th Century Fox
Someone commented that this movie was almost of an Oscar winning quality if it was not so length. This is besides the point. The real argument for this movie is that it details the facts about African Americans contributions to the collective efforts of everyone who made it possible for the Astronauts to venture into space. Most importantly, in a society that has made attendant efforts to discredit African American's knowledge even in the study and field of the sciences. Consequently, this movie gives the general populace a clear understanding of the contributions of these 3 African American women as an affirmation that no race is essentially gifted beyond others and particularly not beyond African Americans who have in all aspects of American history stood head to head with other races in every aspect of development regardless of the immense efforts by some to malign them as inferior or lazy people.
Lastly, this movie along with others in similar categories is an affirmation to young African Americans that those who came before them have done better and they must endeavor to follow in those footsteps not minding the systematic lies that has been continually perpetrated by certain elements in the American society against African Americans.
PMG