How a Mistake Made ‘Project Hail Mary’s’ Rocky Into a Breakout Star
The New York Times • • entertainment
Key Points:
- In the movie "Project Hail Mary," Ryan Gosling stars alongside an alien character named Rocky, who has a rocklike body and a jittery personality.
- The character's anxious and high-strung demeanor was originally based on a misunderstanding by James Ortiz, the lead puppeteer and voice actor.
- Ortiz believed that time on Rocky's planet, Erid, moved faster than on Earth, influencing his portrayal of Rocky's energy and behavior.
- Later, Ortiz learned from author Andy Weir that an Eridian second is actually slower than an Earth second, contradicting his initial interpretation.
- Despite the correction, Ortiz decided to maintain Rocky's anxious personality, attributing it to the character's unique traits rather than the time discrepancy.
