Hashim Asraff
Tom Hanks is an extremely ambitious actor, and after achieving several cinematic milestones, the Forrest Gump actor has set his eyes on a new target. Earlier, Hanks played real-life astronaut Jim Lovell in the 1995 space docudrama movie, Apollo 13. The movie was based on the book Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13, a memoir by Lovell detailing NASA’s failed Apollo 13 mission.
To ensure authenticity, the director of the film, Ron Howard, enlisted the help of NASA to train his cast to play astronauts. Having closely worked with NASA, it’s no wonder Hanks is excited to go to space at any cost.
Tom Hanks Is Ready To Clean Toilets If That’s What Gets Him To Space
Tom Hanks is bringing back the Apollo stories again, but this time not on the screen. The Cast Away actor is curating an immersive film and art exhibition explaining the Apollo missions. Hanks, who also co-wrote the project, appeared in an interview with The Telegraph to promote his exhibition. The Elvis actor opened up about his desire to travel to space and his willingness to even cook and clean to achieve his dream. The Philadelphia actor told The Telegraph:
“I would like to be the guy in charge of serving food and making jokes to and from the moon. If there was room, I would be the guy that cleans up, makes jokes, tells stories, and keeps everybody entertained. I’m your man. I would probably sign up right now! That might be a good idea, I’ll do all the work. I’ll clean the toilet. I’ll serve the food. I’ll fold clothes. I’ll stow the gear. That way, the others could be free to do other stuff.”
The Saving Private Ryan actor’s exhibition, titled The Moonwalkers: A Journey With Tom Hanks, will premiere on December 6 in London. During the interview, the Captain Phillips actor also spoke about NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to send a manned crew to the moon by 2025. He appreciated the program’s gender equality, with four men and four women on the crew.
Tom Hanks Has Already Worked In Simulated Space Conditions
Initially, the screenwriters of Apollo 13 considered Kevin Costner to play Jim Lovell due to facial similarities. However, Tom Hanks’s knowledge of the mission and space history made him the first casting choice. Following Ron Howard’s insistence on keeping the film authentic, the film also refrained from using any real footage from the original mission.
The spacecraft was recreated for the movie by Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Centre’s Space Works. The pressure suits worn by Hanks and other crew members were an exact reproduction of those worn by Jim Lovell and his crew. The cast underwent training at the U.S. Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, alongside astronauts Lovell and the commander of Apollo 15, David Scott.
The Da Vinci Code actor and his co-stars also simulated weightlessness in outer space at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. All efforts paid off as the movie grossed $355 million at the box office. It appears that the Asteroid City actor is well-trained to travel to outer space, and need not necessarily cook, clean, or entertain his way into the opportunity.
Tom Hanks’s space movie, Apollo 13, is now available for rent on AppleTV+.
Source: The Telegraph
