On the heels of announcing that 20th Century Fox was teaming up with PepsiCo to fund a scholarship for young women in STEM inspired by “Hidden Figures,” the studio has just released a new trailer for the film. The more footage we see from the project, the more excited we get about it.
Written by Allison Schroeder and the film’s director, Theodore Melfi, and based on the book by Margot Lee Shetterly, “Hidden Figures” tells the true story of the female presence behind the space race of the 1960s.
As we’ve previously reported, the film “tells the incredible untold story of Katherine G. Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe), brilliant African-American women working at NASA, who served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation’s confidence, turned around the Space Race, and galvanized the world. The visionary trio crossed all gender and race lines to inspire generations to dream big.”
This new trailer certainly solidifies Monáe’s character, Mary Jackson, as the sarcastic gal of the trio. “Three negro women are chasing a white police officer down a highway in 1961,” she exclaims while flooring it in the car. “That is a god-ordained miracle.” Later, when chastised by Katherine for ogling astronaut John Glenn, Mary says, “This is equal rights, and I have the right to see fine in every color.”
“Hidden Figures” is now officially an awards season contender. Fox is giving the film a qualifying run with a limited release on December 25. The wide release has also moved up a week to January 6. An awards season qualification is monumental for “Hidden Figures.” Having a science-based film starring women, and women of color at that, campaign for and potentially win awards would be not only a huge deal for Hollywood, but for the awards race as well. With three African-American stars, “Hidden Figures” has the potential to help steer #OscarsSoWhite in a more inclusive direction.
