As NASA's Artemis II mission prepares to return to Earth, astronaut Jeremy Hansen sent a message of admiration to the star of the movie “Project Hail Mary,” Ryan Gosling, saying that the Amazon MGM film was a source of inspiration for the crew before embarking on their own journey lunar, as reported by Variety.

Hansen, along with his colleagues Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, had the opportunity to watch the film during their quarantine period, just before launch.

Currently, the four astronauts are aboard NASA's Orion spacecraft, completing a 10-day journey around the Moon, representing the longest distance a human has traveled from Earth to date.

What did Hansen say?

“We were all very lucky. We were able to watch “Project Hail Mary” while we were in quarantine,” Hansen stated. “It was a real treat to receive a link to watch it at home with our families, preparing us for our own space adventure.” The film, starring Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace—a high school science teacher and molecular biologist tasked with a mission to save humanity—was described by Hansen as an “inspiring example.” The astronaut added: “I would just say to Ryan that art imitates science and vice versa, it seems. He did a great job in that film. It’s wonderful to see people really dedicating themselves to those roles.” Before liftoff, Gosling recorded a video sending his best wishes to the four astronauts. Hansen emphasized that the entire crew found in the plot a reflection of the challenges and grandeur of their own mission: “Someone who goes out there and understands what was done to save humanity. It’s quite an extraordinary example that we can all follow.” “Project Hail Mary,” adapted from Andy Weir’s bestselling science fiction novel, premiered on March 20 and has become a box office phenomenon.with a worldwide fundraising total exceeding $420 million.

The Artemis II mission is scheduled to return to Earth this Friday, April 10, splashing down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 5:07 p.m. PDT.