Star Kate Mara and writer/director Jess Varley discussed their collaboration on the sci-fi thriller, The Astronaut, a film that explores the terrifying and isolating experience of an astronaut who brings something ominous back to Earth. The movie, which premiered at the SXSW Film Festival, stars Mara as Sam Walker, an astronaut placed under strict NASA quarantine after her crash landing, who begins to fear an extraterrestrial presence has followed her home.
“The Astronaut” Interview with Kate Mara and Writer/Director Jess Varley
For Kate Mara, the unique and surprising nature of the script was a major draw. “When I read the script, I was so surprised by a lot of where the story goes”. She added that the film felt like “a few different genres in one” and “felt different than what I had done before.”
Researching the Reality of Coming Home
While Mara is no stranger to the world of space exploration, having starred in The Martian, she noted that The Astronaut required a completely different type of preparation. “I had to research and learn about what it’s like coming home from a mission,” she explained, contrasting it with her earlier role, which focused on a mission in space.
To prepare for the physically and emotionally demanding role of Sam, Mara immersed herself in research, studying what astronauts experience upon their return to Earth. This included watching “endless astronaut interviews” to understand the physical and emotional adjustments, a process she found “fascinating.” Varley also provided extensive research, and Mara found sources like YouTube videos of astronauts immediately after landing to be incredibly helpful.
The Power of Isolation and a Surprising Concept
Mara highlighted the “isolation” of her character as one of the most compelling aspects of the story. Sam, struggling with strange experiences, desperately seeks validation from her husband (Gabriel Luna). Mara commented, “It’s just a very human emotion to want to feel seen and acknowledged. I just think the element of isolation for her, that’s the theme of the film, as well as that was a fun thing to play with.”
For Jess Varley, The Astronaut marks her solo feature writing and directing debut. The core idea for the film originated from a surprising, real-world source: an article about the actual symptoms and experiences astronauts endure when returning from long stints in space. Varley was intrigued by the concept of a character who “couldn’t trust what they were seeing.” The story fully clicked into place, she shared, “Once I cracked the twist, I essentially backtracked the story and worked it into itself. It honestly was a very organic process.”
Varley’s commitment to making the experience feel as real as possible was aided by consultants, including a NASA astronaut and someone with record-breaking hours logged on the International Space Station.
The actress hopes audiences will be as “surprised” by the film as she was when reading the script. She believes the film’s many “twists and turns” are part of “the fun here of this story and this sort of ride,” making it a rewarding experience for viewers seeking the unexpected.
The Astronaut also stars Laurence Fishburne as General William Harris, Gabriel Luna as Sam’s husband Mark, Ivana Milicevic, Macy Gray, and introducing Scarlett Holmes.
