Ryan Gosling invited his daughters, Esmeralda Amada and Amada Lee, to assist him in his new sci-fi film, bringing a unique level of authenticity to his character’s interactions. In the upcoming Project Hail Mary, Gosling portrays a science teacher on a mission to save Earth, and his daughters played a surprising role by serving as voice doubles during some scenes to capture natural, spontaneous responses.
How Esmeralda and Amada Enhanced Gosling’s Performance
To create believable conversations with the alien character Rocky, voiced by James Ortiz, Gosling used his daughters’ voices during certain takes. He described wearing an earpiece, allowing the girls to improvise lines as Rocky, enabling him to respond naturally in character.
“Sometimes when I was working and I needed to sort of switch things up or whatever, my kids would come in and I had an earpiece in my ear and they would talk for Rocky, so I could talk to them as Rocky,”
Gosling shared with PEOPLE.
Though Ortiz is the official voice heard in the film’s final version, some of the brothers’ and sisters’ genuine reactions inspired moments that show up on screen, creating charming exchanges between Gosling and Rocky.
“There’s some moments in the movie where I’m laughing or I’m just so charmed by him, which is like, it’s actually my kids talking to me and helping me out,”
Gosling explained.
Daughters Also Acted as Early Reviewers and Provided Creative Input
Beyond voice doubling, Esmeralda and Amada contributed as informal test audiences, watching multiple edits of the film and offering feedback to help refine the project. Gosling credits their insights with helping to shape certain visual and narrative decisions.
“They’ve seen many cuts of this film,”
Gosling said.
They’ve given me many notes.
Some of their input even influenced how Gosling developed his character’s look, tying into his performance and screen presence.
A Daughter’s Advice Helped Define Gosling’s Character
One memorable moment came when Amada commented on her father’s appearance as he tried on costume elements for his role. Her simple observation about the glasses led Gosling to embrace the accessory wholeheartedly to enhance his character’s intelligence and believability.
“When I was trying on stuff for the character and my daughter came by, and she was like, ‘You look smart in glasses,’”
Gosling recounted.
And I was like, ‘I need to look smart in this, so I will thank you for that.’
Project Hail Mary: A Promising Sci-Fi Release with a Strong Cast
Based on Andy Weir’s novel, known for The Martian, Project Hail Mary features a notable ensemble including Sandra Hüller, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung, and Milana Vayntrub. The film, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller—who have a track record with hits like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and 21 Jump Street—is scheduled for release on March 20.
Gosling’s involvement, supported by his daughters’ unique contributions, sets an optimistic tone for this highly anticipated movie.
