James Ortiz, a well-known puppeteer and theater actor, will be the voice and on-set actor for Rocky in the upcoming sci-fi hit Project Hail Mary. The film’s final trailer, which came out on Super Bowl Sunday, confirmed what fans had been saying about the spider-like alien character from Andy Weir’s best-selling book.
Directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller praised Ortiz for his dual role, saying that he was Ryan Gosling’s scene partner on set and also brought Rocky to life through puppetry and voice work. Ortiz worked with Neal Scanlan’s creature team and Framestore animators. He is known for his award-winning designs for The Skin of Our Teeth and The Woods. Sandra Hüller, who was nominated for an Oscar, is also in the cast, and Priyanshu Kansara voices the ship’s AI, Mary.
Project Hail Mary, a movie from Amazon MGM Studios, is about astronaut Ryland Grace (Gosling) waking up on a spaceship to help Rocky solve Earth’s solar crisis. The movie will come out in theaters and IMAX on March 20, 2026. It is Lord and Miller’s first time directing a live-action movie since 22 Jump Street.
