In a truly "Amaze, Amaze, Amaze" scenario, Project Hail Mary's puppeteer James Ortiz, who is also a stage performer, is set to be named as one of the key contenders for the upcoming Oscars race. Amazon MGM Studios and the makers of the critically acclaimed sci-fi drama will be submitting his name in the Best Supporting Actor category.
A skilled puppeteer, Ortiz brought alive Rocky, the arachnid alien from outer space whom Ryan Gosling's Dr Ryland Grace befriends during a mission to save their respective planets. The character has been loved, celebrated and is now a viral sensation across the internet and Ortiz's puppetry has been key to making him a household name.
Besides the Oscars, he would be eligible to be nominated in the Actor Awards, Critics Choice Awards as well as the BAFTAs. However, the Golden Globes will not be able to name him due to their existing rules, according to Variety.
Given its current phenomenal run across the globe, Project Hail Mary is also expected to compete in other categories for the Oscars which include Best Picture, Best Director, cinematography and other awards. The film, directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, has already crossed $570 million at the global box office.
Ortiz's role is eligible for Oscars despite him not being in front of the camera as it is permitted under its rules. The Special Achievement Award was introduced by the Academy in 1972 to honour work that did not fit into the existing traditional categories---An important change that paved way for the Oscars to recognise essential technical work that could go unnoticed.
Project Hail Mary tells the story of a teacher with much knowledge of microbiology who is tasked with a mission to solve a mysterious phenomenon that causes the sun to die out. When the astronaut wakes up in a different galaxy, he has little memory of who he is and what happened to his sace ship's crew. However, his memory starts to come back to him gradually, and he soon befriends an alien named Rocky (James Ortiz) that helps him with the mission.
Besides Gosling and Ortiz, the film also stars Sandra Huller, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung, Milana Vayntrub, and Priya Kansara, among others.
