Ryan Gosling Says Daughters Helped Shape His Look in Project Hail Mary

Ryan Gosling has revealed that his daughters played a surprising role in shaping his performance in Project Hail Mary, which opened in theaters on March 20, 2026.

The actor, who stars as science teacher-turned-astronaut Ryland Grace, said his daughters Esmeralda Amada, 11, and Amada Lee, 9, helped influence key creative choices during production.

One of their biggest contributions came during costume fittings. Gosling shared that while trying different looks, one of his daughters suggested he wear glasses.

“She said, ‘You look smart in glasses,’” Gosling explained. “I needed to look smart for this role, so I took that advice.”

The suggestion became part of the character’s final look, helping define Grace as a believable scientist.

Their involvement didn’t stop there. Much of the film features Gosling interacting with an alien character named Rocky, who communicates through musical tones. To help him perform these scenes naturally, Gosling’s daughters spoke to him through an earpiece during filming, effectively “playing” Rocky.

According to Gosling, some of his most genuine reactions in the movie—including moments of laughter—came from hearing his daughters’ voices in real time.

The actor also said his daughters watched multiple cuts of the film and offered feedback to directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. He joked that they are “the only critics I care about.”

The film has opened to strong box office results, earning $80.5 million in North America. It marks the biggest opening for Amazon MGM Studios and the second-largest debut for a non-franchise film, behind Oppenheimer.

With both critical and commercial success, Project Hail Mary is already shaping up to be one of the standout releases of 2026—helped, in part, by some very close-to-home creative input.