Who was the first actor to go into outer space?
William Shakespeare once famously wrote, “all the world’s a stage”, and now this stage is expanding beyond the realm of our planet. As space exploration programs rapidly gain momentum, the film industry is not one to stay behind. With space becoming the new choice of setting for filmmakers, the silver screen has gained a whole new dimension.
Movies featuring space as a setting in their stories have often used various special effects to bring it to life. Yet, with the fast pace of technological development, there is a possibility these effects may not be needed soon, and a Russian film is the first to test this realm of the universe.
Adding to the list of firsts, Yulia Peresild overtook Tom Cruise’s mission to make the first film shot in space. In October 2021, Peresild, accompanied by director Klim Shipenko, reached the International Space Station to shoot some scenes for their film, The Challenge, where she plays the role of a surgeon who conducts an operation to save the life of a Russian astronaut. Naturally, the two had to take up all the roles involved in the shooting of those scenes.
Peresild is a highly accomplished actor from the Russian industry, with over 30 films and many national and international accolades under her belt. However, she had to compete with over 3000 other applicants in a contest launched by the Russian state space corporation. It involved a two-stage process evaluating the actor’s medical fitness and creativity. Peresild found learning to handle the technicalities of the spacecraft to be a trying task.
On the other hand, someone else shortly followed Peresild into space for a more personal reason. William Shatner, best known for his role as Captain Kirk in Star Trek, was the oldest person to go to space as of 2024.
Why did William Shatner go to space?
90-year-old Shatner found himself invited on a space trip for a celebration of his grand legacy. However, the experience felt more like a funeral than a celebration, as shared by Shatner in an exclusive to Variety. It seems the overview effect kicked in with regard to this experience. Minted by space philosopher Frank White, the overview effect is a cognitive phenomenon where astronauts who view Earth from space feel a greater sense of appreciation for the planet and a deeper connection to humanity. Shatner linked this to his own experience and described his feelings.
When he looked at the space that he greatly admired, a bleak desolation overtook his mind. He felt overwhelmed by the vastness of space as though he had been engulfed by the very darkness that surrounded him. He grieved the loss of contact with Earth, submerged in the cold stretch of endless space, while the warm blanket of nurture was left far behind.
Feeling closer to the planet than ever before, he began to value the many virtues it embodies. He became apprehensive about the constant destruction of these virtues at mankind’s hands. This trip made him appreciate the 90 years he had already spent on Earth and gain a deeper understanding of the fragility of the planet as well as of life itself.
