Neil Armstrong’s Sons on ‘First Man’ and Ryan Gosling’s Performance

Neil Armstrong’s Sons on ‘First Man’ and Ryan Gosling’s Performance

One of the best films of 2018 is First Man. Directed by Oscar-winning Whiplash and La La Land filmmaker Damien Chazelle, the film is based on a book by James R. Hansen and chronicles the amazing behind-the-scenes story of NASA’s mission to land a man on the moon, focusing on Neil Armstrong between the years of 1961 and 1969. Ryan Gosling fills the role of Armstrong in the film, with Emmy-winning The Crown actress Claire Foy playing Armstrong’s wife Janet. The film also stars Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, Patrick Fugit, Ciaran Hinds, Ethan Embry, Lukas Haas, Shea Whigham, Corey Stoll, and Pablo Schreiber. First Man was written by Oscar-winning Spotlight and The Post co-writer Josh Singer and produced by Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen alongside Chazelle and Gosling.

While we’ve all seen a number of movie and TV projects about the early days of NASA and the space race, Chazelle opens the door to a new way of looking at the subject matter with the way he frames the events on screen. Trust me, even though I knew which missions were successful I was on the edge of my seat as I watched the astronauts attempt to do the impossible. I cannot recommend this movie enough and I’m extremely confident it will be up for all the big awards at the upcoming Oscars.

Last week, I got to visit Kennedy Space Center in Florida to conduct interviews for the film. In today’s installment, Mark and Rick Armstrong (Neil Armstrong’s two sons) talk about what it was like seeing the film for the first time, Ryan Gosling’s performance, and a key scene in the film where they talked to their parents before their father went to the moon.

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[uranusimploding]

It's good to see a film about a quiet, respectable man who was a hero in every sense of the word .... We need more men and women like him ....

[Montie-Adkins]

it is one of the most moving movies I have ever seen.

[donb]

I was 12 years old also when Apollo 11 landed, and I think Neil Armstrong is one of the greatest, and most humble of American hero’s.

[brianpaine]

I was 22 at that time and so thankful that it happened in my lifetime. Armstrong belongs to the world because he took that first step and as such it is easy to forget he was a man with a family. Nice to hear his sons speak about him.

[davidgrove]

I still find it amazing that they were able to fit their balls in the spacecraft.

[neilvarma]

Your father is a hero ! All thanks and congrats to what he did 🖖🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[brabham]

Based on the trailers that I have seen, Ryan Gosling nailed the performance better than anyone could have expected.   An award winning performance, for sure.  But, I must say.  It is rare when the actual, real life man, is more epic than Hollywood's portrayal of him.  In this case, the real Neil Armstrong, was more epic.   I was 11 year old when Armstrong landed on the moon, but, I knew who he was before, and after the landing, and he  was more epic before and after, then anyone I have ever seen.   One of the few greatest men of all time.

[brianarbenz]

I was one month from turning 11 on July 20, 1969. I can identify with how you two must have felt. And your dad was indeed a great person!

[johnnymarlin]

I thought Gosling nailed it, with the thought of death at any time as Neil in space simply brilliant and brave!!

[bishnooktawak]

Chazelle did do an amazing job with this movie, on virtually every possible level. A real tour de force.

[Grit]

I was at our camp at lake sacandaga in upstate NY ten years old and remember all of us sitting around the black and white TV still in our swim trunks watching Neil set foot on the moon, great memory.

[jrcadet]

Looking forward to seeing FIRST MAN---I grew up near Edwards AFB, where Neil Armstrong flew as a test pilot. (In fact he ushered at the Methodist church which
i attended occasionally as a kid---i remember him only vaguely, and then as a quiet, polite, undemonstrative presence). Fascinating to hear his sons discuss the film...!

[jsfbr]

Good to know. Now I'm going to watch it with another pair of glasses. Very nice seeing Neil's sons in this interview. I loved it.

[Bnio]

Wow, Mark looks a lot like his father.

[HopliteWarlord]

Neil Armstrong is the type of Iconic hero that every country should have one! Amazing man!

[NxDoyle]

I'm really looking forward to seeing this, and I say that as someone who stopped going to the movies several years ago.

There is a mindset in society these days that results in space travel being taken for granted. Even at the time of the Apollo missions, public interest waned after the first landing.

But when you stop for a second and think about what these people did, it's a staggering human achievement. One of the reasons I love NASA is that it is a living example of our species at its best. It's the embodiment of human curiosity and endeavour, writ large.

[rashidasvat]

Their dad is a real real Hero! Neil Armston has been my Hero since I learned about him in the 3rd grade.

[animalboy]

I absolutely loved this movie! It put a perspective on the whole moon missions that I'd never considered. At times you feel the stress & weight that the astronauts are feeling (At least What I think they were feeling. Can't say enough good things about this movie.

[paulmichaelfreedman]

I watched First Man last week, and from what I knew I saw many things were spot-on, beside absolutely stunning visuals. Beautiful movie about the man, not the mission.

[monazhangye]

I can't think of a more heroic act as a human, than to be the first human walking on another planet, with great known risks.