Hidden Figures is a 2016 biography and drama film. The film follows three African-American female mathematicians as they fight racial and gender discrimination by playing a key role in the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit. Set between 1961 and 1962, when the United States and Russia were competing in the space race, the film is based on the real-life stories of Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson and Katherine Goble Johnson, who served as “human computers” at NASA. These three women were responsible for calculating the launch of John Glenn into orbit and ensuring its safe return.

The story dramatizes Mary Jackson's struggle to get an engineering degree, Dorothy Vaughan's efforts to prepare her department for the future by learning IBM mainframes, and Katherine Goble Johnson's mathematical genius and the discrimination she faced in the Space Task Group. The film centers on the struggle of these three women as they cross all gender and racial boundaries to pursue their dreams.

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Plot

"The Secret Numbers" is a biography and drama film set at NASA in 1961-1962 about three African-American female mathematicians, Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, and their struggles with racial and gender discrimination while playing an important role in the space race.

Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson) is the mathematical genius who controls critical calculations for John Glenn's orbital flight and makes a vital suggestion when the heat shield fails, ensuring the mission's success. He faced discrimination at work and prejudice from his colleagues.

Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) transferred her team to the programming department, learning the new IBM computers and the FORTRAN language, and received her official promotion.

Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe) legally overcame the educational barriers she faced due to racial segregation to earn the right to take the necessary courses in pursuit of her goal of becoming an engineer.

The movie tells the stories of these women and their achievements despite discrimination. It was stated that some of the events in the film differed from the real timelines by being dramatized.

Cast and Characters

• Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson): A mathematical genius specializing in analytic geometry. She is assigned to the Space Task Group tasked with calculating the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit. In the movie, he fights against racial and gender discrimination. He also calculated the trajectories of the Apollo 11 and Apollo 13 missions.
• Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer): She is the interim director of the Western Area Computers division at NASA and has no title or associated pay, although her division has responsibilities. She tries to learn the workings of the IBM mainframe on her own and strives to make the entire African-American female computer division important.
• Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe): A computer worker pursuing an engineering degree who detects a flaw in the heat shield of an experimental space capsule. In order to qualify for a promotion, she applies to the court for permission to attend night classes at an all-white school because no high school in Hampton, where she lives, offers extension classes open to African-Americans.
• Al Harrison (Kevin Costner): He is the leader of the Space Task Group and is described as a man who wants to get the job done at all costs. He includes Katherine in his team and fights discrimination.
• Paul Stafford (Jim Parsons): He is the chief engineer. He sees Katherine as an irrelevant subordinate and constantly makes excuses to prevent her from doing her job effectively.
• Vivian Mitchell (Kirsten Dunst): Katherine's supervisor and Caucasian manager who refused Dorothy's request for a formal promotion.
• John Glenn (Glen Powell): The astronaut to be launched into orbit and part of one of the largest operations in NASA's history.
• Levi Jackson (Aldis Hodge): Mary Jackson's husband and a civil rights activist with a narrow view of African-American progress.

Box Office

The film's budget was an estimated US$25,000,000. Its gross revenue in the US and Canada was US$169,607,287. On its opening weekend, December 25, 2016, it grossed US$515,499 in the US and Canada. Its worldwide gross was US$235,957,472.

Awards and Nominations

The movie has totaled 37 wins and 94 nominations. The main awards and nominations of the movie are as follows:

Awards

Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, USA (2017 Saturn Award):

• Best Action/Adventure Movie

BET Awards (2017 BET Award):

• Best Picture
• Best Actor (Mahershala Ali)
• Best Actress (Taraji P. Henson)

Nominations

Academy Awards, USA (2017 Oscar Nominee):

• Best Picture of the Year (Peter Chernin, Donna Gigliotti, Theodore Melfi, Jenno Topping, Pharrell Williams)
• Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role (Octavia Spencer)
• Best Adapted Screenplay (Allison Schroeder, Theodore Melfi)

Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, USA (2017 Saturn Award):

• Best Actress (Taraji P. Henson)

BET Awards (2017 BET Award):

• Best Actress (Janelle Monae)