
Rocky, the alien who teams up with Ryan Gosling’s character in Project Hail Mary, is a truly unique being. Imagine a creature with a rocky exterior, colored like granite, chalk, and rust – almost like something out of a classic monster movie. He’s spider-like in build, with a central body and numerous limbs that move like tentacles, but also have individual fingers. He navigates the air with a fluid, swirling motion, and has a strange underside that even makes Gosling’s character jump! Although he doesn’t have a face, Rocky communicates through a beautiful, complex language of trills, distortions, and sounds reminiscent of whales and theremins. Beyond his unusual appearance, Rocky is incredibly helpful, compassionate, and brilliant – so intelligent that he makes the already-smart Dr. Grace feel a little inadequate. He’s one of a kind… or is he? Rocky shares many characteristics with the droids from Star Wars, and Project Hail Mary often feels a bit like a space adventure in that same vein.