Darren Aronofsky, Ari Handel On How 'One Strange Rock' Can Educate Scientists and Children
The executive producers also discuss working with Will Smith on the National Geographic docuseries.
“I know a lot of scientists who watch the show and say that they learn things, and I also know a lot of kids who watch the show and are able to take it in at the same time. So it’s nice to be able to reach that across those divides,” One Strange Rock exec producer Ari Handel told The Hollywood Reporter In Studio.
Along with Darren Aronofsky, the two executive producers examine the planet in the National Geographic project through the views of astronauts who have spent anywhere from eight days in space like Mae Jemison, to 665 like Peggy Whitson. “They all kind of have this transformation called cosmic consciousness, or the Overview Effect, and it’s basically seeing the earth as one system. Something we all kind of understand and get, but it’s very easy to forget in our daily lives of carpooling and taking kids all over, and doing whatever other stuff we need to do around the home,” Aronofsky said.
“Remembering that this is one house, that we all share Mother Nature, is something they get to witness first head. And I think our show One Strange Rock tries to capture that feeling and remind us all what’s going on,” he added.
Delivering mind-blowing science facts with jaw-dropping footage shot in 145 countries and on the Space Station required a narrator who could “connect some of the intense stuff and make it really exciting.” That person was Will Smith.
“Will just seemed perfect for it because he was able to take all of this information and really communicate it to pretty much everyone in an exciting way,” Aronofsky told THR. “And then beyond that, we were blessed because we only had a small amount of time because of schedules to work with him. But he’s just a complete gentleman, totally game, and definitely an incredible actor to work with.”
