Behind the FIRST MAN

In her powerful portrayal of Janet Armstrong, acclaimed actress Claire Foy brings to life the immense struggle and sometimes lost importance of women during this most dangerous time. She explains what made the part monumental.

THE entire world knows the name Neil Armstrong and his extraordinary legacy, culminating in the Apollo 11 moon landing and that famous first step. But now, in First Man – directed by Oscar winner Damien Chazelle ( La La Land) and starring Ryan Gosling – we are shown just what went on behind the walls at NASA during that momentous time between 1961 and 1969, and more importantly we are given an intimate look inside the notoriously private personal life of the celebrated astronaut. Portrayed by Claire Foy (Netflix’s The Crown), Neil’s wife Janet Armstrong is without question the passionate, indomitable and unsung heroine of First Man.

As a mother she is forced to come to terms with the unthinkable loss of her infant daughter; as a wife she is asked to make huge sacrifices, even putting her higher education on hold in the service of Neil’s single-minded focus; and yet as the backbone of the burgeoning space program she must endure, take all of this emotional toll in stride and become one of the most public faces of the earthbound NASA families. “Like all the astronauts’ wives, they are in the background of history,” says Foy. “Nobody spent time investigating what it was like to be them until much later on.”

“Like all the astronauts’ wives, they are in the background of history.”

“It’s about looking back and asking the cost to that person’s life.” “Sometimes, the quietest stories are the ones that are the most compelling.”

woman who strived tirelessly to keep the Armstrongs together during one of the most famous events in world history. “She was constantly exploring new ways to communicate not only the complex dynamics inherent in any marriage,” says Gosling, “but also the experience of someone living something so singular, that it’s hard to even imagine, let alone relate to.”

The Last Word

For Foy, First Man is not just about the moon landing. “It’s about Neil as a human being and what it means for a human to make such extraordinary strides for humankind,” she says. “Sometimes, the quietest stories are the ones that are the most compelling. This is a story of a man who did something absolutely extraordinary. It’s worthwhile looking at the person who was at the centre of that… It’s about looking back and asking the cost to that person’s life.”