Author’s Note: I had the amazing opportunity to participate in a roundtable discussion with Cole Sprouse and Lana Condor to talk about their new release Moon Shot. I cannot thank Warner Brothers enough for this amazing opportunity, and without further ado!
I’m telling you that being an outer space spy sounds pretty amazing…in my opinion. And then finding the girl of your dreams? Even better! I’m such a sap for cheesy rom coms, but you will not catch me watching my mom’s favorites.
Moon Shot, directed by Christopher Winterbauer, and starring Lana Condor (To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before) and Cole Sprouse (Riverdale; Suite Life of Zack and Cody) are two very vastly different people just trying to find love doing what they love. Walt (Cold Sprouse) is the boyish, innocent barista. He dreams of going to Mars, and wants nothing more than to leave his coffee job with his robot boss. Sophie (Lana Condor) has a boyfriend on Mars who took the job position of his dreams, leaving her behind. She impulsively books a flight to Mars for the next morning, to be with him again. But much to her surprise…and surprise to you! I’m not selling any spoilers. Let’s just say that if this movie plot was not a fantasy, it would be a documentary.
“I just wanted him to be approachable. I think Zack and Cody had prepared me for that because Cody was nerdy, and I wanted Walt to be just like him, in a way” said Sprouse. “Truthfully, I did nothing to change my body. You know how stars will train and train and train their bodies to fit these roles? I just channeled how approachable I wanted him to be.”
Walt, a part-time barista and full-time Mars nerd, is just wanting to explore and pursue something he has always dreamed of. Literally. His applications are rejected time and time again. But what is he doing wrong? That’s for me to know, and you to find out!
Sophie is your favorite heartbroken queen, as she navigates a literal long-distance relationship with her perfect boyfriend on Mars. He has the job of his dreams, and she is the most supportive person you could ever ask for. Their scheduled calls and shared orbs that make it feel as though they are right next to each other just isn’t enough.
Condor describes her character as “channeling her inner mom. I just thought to be as loving and caring and intelligent as my mom, truthfully.”
“Walt grows into his personality and really lives everything that he is meant to, and I learned a lot playing this part as well. It was eye-opening just how much we had grown in our acting careers, let alone playing a character who was also growing,” said Sprouse.
“You know, that’s a great point. You follow Sophie as she sees the world from Earth and Mars, but also her relationship with her boyfriend. You watch as Walt and Sophie grow from their time on the first spaceship for a month, and it’s really amazing to see them play out,” and Condor.
While Sprouse and Condor learned a lot about themselves in these roles, there are plenty of reasons why this movie is extremely important in history. And it really only starts with a little imagination, and everything comes to life.
Life on Mars is not a foreign concept. We have multiple rovers, and are even designing one at ASU! Space exploration is a hot topic since we first landed on the moon, and it has only developed and evolved further. NASA has a fully-equipped website and are active on every social media platform you could think of. Walt and Sophie are the comic relief in the scientific revolution we are living in!
The title is a little ironic in that this is meant to be based on Mars, yet a little irony and a ‘ship’ load of comedy is what makes this move go ‘round. Check out Moon Shot on HBO Max on March 31st!