Janelle Monae Joins Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson in Space Drama, ‘Hidden Figures’

Janelle Monae has joined the cast of Hidden Figures. The space themed drama also stars Empire’s Taraji P. Henson, and Octavia Butler and is based on an upcoming book, Hidden Figures: The Story of the African-American Women Who Helped Win the Space Race – which is scheduled to be released this September.

The movie will focus on three African-American women who played an integral part during NASA’s Friendship 7 mission that culminated in the tremendous feat of astronaut John Glenn who made history in February 1962 – by becoming the first American to orbit the earth.

The film, which is slated to debut in theaters in 2017, will also star actor Kevin Costner. Monae has been tapped to play the role of Mary Jackson who along with Dorothy Vaughn (played by Octavia Spencer), provide assistance to Katherine Henson (played by Taraji P. Henson), who is a mathematician.

Monae previously shared her love for NASA in an interview with Billboard magazine back in December 2013, when the Yoga singer described her desire to join the tech team at NASA in order to score a “free ride to space’.

It may not be the real thing but at least Monae will have the chance to feed her obsession through the magic lenses of the big screen.