Disney+ is celebrating the release of its new historical drama, The Right Stuff, and the core set of characters are based on real-life astronauts. Inspired by the 1979 book of the same name by author Tom Wolfe, the re-imagined tale was originally set to air on National Geographic before moving to Disney's streaming service. Will Staples notably served as the writer for the 8-episode series, and he co-produced alongside Leonardo DiCaprio.
The Right Stuff follows a group of test pilots chosen by NASA to form the first set of astronauts known as the "Mercury Seven." As part of Project Mercury, the men participated in experimental research as it involved spaceflight. The new TV adaptation goes even further by following the astronauts and their families after they become instant celebrities. With multiple seasons planned, The Right Stuff aims to document the journeys of these seven brave men during their remarkable, yet dangerous, careers.
The Right Stuff was first transformed into live-action in 1983 with a film starring Scott Glenn, Ed Harris, Lance Henriksen, and Dennis Quaid. Disney+'s version of the story blends a mix of notable TV actors with the purpose of portraying the real astronauts that made up the Mercury Seven. While not all could pass for their historic counterparts, some of the cast members share undeniable similarities.
Alan Shepard
Jake McDorman plays the role of Alan Shepard, the first American to ever reach space. Shepard was chosen as part of NASA's Mercury Seven team after a respected career in the Navy. Not only did Shepard pilot the first crewed Project Mercury flight, Mercury-Redstone 3, but he also went on to command the Apollo 14 mission in 1971. Before Shepard's time as an astronaut came to an end, he served as the fifth person to ever walk on the moon. Shepard officially retired from the Navy and NASA in 1974 before helping form the Mercury Seven Foundation. In 1996, Shepard was diagnosed with a form of leukemia and passed away from the illness two years later. McDorman previously appeared in shows like Limitless, Greek, and Shameless.
Gus Grissom
Michael Trotter appears in The Right Stuff in the role of Virgil Ivan "Gus" Grissom, a U.S. Air Force pilot recruited by NASA to form the Mercury Seven. The WWII and Korean War vet earned a bachelor's degree in aeromechanics before serving as one of the first astronauts. As the pilot of Mercury-Redstone 4 (Liberty Bell 7), Grissom became the second American to fly in space. Grissom then piloted for Gemini 3 in the mid-'60s as part of Project Gemini. Sadly, in 1967, Grissom and two other astronauts died during the pre-launch test of Apollo 1 when the Command Module caught fire, asphyxiating the men inside. Trotter previously appeared in Underground and Inhumans.
John Glenn
Patrick J. Adams plays John Glenn, a former fighter pilot in WWII that joined NASA in the late '50s. Glenn was one of the members of the Mercury Seven, a group of military test pilots that served as the country's first astronauts. Following the mission, Glenn became the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth when he flew the Friendship 7 mission in 1962. Two years later, Glenn resigned from NASA to turn his focus on politics before being elected to the U.S. Senate in 1974. At the age of 77, Glenn took part in Space Shuttle Discovery's STS-95 mission, making him the oldest person to fly in space. The Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient passed away in 2016 at the age of 95. Adams is currently recognized for playing Mike Ross on Suits.
Scott Carpenter
James Lafferty portrays Malcolm Scott Carpenter, a former naval aviator that fought in the Korean War and the Cold War. Shortly after becoming a test pilot, Carpenter was made one of the astronauts that made up Project Mercury. The man notably flew in the Mercury-Atlas 7, piloting Aurora 7. In fact, Carpenter became the second American after Glenn to orbit the Earth as well as the fourth member of Mercury Seven to reach space, following in the footsteps of Shepard, Grissom, and Glenn. After participating in the U.S. Navy SEALAB project, Carpenter wound up retiring from the Navy and NASA in the late '60s. He went on to live to the age of 88 before passing away in 2013 from complications caused by a stroke. Lafferty would be best known for playing Nathan Scott in One Tree Hill.
Wally Schirra
Aaron Staton serves as Walter Marty Schirra Jr. in Disney+'s version of The Right Stuff. After serving in the U.S. Navy, Schirra enlisted in the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, leading to his recruitment as a member of the Mercury Seven. In 1962, Schirra piloted the Sigma 7 spacecraft as part of the Mercury-Atlas 8 mission. This made him the fifth overall American to reach space following the aforementioned astronauts. In addition to his participation in the Gemini program, Schirra also commanded Apollo 7, making him the lone astronaut to fly with the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs. Schirra then became a news correspondent, anchoring NASA's numerous moon-landing mission. He died at the age of 84 as a result of a heart attack in 2007. Staton's most notable role to date is playing Ken Cosgrove in Mad Men.
Gordon Cooper
Colin O'Donoghue plays Leroy Gordon "Gordo" Cooper Jr., a veteran of the U.S. Marines who was commissioned into the Air Force following WWII. As a chosen member of the Mercury Seven, Cooper ended up piloting the last and longest flight in the program. He experienced several equipment malfunctions during the historic solo mission, resulting in a splashdown landing. Cooper also piloted Gemini 5 in 1965 and served as the backup commander for the Apollo 10 mission. He ended up retiring from NASA in 1971 and notably worked for Disney as the VP of research and development for Epcot. Cooper passed away in 2004 at the age of 77 from heart failure. O'Donoghue would be recognized for playing Captain Killian "Hook" Jones on Once Upon a Time.
Deke Slayton
Micah Stock appears as Donald Kent "Deke" Slayton in The Right Stuff. Slayton joined the Army during WWII before eventually applying to NASA's Project Mercury. Originally, Slayton was set to command the second Mercury spaceflight in 1962 but was grounded due to an irregular heartbeat. Though he never reached space during the Mercury missions, he served other key roles on the ground. In the mid-'70s, Slayton was cleared to fly, and he piloted the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. As NASA's first Chief of the Astronaut Office, Slayton helped develop the first Space Shuttle before retiring in 1982. He ended up dying from a brain tumor at the age of 69 in 1993. Stock previously worked on Brittany Runs a Marathon and the miniseries Escape at Dannemora.
John Anthony Powers
John Anthony "Shorty" Powers wasn't an astronaut, but he was the voice of the control room during the Mercury Project. The public affairs officer for NASA was often referred to as the "eighth astronaut" due to his importance to the program. While serving as the mission commentator for all six Mercury spaceflights, Powers coined the term "A-OK." The real figure is played by Danny Strong in Disney+'s The Right Stuff. The actor's most notable roles include Jonathan Levinson in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Doyle McMaster in Gilmore Girls.
Jerrie Cobb
Even though NASA didn't allow women to be a part of Mercury Seven, a group of them passed the same physiological screening tests, gaining recognition as the "Mercury 13." Among the group was Geraldyn M. "Jerrie" Cobb, a character portrayed by Mamie Gummer in The Right Stuff. Despite the campaign to put women into space during her aviation career, none of the 13 women ever participate in a mission. Gummer is known for her work in Emily Owens, M.D., and The Good Wife.