A Million Miles Away is a biopic based on the life of NASA Astronaut Jose M. Hernandez, and, as with any biopic, it’s fair to wonder how closely it sticks to his true story. Directed by Alejandra Marquez Abella, the film is based on Hernandez’s 2012 autobiography Reaching For The Stars: The Inspiring Story Of A Migrant Farm Worker Turned Astronaut. A Million Miles Away combines the collaborative efforts of NASA and Amazon Prime with the passion of the film’s director. It stars Rosa Salazar as Jose’s caring and devoted wife Adela and Michael Peña in the lead role of Jose.
A Million Miles Away depicts one man’s relentless pursuit to make his dreams come true, a concept many can relate to. The film has received a co-sign from the NASA astronaut himself, who has gone on record to praise how “masterful” of a job the film’s portrayal of his life is. Although the film checks off boxes for style and tone, Abella was allowed some room for poetic reinvention. Here’s how the film compares to the real-life story of Jose M. Hernandez.
The Inspiring Life Of Jose M. Hernandez: From Migrant Farmer To NASA Astronaut
Jose M. Hernandez was born on August 7, 1962. He was born in French Camp, California (although he considers Stockton, California his hometown) to a family of migrant farmworkers from Mexico. According to an interview with ABC News, Hernandez knew as young as 10 years old that he wanted to fly out to space. After seeing astronaut Gene Cernan grace the moon during the Apollo 17 mission in 1972, he was inspired to be among the stars.
Jose’s dreams took him all the way from the fields of California to the halls of the University of California Santa Barbara, where he earned his Master’s Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering. In 2001, he began his career with NASA when he joined the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. By 2004, he was accepted into NASA’s highly competitive astronaut program after reportedly being rejected 11 times. In August 2009, he embarked on a 14-day mission to the International Space Station on the STS-128 and made history as the first migrant farm worker to travel to space.
Since retiring from his career at NASA in 2011, Hernandez has become a multi-hyphenated success as a philanthropist, author, and CEO of his own engineering company. When he’s not promoting the advancements of Tierra Luna Engineering, he can often be found performing outreach for underrepresented youth, encouraging their dreams of pursuing careers in STEM, and exposing them to the fascinating world of space exploration.
What To Expect From The Jose M. Hernandez Biopic A Million Miles Away
A Million Miles Away chronicles Jose’s journey from migrant worker to NASA astronaut. The movie includes major key moments in Hernandez’s life, touching on both advancements in his career to his home life in California. Although A Million Miles Away focuses on Hernandez’s story, it also highlights integral players and components of his life that helped him become the successful man he is today.
A Million Miles Away doesn’t just showcase Jose’s roots as a means to an end, it plays up how Hernandez’s background as a Mexican-American farmer influences his career in science, equipping him with the necessary tools he needed to thrive. The film not only depicts a groundbreaking tale, it also glorifies the discipline, persistence, and support he needed to take his life from farm to space.
How A Million Miles Away Compares To The Real Life Story Of Jose M Hernandez
A Million Miles Away checks off boxes for style, tone, and attention to detail. It manages to sneak in moments both big and small from real conversations with family members to the moment he gets accepted into NASA. This realistic depiction of success demonstrates how small fragmented moments all play a major role in the outcome of someone’s success.
The inclusion of moments like his first day of work at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, where a receptionist mistakes him for a janitor, is a testament to the kind of roadblocks Hernandez faced as a man trying to achieve the seemingly impossible. In the same interview with ABC, Hernandez admits that he had moments of self-doubt where he questioned whether he was worthy of the opportunities he’d been given. He also suspected that his background as a migrant worker may have been held against him in some capacity.
However, his persistence and unwavering support from his loved ones helped him get to new heights, and in the film, this is especially apparent. Hernandez’s network of real supporters is highlighted in A Million Miles Away. From his parents (who reportedly gave up their dreams of being homeowners to help support Hernandez) to his second-grade teacher Ms. Young (who allegedly encouraged his parents to settle in one place), the film features references to real tender moments that shaped the trajectory for Jose and his family. With the help of NASA’s clearance, A Million Miles Away was able to secure real-life footage, locations, and technical expertise.
To take it a step further, the film’s portrayal of Mexican-American culture has made it a hit among the Latino community, something that gives director Alejandra Marquez Abella pride. The film is praised for its authentic portrayal of the Latino community all across the board. A Million Miles Away features Mexican food, music, and celebrations that help capture the essence of the Mexican-American lifestyle. Additionally, the film portrays the strong sense of interconnectedness among family and community that is a driving force in the Latino community.
What Isn’t In The Million Miles Away Movie
As heartfelt and authentic as the movie is, it does leave out a few details. This tends to happen when someone condenses an entire life into a two-hour film. Although a reference to Hernandez’s career at The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory makes it into the film, it neglects to touch on one of his most vital career milestones.
While employed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Hernandez contributed to the creation of a tool that broke ground in cancer screening and imagery. He was the co-creator of the first full-field digital mammography system that detects early signs of breast cancer. Although he reportedly wishes this groundbreaking moment in his career would’ve made the cut in A Million Miles Away, Hernandez is still fully supportive of the biopic. In essence, while a few things were left out or tweaked, the biopic is about as close to Hernandez’ real story as possible.
