Taraji P Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monae star in new movie Hidden Figures

Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.

#BlackGirlMagic alert: Oscar-nominated actresses Taraji P. Henson; Oscar winner Octavia Spencer; and, making her big screen debut, Janelle Monae are joining forces to star in a new movie Hidden Figures.

The movie Hidden Figures tells the story of three black woman who helped John Glenn become the first American to orbit the Earth. The three black women were Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monae).

–Octavia Spencer talks new James Brown biopic role, dismisses myth of ‘Oscar curse’

Katherine Johnson was a child prodigy turned mathematician. “I’ve never seen a mind like the one your daughter has. You have to see what she becomes,” her teacher exclaims to Katherine’s parents. Dorothy Vaughan was also a famed mathematican who recommended Johnson for the job: “Katherine is the gal for that. She can handle any number you put in front of her.” Lastly, Mary Jackson was a school teacher turned “computer,” which was the word used for mathematician during that time.

The story follows the lives of these three women, who work in a predominately white environment, and their daily struggles with not only being a woman but a woman of color: “Every time we get a chance to get ahead, they move the finish line.”

–Taraji P. Henson cover Elle Magazine’s ‘Women in TV’ issue

The story also takes a look at their personal life and the issues of handling a job while also managing to be a mother and wife. From the looks of the trailer, Johnson had some issues juggling the two when her young daughter expresses to her mother the fact that she has been gone for so long: “You’ve been gone for 300 hours.” “Was mama gone for 12 and a half days?” “No, but it felt like it.” “Felt like it to me too,” says Johnson.

The story of these three women has never been told on the big screen, so it is about time they are given their proper recognition for such a pivotal moment in history. Although the trailer was just released, the movie won’t officially hit theatres until next year (January 13th, 2017).

Therefore, the anticipation for the movie is going to have to hold out a little longer. But if you can’t wait five months, you can watch the trailer as many of times as you would like below:

–Janelle Monae says film on black women at NASA key part of history

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