Theater Artist James Ortiz Revealed as Voice and Puppeteer of 'Project Hail Mary' Alien Rocky

Ortiz served as the lead puppeteer and voice actor for the endearing alien character opposite Ryan Gosling in the upcoming film adaptation.

Published on Feb. 8, 2026

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Theater artist James Ortiz has been revealed as the voice and lead puppeteer for Rocky, the faceless alien character in the upcoming film adaptation of Andy Weir's novel Project Hail Mary. Ortiz, a veteran of the New York theater scene, collaborated with the film's creature designers and animators to bring Rocky to life on screen alongside Ryan Gosling's character Ryland Grace.

Why it matters

The casting of Ortiz, a relative Hollywood newcomer, to voice and puppeteer one of the film's central characters highlights the importance of finding the right talent to bring complex and unique characters to life, especially those without traditional human features. Ortiz's background in experimental theater and puppetry design has prepared him well for the challenge of embodying an alien protagonist.

The details

Ortiz served as the lead puppeteer for Rocky and provided the character's voice in the film. He worked closely with the creature shop led by legendary designer Neal Scanlon and the animators at Framestore to collaborate on Rocky's performance. Ortiz's puppetry work has earned him acclaim in the New York theater scene, including a Drama Desk Award and an OBIE Award for his designs.

  • Project Hail Mary is set for release in 2023.
  • The final trailer featuring Ortiz's work as Rocky aired during the 2023 Super Bowl.

The players

James Ortiz

A theater artist who served as the lead puppeteer and voice actor for the alien character Rocky in the film adaptation of Project Hail Mary. Ortiz has earned acclaim for his experimental puppetry design work in New York theater productions.

Phil Lord and Chris Miller

The directors of the Project Hail Mary film adaptation, who were excited to take on the challenge of bringing the unique alien character Rocky to life on screen.

Ryan Gosling

The lead actor in Project Hail Mary, who starred opposite Ortiz's Rocky character.

Neal Scanlon

The legendary creature designer who led the team that built and designed the Rocky character.

Arslan Elver

The lead animator at Framestore who worked with Ortiz and the puppeteer team to bring Rocky's performance to life through animation.

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What they’re saying

“Rocky was built and designed by the legendary Neal Scanlon and his creature shop and is performed by puppeteering legend James Ortiz and his team, who were on set with Ryan in every scene. Rocky's performance is a beautiful collaboration between the James and the other Rockyteers on set and the wonderful animators at Framestore led by the funny soulful [Arslan Elver].”

— Phil Lord, Director (X)

What’s next

Project Hail Mary is set for release in theaters in 2023, giving audiences their first look at Ortiz's performance as the alien Rocky.

The takeaway

The casting of theater artist James Ortiz to voice and puppeteer the central alien character Rocky in the Project Hail Mary film adaptation showcases the importance of finding the right talent to bring unique and complex characters to life, especially those without traditional human features. Ortiz's background in experimental puppetry has prepared him well for the challenge of embodying an alien protagonist alongside Ryan Gosling.