Afternoon Session today: Stars Beyond Time portrays math battles at NASA with Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson and Kevin Costner Por Carolina Costa
3 min de leitura
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TV Globo presents this Friday, November 14, 2025, the film “Stars Beyond Time” in the Afternoon Session. The exhibition begins right after the Special Edition of the soap opera Terra Nostra. The 2016 production tells the true story of three black mathematicians who worked at NASA during the 1960s space race.
The film highlights Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, employees of the North American space agency. They faced racism and sexism while carrying out calculations essential to the success of space missions. The film received Oscar nominations and praise for its historical approach.
Cast brings together famous names
Taraji P. Henson plays Katherine Johnson, responsible for calculations that ensured the safe return of the Apollo 11 mission. Octavia Spencer plays Dorothy Vaughan, who became NASA’s first black supervisor. Janelle Monáe plays Mary Jackson, the agency’s first black engineer.
The trio of actresses received nominations for important awards. Octavia Spencer was nominated for an Oscar for best supporting actress. The film also stars Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst and Jim Parsons.
Historical context of the plot
The story takes place in 1961, when the United States competed with the Soviet Union in the space race. NASA needed highly qualified professionals to calculate flight trajectories. Black women were segregated into a separate wing called West Area Computers.
Katherine Johnson verified the calculations for John Glenn’s orbital flight in 1962. Dorothy Vaughan learned Fortran programming and led the transition to electronic computers. Mary Jackson won in court the right to attend evening courses exclusively for whites.
Repercussion and awards received
Hidden Figures grossed more than $235 million at the global box office. The film was nominated for three Oscars, including best picture. He also received the Actors Guild award for best cast.
The production highlighted the role of black women in North American science. The film contributed to the official recognition of these professionals by NASA years later. Katherine Johnson received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015.
Afternoon Session maintains tradition
Sessão da Tarde airs from Monday to Friday on Globo’s open programming. The schedule usually shows films for family audiences. The time slot records an average audience of 10 points in Greater São Paulo.
- Film nominated for an Oscar for best film in 2017
- Based on the book by Margot Lee Shetterly
- Directed by Theodore Melfi
- Duration of 127 minutes
- Free classification
Legacy of real leading ladies
Katherine Johnson passed away in 2020 at the age of 101. NASA named a research facility in her honor in 2021. Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson also received posthumous recognition from the space agency.
The film inspired educational projects aimed at girls in the exact sciences field. North American schools began to include the history of the three mathematics in science curricula. The production continues to be a reference when the topic is diversity in science.
