There are few things I’m more excited about right now than Janelle Monae’s acting career. The R&B funk singer made her big screen debut earlier this year in Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight, which she is wonderful in, and next up she’ll steal some scenes in Theodore Melfi’s Hidden Figures. That film, which also stars Taraji P. Henson and Octavia Spencer, is the next thing I’m most excited about.

First off, you can’t get a more exciting cast of funny and empowering leading women. And second, this movie looks like the uplifting, inspirating tale we need right now. Hidden Figures tells the true stories of Katherine G. Johnson (Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Spencer), and Mary Jackson (Monae), three black women who worked for NASA and helped launch an astronaut into space. Here’s the full synopsis:

Hidden Figures is the incredible untold story of Katherine G. Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe)-brilliant African-American women working at NASA, who served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation’s confidence, turned around the Space Race, and galvanized the world. The visionary trio crossed all gender and race lines to inspire generations to dream big.

Based on the latest trailer though, Hidden Figures isn’t just a movie about NASA and mathematics and space. It’s about women, especially women of color, triumphing in a white male-dominated industry. When a man asks Monae’s Mary if she wishes she could be an engineer if she were a white man, she brilliantly responds, “I wouldn’t have to. I’d already be one.” *fire emoji*

Hidden Figures also stars Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, Mahershala Ali, and Jim Parsons. It will hit theaters nation wide on January 6, but will have an awards-friendly limited release on Christmas Day. The Oscar Best Actress and Supporting Actress race are already looking pretty packed this year, but there’s hope Henson could enter the race last minute.

Reactions following a recent industry preview of the film in Los Angeles suggest Henson could swoop in as a potential Best Actress contender, according to Entertainment Weekly. Right now the top contenders for nominations are Natalie Portman for Jackie, Emma Stone for La La Land, Isabelle Huppert for Elle, Ruth Negga for Loving, Annette Bening for 20th Century Women, and Amy Adams for Arrival. We’ll have a better idea of Henson’s chances once the film screens for more critics. Till then, get excited that Monae is starring in not one but two potential Oscar nominees this year.

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