Tom Hanks pays a moving tribute to astronaut Jim Lovell, whom he played in Apollo 13
"There are people who dare, who dream and who lead others to places we would not go alone," said the actor who played the role of the space mission commander, who died on August 7.
He played him on screen in 1995. Ron Howard's feature film Apollo 13 retraces the lunar mission, which nearly led to disaster. Tom Hanks paid a moving tribute to astronaut Jim Lovell, who died on August 7 at the age of 97, praising his humanity and audacity on social media.
“ There are people who dare, who dream, and who lead others to places we wouldn’t go alone. Jim Lovell, who for a long time had been farther into space and longer than anyone on our planet, was one of them,” wrote Tom Hanks. “ His many journeys around the Earth and to the edge of the Moon were not motivated by greed or fame, but because taking on such challenges is the very fuel of life, and who better to undertake these journeys than Jim Lovell.” And the actor concluded : “ On this moonlit night, he sets off toward the heavens, the cosmos, the stars. Safe travels on this new journey.”
Skip the adJim Lovell commanded the Apollo 13 mission, which launched on April 11, 1970, nine months after Neil Armstrong's first steps on the Moon. But things didn't go as planned. An explosion occurred mid-flight, causing an oxygen leak. "Houston, we have a problem," the commander announced to NASA control. Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert could have lost their lives if NASA hadn't managed to improvise the rescue of the crew, who were brought safely back to Earth. After this bad experience, the American astronaut never wanted to try the adventure again.
Apollo 13 director Ron Howard also paid tribute to the astronaut. " Just knowing him was a tremendous honor. His combination of intellect, courage, and dedication to duty made him one of the most remarkable individuals I have ever met," he said on social media. The film adaptation of the mission was a huge success, receiving nine Academy Award nominations before winning awards for "Best Editing" and "Best Sound." In 2023, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being " culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant ."
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