Bryan McAllister’s personal reference notebook
September 11, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
A quiet encyclopedia with a personal desk
Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Screen & Stage • Film

Hidden Figures

Hidden Figures is a 2016 American biographical drama film directed by Theodore Melfi and co-written with Allison Schroeder.

Updated September 11, 20261 min readCited sources

Hidden Figures is a 2016 American biographical drama film that dramatizes the work of three African-American women mathematicians at NASA during the early 1960s Space Race.

What it is

Directed by Theodore Melfi and co-written with Allison Schroeder, the film adapts Margot Lee Shetterly’s non-fiction book. It stars Taraji P. Henson as Katherine Johnson, Octavia Spencer as Dorothy Vaughan, and Janelle Monáe as Mary Jackson. The story centers on their calculations for NASA’s Mercury program and John Glenn’s orbital flight.

Key details

Set in 1960s Virginia, the film highlights the racial and gender discrimination faced by Black women at NASA. The ensemble cast includes Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, and Jim Parsons. Hidden Figures was released in 2016 (with some theatrical dates in January 2017) and received multiple Oscar nominations.

Why it matters

The film is widely viewed as an inspirational historical drama about women in science and aerospace. For Canadian readers, it connects to broader discussions in education and STEM about representation and overcoming barriers.

In short

  • Based on the true stories of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson at NASA.
  • Set during the 1960s Space Race and focused on the Mercury program.
  • Highlights racial and gender discrimination in the workplace.
  • Received critical acclaim and multiple Oscar nominations.
Canadian angle

The film has broad relevance for Canadian readers as a widely viewed historical drama about women in science, mathematics, and aerospace, themes often discussed in Canadian education and STEM contexts.

Quick questions

What is Hidden Figures about?
It is about three African-American women mathematicians at NASA whose work helped enable John Glenn’s orbital flight during the Space Race.
Is Hidden Figures based on a true story?
Yes. It is based on Margot Lee Shetterly’s non-fiction book and dramatizes the real lives of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson.
Who stars in Hidden Figures?
The main cast includes Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monáe.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidden_Figures
    Supports: Basic film identification, director, screenplay, and premise
  2. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4846340/
    Supports: Title, director, release information, country, and cast
  3. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/hidden_figures
    Supports: Synopsis, genre, and release date
  4. Disney+ — https://www.disneyplus.com/en-al/browse/entity-bd9d3f07-aefe-4e45-b421-ad2a745c3bb0
    Supports: Film synopsis, release year, runtime, and principal cast
  5. Google Play — https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Hidden_Figures?id=U386EMeWo3I&hl=en_US
    Supports: Synopsis and historical context of the film