Rom-com fans, this one's for you. Hollywood favourites Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum are bringing us all the chemistry in new movie Fly Me To The Moon, which takes place during the 1960s Space Race.
It's a match made in heaven – Channing plays slightly cynical, worn-down NASA boss Cole, who is leading the Apollo 11 launch. Scarlett's character Kelly storms in and interrupts all order when she's asked to give NASA a public makeover, leading her on a quest to make the astronauts who are headed into space – Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins – as famous as The Beatles, driving Cole more than a little crazy in the process.
Cue the love-hate relationship that we all know and love to watch.
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Of course, going back to the 1960s means returning to a different political era, but it's hard not to be inspired by Kelly's spunk and fight when it comes to challenging NASA's clearly male-dominated processes and staff.
Scarlett describes her character to GLAMOUR as “very pragmatic”, with her eyes on a more feminist future. Kelly tells her female colleagues that there'll be a female president in their lifetime but is prepared to fight until that moment. “We gotta kind of fake it till you make it," Scarlett says of Kelly's mindset. "And just do what you can to get what you need. That's something that I love – that she's so progressive.”
Admitting that even to this day neither the UK or US have elected a female president – and Mexico just has – Scarlett praised Kelly's empowered, forward-thinking nature, taking all the sexism of the 1960s in her stride.
“I mean, of course, we have not yet reached Mexico, we haven't yet reached having a female president, but Kelly is very forward thinking. She's an artistic person. She embraces all people, she really is a humanist. She sees a much bigger picture.”
Scarlett credits marketing geniuses like Kelly as “a step ahead of everybody else, they see what people will want before they know they want it. And that I think that's very empowering”.
“She's just a great character, because she believes very strongly in her ability – she's very confident that she can deliver and I love that about her. She very much knows herself.” The movie is a lot of fun, playing on Cole and Kelly's sparring of course, as they work towards the launch (publicly and privately) while at first trying to deny their attraction. We love a slow burn. At the same time, alongside the slightly screwball romance, the movie also draws on a well-known conspiracy: can you fake a moon landing? Watch to find out.
While Scarlett and Channing may have appeared in a couple of movies together in the past, this is the first time they will lead one as a romantic match – and we are here for their sparks. The pair took GLAMOUR's Bestie Test, opening up about their time bonding on set, as well as their top party tricks and karaoke song choices.
GLAMOUR: Channing, is Scarlett a romantic or a cynic?
Channing: She would probably say that she was a cynic, but I think actually she's more of a romantic than she likes to put on.
GLAMOUR: What do you think, Scarlett?
Scarlett: I don't know! I think I'm a cynic, I'm probably a realist I would say.
Channing: That's something a cynic would say… Kidding.
GLAMOUR: Scarlett, what is Channing's best party trick?
Scarlett: Best party trick?!
Channing: I can make a ping pong ball levitate.
Scarlett: How?!
Channing: You gotta come to a party with me.
Scarlett: You can make a ping pong ball levitate? Is it like with static electricity?
Channing: Yep.
Scarlett: Where you rub it on your head?
Channing: You gotta go to a party with me, I can't do it without a party. And a ping pong ball.
Scarlett: He does it with a ping pong ball, but I'm not going to say which one…
GLAMOUR: That's an amazing answer.
Channing: Imagination, darling!
GLAMOUR: Channing, what was the standout thing that you learned about Scarlett on set that really impressed or surprised you?
Channing: She had this really really hard, long monologue. The movie's really funny… and for it to be so light and off the cuff and free and then she does this really emotional, long monologue. I basically don't say anything and one perfect tear comes down [her cheek] first take and I was just like ‘Oh right, you really do this. You’ve been doing this since you were, like, out of the womb kind of professional'. I forgot, I'd just been messing around and playing with you for two months and I forgot that you really, really do this. It was impressive.
Scarlett: That's nice to know.
Channing: It was a perfect crocodile tear on the perfect moment of the take. I almost came out of the scene, I was like ‘wow, that was incredible!’
GLAMOUR: Scarlett, what were Channing’s best and worst habits on set?
Scarlett: Channing is very professional… He's the perfect co-star, because has wonderful on-set etiquette. He knows his lines, he knows what he's doing… He's very classy – but he's also really not classy… he's really not. Those are his best and worst qualities. It's great, it's delicious. That's why he's here.
GLAMOUR: Channing, what karaoke song of choice would you pick for Scarlett?
Channing: I would pick Short, Short Man by Gillette. She kind of only had two songs, back in the 90s. I've never sung karaoke and I never will, by the way.
Scarlett: Why?
Channing: I just can't do it.
Scarlett: Because you have a bad singing voice?
Channing: No. Well yes, but I don't know any one song all the way through. And then I can't read and sing, it has to be one or the other. I could do a rap.
Scarlett: What about I'm Too Sexy [by Right Said Fred]?
Channing: Yeah that's just repetitive.
Scarlett: I feel like you could do that.
GLAMOUR: Scarlett, who is funnier – you or Channing?
Scarlett: Funnier? I think we're both hilarious.
Channing: Depends on the audience.
Scarlett: We laugh a lot together and laugh at the same stuff.
Channing: I find you very, very funny.
Scarlett: I think we both have either a good or bad sense of humour.
Channing: We'll call it a tie on that one. I definitely don't want to go to battle with her over being funny. I feel like I would be very scared. She's very quick – super quick.
GLAMOUR: Who is most likely to brave going to space, and survive, out of the two of you?
Channing: I think that's a two parter… I would say that more than likely I'd be brave enough to go but she [Scarlett] would be the one that would actually survive.
Scarlett: I'm not sure. Is it like Gravity where we get cut out [into space]?
Channing: Yeah probably, having to solve a problem.
Scarlett: I feel like you [Channing] would probably be more level headed in a situation that would be, like, catastrophic. I don't know that I'd be that person, I'd be like ‘what’s Channing doing?'
Channing: I'll take it!
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Fly Me To The Moon is out in cinemas from 11 July.