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  1. News

Away on Netflix behind-the-scenes pictures shows how Hilary Swank and the rest do their space thing

By Phil Nickinson published 20 August 2020

Going to Mars is just a little tougher than making it look like you're going to Mars, though.

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Which way is up in space? Hilary Swank finds that out the hard way in this behind-the-scenes shot from "Away" on Netflix.
(Image credit: Netflix)

Seeing behind-the-scenes pictures from Away on Netflix makes you wonder: Is the word "actornauts" a thing? Because it should totally be a thing.

Because we're long past the days in which microgravity had to be conveniently written out of space dramas as something that had been solved so long ago it's not even worth mentioning. Digital editing means actors on wires are the norm (or something even cooler in the case of Sandra Bullock in Gravity), and fake spaceflight is plenty commonplace now.

That's not to say that seeing Hilary Swank upside down or Ato Essandoh suspended above the deck of the ship takes away from the experience any. We know they're not actually in space. We know they're connected, somehow, bonded, surly, to the Earth. It's that suspension of disbelief that makes the suspension of actors possible.

The Away behind-the-scenes pictures also give us another glimpse in to the lives of the family members Swank's Emma Green and crew have to leave behind. Husband Matt Logan (Josh Charles) and daughter Alexis (Talitha Bateman) still have lives at home while Mom rockets off to Mars — and it's not easy for either of them. Same goes for the other members of the crew, too.

And speaking of crews, it's always interesting to see just how many people it takes on the other side of the camera to make even a simple scene happen. (And let's not pretend we're even seeing the half of it.) That's the magic of behind-the-scenes pictures like we have here from Away. That's the magic of film. 

All 10 episodes of Away will land on Netflix on Sept. 4. In addition to Swank, Essandoh, Charles and Bateman, Away also stars Ray Panthaki, Mark Ivanir and Vivian Wu. Directors on the series include Ed Zwick, Jeffrey Reiner, Bronwen Luges, David Boyd, Charlotte Brandtrom and Jet Wilkinson.

  • Everything you need to know about Away on Netflix
  • Away on Netflix photos; Hilary Swank, set pics and more!
  • Watch the full trailer for Away
  • Six things to watch before you watch Away
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Director Edward Zwick, Josh Charles (Matt Logan) and Hillary Swank (Emma Green) behind the scenes of Episode 101 of "Away" on Netflix.
(Image credit: Netflix)

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Page 2 of 16
Hilary Swank as Emma Green in this behind-the-scenes shot from Episode 101 of "Away" on Netflix.
(Image credit: Netflix)

Page 3 of 16
Page 3 of 16
Ato Essandoh (Kwesi) floats in space with the help of wires on the ground in Episode 101 of "Away" on Netflix.
(Image credit: Netflix)

Page 4 of 16
Page 4 of 16
"Away" director Edward Zwick and writer Andrew Hinderaker during the shooting of Episode 101.
(Image credit: Netflix)

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Page 5 of 16
From left, Hilary Swank (Emma Green), Brad Miller, and director David Boyd in Episode 1010 of "Away" on Netflix.
(Image credit: Netflix)

Page 6 of 16
Page 6 of 16
Director Bronwen Hughes and Talitha Eliana Bateman (Alexis) check things over while shooting Episode 104 of "Away" on Netflix.
(Image credit: Netflix)

Page 7 of 16
Page 7 of 16
Talitha Bateman (Alexis) is a normal high school kid with a camera crew in "Away" on Netflix.
(Image credit: Netflix)

Page 8 of 16
Page 8 of 16
Ato Essandoh (Kwesi) gets a touch up as Mark Ivanir (Misha) does astronaut stuff in Episode 105 of "Away" on Netflix.
(Image credit: Netflix)

Page 9 of 16
Page 9 of 16
Vivian Wu (Yu) and director Charlotte Brändström inside the ship in Episode 109 of "Away" on Netflix.
(Image credit: Netflix)

Page 10 of 16
Page 10 of 16
Hilary Swank heads toward the camera on the flight line in Episode 1010 of "Away" on Netflix.
(Image credit: Netflix)

Page 11 of 16
Page 11 of 16
Director Edward Zwick and Director David Boyd shooting Episode 101 of "Away" on Netflix.
(Image credit: Netflix)

Page 12 of 16
Page 12 of 16
Director Bronwen Hughes, Talitha Eliana Bateman (Alexis) and Felicia Patti (Cassie) pal around between takes on "Away" on Netflix.
(Image credit: Netflix)

Page 13 of 16
Page 13 of 16
It's just Adam Irigoyen as Issac Rodriguez, and Talitha Eliana Bateman as Alexis, in the back of a truck, under the stars, with a full camera crew. Nice and romantic.
(Image credit: Netflix)

Page 14 of 16
Page 14 of 16
One small step for man requires a giant leap from a lot of other people behind the scenes of "Away" on Netflix.
(Image credit: Netflix)

Page 15 of 16
Page 15 of 16
Spaceships need different kind of landing pads when they're of the Hollywood variety.
(Image credit: Netflix)

Seeing behind-the-scenes pictures from Away on Netflix makes you wonder: Is the word "actornauts" a thing? Because it should totally be a thing.

Because we're long past the days in which microgravity had to be conveniently written out of space dramas as something that had been solved so long ago it's not even worth mentioning. Digital editing means actors on wires are the norm (or something even cooler in the case of Sandra Bullock in Gravity), and fake spaceflight is plenty commonplace now.

That's not to say that seeing Hilary Swank upside down or Ato Essandoh suspended above the deck of the ship takes away from the experience any. We know they're not actually in space. We know they're connected, somehow, bonded, surly, to the Earth. It's that suspension of disbelief that makes the suspension of actors possible.

The Away behind-the-scenes pictures also give us another glimpse in to the lives of the family members Swank's Emma Green and crew have to leave behind. Husband Matt Logan (Josh Charles) and daughter Alexis (Talitha Bateman) still have lives at home while Mom rockets off to Mars — and it's not easy for either of them. Same goes for the other members of the crew, too.

And speaking of crews, it's always interesting to see just how many people it takes on the other side of the camera to make even a simple scene happen. (And let's not pretend we're even seeing the half of it.) That's the magic of behind-the-scenes pictures like we have here from Away. That's the magic of film. 

All 10 episodes of Away will land on Netflix on Sept. 4. In addition to Swank, Essandoh, Charles and Bateman, Away also stars Ray Panthaki, Mark Ivanir and Vivian Wu. Directors on the series include Ed Zwick, Jeffrey Reiner, Bronwen Luges, David Boyd, Charlotte Brandtrom and Jet Wilkinson.

Page 16 of 16
Page 16 of 16
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Phil Nickinson
Phil Nickinson
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Phil spent his 20s in the newsroom of the Pensacola (Fla.) News Journal, his 30s on the road for AndroidCentral.com and Mobile Nations and is the Dad part of Modern Dad.

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