‘Star City’ Creators Ben Nedivi and Matt Wolpert Say Artemis II Has Reignited Excitement for Space Exploration Because ‘It Wasn’t About the Wealthy’: ‘This Is for All of Us’

Ben Nedivi and Matt Wolpert, who co-created “For All Mankind” and now its spin-off “Star City” with Ronald D. Moore, are adamant that people are dreaming of space exploration again.

“With the Artemis II launch that just happened, I felt that excitement again. It wasn’t about space tourism; it wasn’t about the wealthy. It was about being inspired,” Wolpert tells Variety at Canneseries where “Star City” world premiered April 26.

Related Stories

'Welcome to Wrexham' Renewed for Three More Seasons at FX, Hulu

Apple TV’s “Star City” – a Sony Pictures Television production – follows the space race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Rhys Ifans, Anna Maxwell Martin, Agnes O’Casey, Alice Englert and Solly McLeod star.

“There was this moment in the late ’60s and early 70s when we were pushing each other forward. It was a competition, but it did lead toward amazing things. There’s an exploration gene in our DNA and space is the last frontier.”

As Russian invasion on Ukraine continues, they acknowledge it’s a “complicated time” to tell a story set in the Soviet Union.

“Our point of view is that human beings are human beings. Their system and their government are obviously negative, but there are many people living under that government who don’t agree with it or are just trying to live a normal life,” notes Wolpert. 

Nedivi adds: “We are students of history, and sadly, history repeats itself. This period speaks to a lot of what’s happening now. It’s a reminder, and a warning, of what can happen if we’re not careful. We can easily return to that horror.”

As he points out, the characters quickly discover “it’s more dangerous on the ground than it is in space.” While they reference real-life space pioneers such as Yuri Gagarin and Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space, others are fictionalized.

“Everybody knows everything about the U.S. program. There were movies, TV shows, books, magazines. The Soviets, however, wanted to keep theirs a secret. The stories we heard were incredible and insane. We couldn’t believe they were true.”

Take the landing of Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, says Wolpert. 

“They went off course and landed in the middle of a snowbound forest in Siberia, surrounded by wild animals. They had to survive there! These cosmonauts and engineers became superstars and because of that, they were kept under careful watch. The idea of being so terrified of something you’re also so proud of is fascinating.”

In the series, cosmonauts are controlled by the system. It follows their every move, writes their speeches and decides who they are going to marry. 

“Again, this was based on something that actually happened: Tereshkova had an arranged marriage with another cosmonaut. They weren’t able to feel safe,” says Wolpert.

Despite all this struggle, they wanted to show that the human spirit can overcome pretty much everything. 

“That’s the story we wanted to tell. We live in very dark times. Every time I read the newspaper, I want to cry. These characters really spoke to us,” notes Nedivi. 

“Honestly, we were amazed that Apple would even make it. To their credit, they never saw it through the lens of politics or what sells and what doesn’t. It’s a testament to Apple’s confidence that we were able to tell a story like this, which is very rare on TV.”

Although “Star City” is in English, they set out to create an international show. 

“‘Chernobyl’ was definitely one of our inspirations. We even shot in Lithuania, just like they did. This show epitomizes an international production. Here we are: two American writers with a British cast and a show shot in Lithuania and premiering in France,” says Nedivi.

“Many people in our Lithuanian crew grew up in the shadow of the Soviet Union. Their parents would come and look at the costumes and buildings in horror. It’s important to explore cultures outside your own. Now more than ever, because our world is shrinking. What unites us is this wonder about venturing further into space. This is for all of us. This is for all mankind.”

Wolpert claims that people’s perspective changes when they go up there.

“So many of them started to speak out against conflict and work across borders. Science and facts can actually break down barriers between different societies.”

His co-creator adds: “They say: ‘Write what you know,’ which is the biggest lie of all. But you can’t help but write from what you’re feeling. Seeing how our society has evolved and changed over the last five years has definitely informed my psyche, but our hope is that this show is a lesson in embracing exploration again. The world can be better. I believe that.”