Troy Garity, who took the role of Harvey, the ship’s Communication Officer, was a big discovery for Boyle. “I hadn’t seen any of his films before,” the director recalls. “But when I met him I knew he would be a wonderful addition to the film.  He is so meticulous in the way he prepares himself for the work and very serious about his craft.”

“Harvey is second in command to the Captain. He is the only one on board who misses his family incredibly but hides it from the rest of the crew,” explains Garity. “The likelihood of survival is not great and each of us in the film deals with it in different ways. Some more honorable, some more spiritual, and some more accepting. I think my character imagines himself to be brave, but he proves just to be normal and human in the end. I read a lot of scripts and SUNSHINE just stood out. It’s very philosophical but at the same time commercial and enjoyable for everyone. Alex is very good at combining an authentic film, a piece of art that at the same time has a lot of commercial potential.”