Christine Baranski Slams Lauren Sánchez Bezos, Katy Perry Space Trip

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Christine Baranski is putting up a good fight against the Blue Origin space mission.

The Gilded Age actress was not shy when commenting on Lauren Sanchez and Katy Perry’s recent voyage into space.

During a Gilded Age panel discussion on August 11, Christine expressed her thoughts about how the HBO show emphasizes wealth inequalities. She questioned, “Are these extravagant wealth displays just for women to put on their makeup in spaceships?” or “What on earth are these ostentatious displays of wealth intended for, if not for doing makeup?

The 73-year-old commented on the launch, which also included Gayle King, movie producer Kerianne Flynn, and rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, expressing, “I could go on about it.

Besides Christine, there are other famous figures who have voiced criticism regarding the high-profile space mission. Similarly, Olivia Munn expressed her concern about the significant amount of resources allocated for this event.

During an interview on ‘Today With Jenna & Friends’ in April, the former Newsroom star expressed that, although it might sound rude, the cost of space travel is astronomical compared to basic necessities like affording eggs, which many people struggle with.

Olivia continued, ‘What are they up to? I understand it might not be trendy to admit, but with all the critical matters happening globally, there are numerous other aspects deserving our attention.’

During the mission, the actor from “Your Friends & Neighbors” kept on wondering about the objectives that the high-profile team would achieve.

“What are you guys gonna do up in space?” Olivia asked. “What are you doing up there?”

She questioned, “What’s the purpose behind this? Is it significant that you’re embarking on a journey? I find it excessive. Space travel was meant for expanding our understanding and benefiting humanity. What exactly are they accomplishing up there that improves our lives down here?

Simultaneously, Katy communicated that she wasn’t phased by the criticism, addressing her crowd during an April concert and inquiring, “Has anyone ever deemed your aspirations as absurd?

Keep reading for more on the Blue Origin space mission…

Established by Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder, in 2000, Blue Origin is a private space company headquartered in Kent, Washington. According to their website, the main goal of this organization is to utilize resources from space to benefit Earth and expand human presence in space by improving transportation and creating habitable destinations in low Earth orbit.

Blue Origin aims to achieve these objectives by developing reusable rockets and engines, which will lower the cost of space travel, make it more affordable for civilians, and promote sustainability. As Bezos stated during a 2016 talk at the Pathfinder Awards, their vision is for millions of people to live and work in space, with a focus on significantly reducing the cost of space travel through reusability.

While specific pricing details for Blue Origin flights are not publicly listed on their website, they do require a $150,000 deposit.

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but feel an unyielding admiration for the iconic spacecraft named after the legendary astronaut Alan Shepard, who etched his name in history books as the first American to journey into space back in 1961. Blue Origin refers to this marvel as a “fully reusable, suborbital rocket system engineered for human exploration.”

Inside New Shepard’s pressurized crew capsule, there’s room for six lucky souls – yet, you won’t find a pilot’s seat. According to Blue Origin’s website, “This vehicle is fully autonomous-there are no pilots on board.”

New Shepard first soared into the skies in 2015 during a flight test program consisting of an impressive 16 successful trials, wrapping up in 2021. That same year, the historic event unfolded as none other than Jeff Bezos and his brother Mark joined forces on New Shepard’s inaugural human voyage, alongside a fortunate bidder who shelled out a staggering $28 million for their seat. Other esteemed travelers included William Shatner and Michael Strahan (though they embarked on separate missions).

The upcoming journey will mark New Shepard’s 31st mission (hence the name NS-31) and its 11th human flight. I eagerly await each new milestone, as this magnificent spacecraft continues to inspire and push the boundaries of what’s possible in space travel!

The New Shepard mission (NS-31) by Blue Origin is set to take off from Launch Site One, nestled amidst the Guadalupe Mountain range in the West Texas desert, on April 14th. According to their website, the launch window starts at 8:30 a.m., Central Daylight Time (CDT).

According to Blue Origin’s website, astronauts on the New Shepard spacecraft accelerate faster than three times the speed of sound, reaching heights beyond the internationally recognized boundary of space – the Kármán line, which is approximately 62 miles (100 km) above Earth. Once there, they unbuckle and experience weightlessness while admiring our planet from space. The journey back to Earth is a gentle descent under parachutes, lasting about 11 minutes in total.

 

The NS-31 mission team comprises singer Katy Perry, CBS Mornings host Gayle King, film producer Kerianne Flynn, STEMBoard founder and ex-NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics research scientist and activist Amanda Nguyen (who will be the first Vietnamese woman in space), former TV anchor Lauren Sánchez (partner of Bezos), making this the first all-female crew in space since 1963, when Valentina Tereshkova of the Soviet Union embarked on a solo mission as the first female astronaut.

Amanda Nguyen is set to make history as the inaugural Vietnamese woman in space, while Aisha Bowe will be etched in history books as the pioneer of Bahamian descent to venture where few have dared to tread.

In a recent article for ELLE magazine, several female crew members shared their motivations for being part of this mission. For example, Perry expressed her hope to inspire her daughter Daisy (Orlando Bloom’s child) by showing that anyone can achieve their dreams, regardless of their background, ethnicity, economic situation, or education level. King, who admitted to feeling nervous, wants to encourage others to take risks and step out of their comfort zones. She believes that once she does it, doors will open for many others who may have been hesitant but are now excited to follow in her footsteps. Lastly, Nguyen is fulfilling a long-held dream as she was previously forced to put aside her passion for astronomy due to gender-based violence. After being sexually assaulted and advocating for sexual assault survivors’ rights, she is now returning to her original passion of studying the stars.

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As reported by Good Morning America, each team member is scheduled to travel to the launch site ahead of the mission for rigorous training sessions. These sessions encompass fitting flight suits, acclimating to the capsule, mastering communication with ground control, and reviewing safety procedures.

While some team members were following their individual preparation routines prior to the mission, Bowe shared with ELLE that she had been ramping up her training for over a year. This included completing a NASTAR simulation for a real-life flight experience. For her, physical readiness was crucial, aiming to familiarize her body with the sensations of lift-off. She mentioned an upcoming fighter jet flight which she was eagerly anticipating. Bowe also mentioned she had undergone several zero-gravity simulations and explained how a Boeing 747 is flown in a parabolic pattern, causing everyone to float during descent. This helped her acclimate to weightlessness. Additionally, she completed NASTAR training in Philadelphia where she experienced up to five Gs of pressure.

Here are some individuals and what they’re planning to take on their journey:

Nancy Conrad, wife of the third man to walk on the moon, Pete Conrad, is a mentor and inspiration for Bowe. She has asked Bowe to carry a flag that was used during Apollo 12 as it holds great significance for her. Additionally, thanks to the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Bowe will be taking the actual Apollo 12 flag with her on the flight.

Bowe also mentioned she’ll be carrying plant samples from Winston-Salem State University’s Astrobotany Lab and dehydrated conch chowder as a tribute to The Bahamas.

Nguyen has personal items she intends to bring along: shells her mother collected from the island she was forced to flee from, and a promise she made to herself after experiencing an assault. After leaving the hospital, Nguyen wrote down “Never ever give up” and taped it to her laptop as motivation during her recovery and fight for her rights. She plans on looking at this promise during her journey in space.

According to her Instagram, Nguyen will also be taking a pen that was used by former president Barack Obama to sign the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Act, a Nguyen dynasty coin, and Freetown cotton tree seeds.

Crew members receive encouraging messages from stars – with Tom Hanks, Megan Rapinoe, Bill Nye, Drew Barrymore, and others participating in a farewell video for King, sent by CBS Mornings. Meanwhile, Olivia Munn has expressed criticism, questioning the necessity of such an expensive space mission when there are more pressing issues in the world, like affordability of basic needs for many people. On Today with Jenna & Friends, she also questioned the historic significance of the mission and deemed it as somewhat self-indulgent.

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2025-08-13 19:17