2022
The Skin of Our Teeth
His puppet design receives a Drama Desk Award.
FLM.REDJAMES
ORTIZ
เจมส์ ออร์ติซ
The performer behind Rocky
James Ortiz is an actor, puppet designer and director who led the puppetry and provided the voice for Rocky in Project Hail Mary.
Making a character move
Ortiz works across acting, directing and puppet design. His theatre work includes designing puppets for The Skin of Our Teeth, for which he received a Drama Desk Award.
In the Broadway production of Into the Woods, he performed the puppet Milky White. His experience coordinating movement and character later carried into film.
For Project Hail Mary (2026), Ortiz led the team operating Rocky’s puppet and provided the character’s voice, performing opposite Ryan Gosling. The work brought theatre puppetry into a science-fiction film setting.
The films below show titles available on FLM.RED rather than a complete record of his stage and screen work.
Selected work
2022
Into the Woods
He performs the puppet Milky White on Broadway.
2026
Project Hail Mary
He leads Rocky’s puppetry and provides the character’s voice.
Performance readings are FLM.RED editorial interpretation.
Films in FLM.RED
Titles in this collection; not a complete filmography.
Sources & image notes
Portrait illustration: FLM.RED.