In Moon, the robot assistant aboard the lunar mining base is GERTY.
GERTY supports astronaut Sam Bell during his solitary contract on the Moon, where he oversees a helium-3 mining operation. The robot manages station systems and communicates through a mobile display that shows changing smiley-face expressions rather than a conventional humanlike body.
As Sam discovers unsettling facts about his mission, GERTY becomes an important part of the film’s moral tension. Its actions can be interpreted as programmed duty, deception or an attempt to protect Sam. Kevin Spacey provides GERTY’s voice, while Sam Rockwell plays Sam Bell.
GERTY is sometimes confused with the robots TARS and CASE from Interstellar, another science-fiction film featuring isolated space workers and unusual machine personalities. GERTY’s distinctive interface and restrained behavior are specific to Moon, which was directed by Duncan Jones and released in 2009.