Picture and bio of Steve Carell’s ‘Space Force’ character covered over real-life space official’s portrait at museum

A picture and biography for Gen. Mark R. Naird, the fictional character Steve Carell will be portraying in the new Netflix comedy “Space Force,” was apparently taped over the portrait of the actual chief of space operations, Gen. John Raymond, at an Air Force museum in Ohio recently.

Task & Purpose reported Tuesday that the fake photo and description were put over Raymond’s section of a wall highlighting various officials serving within the Space Force at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton.

The biography listed for Naird reportedly reads: “Gen. Mark R. Naird assumed the duties as the first Chief of Space Operations, United States Space Force, on Dec. 20, 2019. The U.S. Space Force is responsible for providing resilient, defendable and affordable space capabilities for the Nation and the Joint Force.”

“It is the duty of the U.S. Space Force to protect the interests of the Unites States in space; deter aggression in, from, and to space; and conduct prompt and sustained space operations,” it adds.

The photo of the display going around on social media appears to have first emerged in a Reddit thread on Tuesday. 

Task & Purpose reported that “the original poster, himself an active-duty airman,” said a “friend who had travelled to the NMUSAF on official Air Force business had noticed Carell’s face and shared the photo with him.”

The Hill has reached out to the museum, which has been closed temporarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic, for comment.

The viral moment comes roughly a week before “Space Force” is set to premiere on Netflix on May 29.