In a candid and thought-provoking Netflix interview aired after her passing, renowned primatologist Jane Goodall revealed her unusual final wish — to send some of the world’s most powerful leaders, including Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and Benjamin Netanyahu, into space aboard a SpaceX rocket.
The conversation, part of Netflix’s posthumous interview series Famous Last Words, was recorded in March under the condition that it would be released only after Goodall’s death. The 91-year-old scientist, celebrated for her groundbreaking work with chimpanzees and lifelong environmental advocacy, passed away last week.
During the interview with host Brad Falchuk, Goodall was asked if there were people she didn’t particularly like. With characteristic calm and humor, she replied that she’d “happily put them on one of Musk’s spaceships and send them off to the planet he’s sure he’s going to discover.”
The legendary conservationist elaborated that Musk himself would “be the host” of the mission, joined by Trump, Putin, Xi, Netanyahu, and “some of Trump’s real supporters.” She said she’d gladly let them all embark on a one-way trip beyond Earth.
Clips from the interview quickly went viral across social media, sparking heated debate and amassing millions of views. While many praised Goodall’s wit and unfiltered honesty, others questioned whether the footage was real or AI-generated. Netflix later confirmed its authenticity, clarifying that the segment was filmed earlier this year and remained unreleased until her death.
The discussion eventually turned to Goodall’s field of expertise — aggression among chimpanzees — and whether those she named could be considered “alphas.” She explained that, in chimpanzee society, there are two kinds of alphas: those who rule through aggression and those who lead by forming alliances. The former, she said, “burn out quickly.”
Goodall reflected on her decades of research, noting that aggression is inherent to both humans and chimpanzees, who share nearly 99 percent of their DNA. Yet she emphasized that most people are inherently decent and capable of compassion.
She concluded the interview with a heartfelt message about protecting the planet, urging humanity to “think about the actions you take each day” to preserve the Earth for future generations. Believing in consciousness beyond death, she left her audience with words that captured her enduring faith in both science and spirit: “Your life on planet Earth will make some difference in the kind of life that you find after you die.”
