Michelle Obama to host 'Hidden Figures' White House screening

Los Angeles: US First Lady Michelle Obama is set to host the star cast of the upcoming film "Hidden Figures" at the White House screening of the movie.

Michelle will welcome cast members including Taraji P Henson, Janelle Monae, Octavia Spencer and Kevin Costner at the event, reported Entertainment Weekly.

The event aims to "highlight the stories of Americans who have made significant contributions in the history of space flight, space science, and innovation."

Directed by Theodore Melfi, the film is based on Margot Lee Shatterly's non-fiction book of the same name, tells the story of Mathematicians Katherine G Johnson (Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Monae), who battled racism and sexism, while playing a key role in the space race.

Johnson, now 97, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama last year and is also expected to attend the screening.

"Hidden Figures" is set to release on December 25 in the US theatres.