Is That A Real Astronaut Commander In Audi's R8 Super Bowl Ad?

In case you felt like enjoying your football with a side of crippling, exquisite sadness, Audi's Super Bowl ad with a real astronaut is here to ruin your day in the most beautiful way. OK, I might be making liberal use of the word "real" right now when asserting that the astronaut in Audi's R8 Super Bowl ad is real, but frankly, if you're going to give me an emotional montage of rocket launch footage, a sad old man channelling his former glory, all set to "Starman" by David Bowie ARE YOU KIDDING ME, then you really better have all of that happening around an actual astronaut. Otherwise...I won't buy this car? Is that where I'm going with my empty threats here? "That astronaut better be real, Audi, or else I'm totally not buying your car!"

(Just kidding; I'll obviously still buy the car. I just spent 90 seconds emotionally associating the R8 with endearing old men, heart-wrenching longing for days gone by, a paralyzing inability to function in the present day, rockets, space, and DAVID BOWIE, aka, all the things I love to cry about most. Yes, I'm pretty sure I'll buy anything you want right now. *Casually reaches into pocket and pulls out $163,000*)

The point is! Is that a real astronaut in the Audi Super Bowl commercial or not? Let's first take a look at this lovely crusher of feelings:

So what's the deal: Real astronauts or actors? Judging by the fact that none of the press associated with this new Audi spot touts the involvement of legit starmen, it's safe to assume they're actors. After all, what would be the point of having honest-to-goodness astronauts in your commercial about astronauts if you're not going to make that fact a failure central part of your promotion of said commercial? I'm just guessing here...but I feel really good about that guess. Either way, Romper has reached out to Audi to find out the scoop on the men we've been blurrily watching through our tears. We'll let you know if we find out some awesome astronautical backstory (that will probably just make you cry more).