Callum Turner on Working With Austin Butler in ‘Masters of the Air’

first started getting noticed in the U.S. with a supporting turn in 2018’s (he played Theseus, brother of Eddie Redmayne’s Newt). But this year, the 33 year old Brit, who started his career modeling for Reebok and Burberry, is headlining a pair of projects — one in the water, the other in the air — that make him impossible to miss.

First up is a leading role , ’s just released Depression era drama about the U.S. rowing team in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Then, arriving on Apple TV+ on Jan. 26, there’s , a nine episode, $250 million World War II aviation epic produced by the same team behind (that’d be Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks), in which Turner and a cast of other ascendant stars — Austin Butler and Barry Keoghan — portray members of the U.S.

Air Force’s 100th Bomb Group. After my audition, they called and said, “We’ve got this guy called Austin Butler who just played Elvis, and we want you too.” I had sent him a message, but Austin had actually gotten really sick after ; I later got a voice note, like, “Sorry I haven’t replied, I’ve been in the hospital.” I just wrote: “Elvis has left the building.” It was like he needed a medical procedure to get Elvis out of his body.

But we built a bond immediately. We play best friends in the show, and it’s very easy to be best buds with Austin. My character in drinks a lot and eats a lot of junk food. He’s not thinking about his six pack. I decided to just follow his way of living, to be like him as much as possible, and see how my body manifests with that.

That basically meant I just got a bit chunky. But then I had to play an Olympic rower immediately after. We started a boot camp near Oxford that offered everything a professional sports team would. We had nutritionists, physios, a rowing coach. It was knackering. I’m so boring on location; I never go out and always just go home and learn my lines.

Everyone has a different way of doing their job, and that’s mine. I do love that when you’re on location, there’s sort of a family or holiday vibe. I also love to relax by watching things like and . I like to find a balance with my viewing. I watch and cry at the end. At the very end, when Meryl Streep looks right at Andy [Anne Hathaway] and gives her that look, and she accepts Andy for who she is.

It’s really emotional. . THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day More from The Hollywood Reporter.