The creators of HBO’s “Band of Brothers” and “The Pacific” have teamed together again on the Apple TV+ series “Masters of the Air.” The nine-part World War II epic series, which centers on the men of the 100th Bomb Group and other 8th Air Force soldiers, was created by the trio of Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman, and Steven Spielberg. The novel of the same name by Donald L.
Miller serves as the inspiration for this vibrant and important tale. On January 26, 2024, Masters of the Air streamed only on Apple+. Producer of the series Gary Goetzman gives casting director Lucy Bevan credit for assembling the talented group of actors.
Masters of The Air Season 1 Cast
In Masters of The Air Season 1 ten men made up the cast of an Eighth Air Force heavy bomber plane: the pilot and co-pilot of the B17, the navigator and bombardier in the nose of the aircraft, the flight engineer behind the pilot, the radio operator, two waist gunners, a ball turret gunner, and a tail gunner/tail gunner. In addition to the personnel who planned from the bases, this story also features plane engineers, Tuskegee airmen, and Royal Air Force pilots.
Because of the large cast, viewers may find it difficult to keep up with every Major, Lieutenant, Sergeant, Colonel, Captain, and other character the show introduces. In light of this, we have chosen to compile a useful list of the Masters of the Air cast members, along with information about the real-life characters they portray and where you can see them previously.
Major Gale “Buck” Cleven (Austin Butler)
John Egan gave the moniker “Buck” to Gale Cleven after they first met during pilot training. At twenty-four, he enlisted in The Bloody Hundredth in the United States Eight Air Force, serving as a squadron commander. While he waited to get home to his girlfriend Marge, he flew numerous missions. “Buck” was “easily the best storyteller on the base,” according to Don Miller’s book. Buck continued to get a Ph.D. in interplanetary physics and an MBA from Harvard Business School following the end of World War II.
In Baz Luhrman’s “Elvis” (2022), Austin Butler is well remembered for his Oscar-nominated performance as Elvis Presley. Tom Hanks, who portrayed Colonel Tom Parker, costarred with Butler in the film. Butler made an appearance in the 2019 film “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” as Tex Watson. He had roles in “The Carrie Diaries” as Sebastian Kydd and “Switched at Birth” as James “Wilke” Wilkerson III. Alongside Tom Hardy and Jodie Comer, he will play Benny in the upcoming movie “The Bikeriders” (2023).
Major John “Bucky” Egan (Callum Turner)
After a friend he knew from Manitowoc, Wisconsin, John “Bucky” Egan gave Cleven the moniker “Buck.” The 418th Squadron of the Hundredth was commanded by Egan. At the height of the conflict, he was 27 years old. On evenings when he didn’t have flight assignments the next morning, he was renowned for having a raucous side that would emerge after a few beers.
In a recent adaptation of Daniel James Brown’s novel, “The Boys in the Boat,” directed by George Clooney and set against the backdrop of World War II, Callum Turner portrayed Joe Rantz. In addition, he is well-known for his roles as Danny in “Tramps” (2016), Bill Rohan in “Queen & Country” (2014), Tiger in “Green Room” (2015), and Anatole Kuragin in “War & Peace.” He portrays Frank Churchhill in “Emma” (2020), Anthony O’Hare in “The Last Letter from Your Lover,” and Theseus in “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” and “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.”
Anthony Boyle portrays Lieutenant Harry Crosby
Most notably, Anthony Boyle portrayed Geoffrey Smith in the 2019 film “Tolkien,” Kevin Maxwell in the 2023 video game “Tetris,” Trench Runner in the 2016 film “The Lost City of Z,” and Anto in the 2012 film “Pillow Talk.” An Olivier Award was given to him for his performance as Scorpius Malfoy in “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.” In addition to two episodes of “Derry Girls,” he made appearances as David Donnelly and a Bolton Guard in a “Game of Thrones” episode.
Barry Keoghan as Lieutenant Curtis Biddick
Despite being of Irish heritage, Curtis Biddick is a pilot with a rather strong New York accent. The lieutenant, who flies missions with primarily serious squadrons, provides some lighthearted respite to the other squadrons. Barry Keoghan is currently enjoying himself after playing Oliver Quick in Emerald Fennel’s follow-up picture “Saltburn” (2023).
He received an Oscar nomination for his performance as Dominic Kearney in “The Banshees of Inisherin” (2022). He made appearances as Druig in “Eternals” (2021) and as The Joker in “The Batman” (2022). His roles include that of Scavenger in “The Green Knight” (2021), Pavel in “Chernobyl,” Spencer in “American Animals” (2018), George in “Dunkirk” (2017), and Martin in “The Killing of Sacred Deer” (2017) by Yorgos Lanthimos.
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Rafferty Law as Sergeant Ken Lemmons
After each mission, Ken Lemmons fixes the aircraft. His task, along with that of his engineering team, is to repair any damage so that, should the necessity arise, they can return for a mission the following day.
Actor Jude Law’s son is Rafferty Law. The young model and actor portrayed Twist in the 2021 feature Twist, Fred Love in the 2019 short film Running Man, and the younger Remy, played by his father, in Repo Men (2010).
Major Robert “Rosie” Rosenthal (Nate Mann)
Robert “Rosie” Rosenthal was the last member of the Hundredth to join. From a replacement soldier pool in England, he was summoned up. In his role as commanding commander, he went above and above.
The role of Brian in “Licorice Pizza” (2021) is Nate Mann‘s most well-known role. He also starred as Otto in the 2023 film “Ex-Husbands,” and he will be a guest star in the upcoming Peacock version of “Apples Never Fall,” written by Liane Moriarty.
2nd Lieutenant Alexander Jefferson (Branden Cook)
Alexander Jefferson was a well-known artist and pilot with the Tuskegee Air Force. He could produce scaled maps. In a “Chicago P.D.” episode, Branden Cook played Darrell Miller. In two “Industry” episodes, he plays Todd Barber. In Hulu’s “Tell Me Lies,” he portrayed Evan.
2nd Lieutenant Richard D. Macon (Josiah Cross)
The final airman from Tuskegee is Richard D. Macon. Macon can mentally solve complex mathematical equations. Many of his regiment’s goals were made clear by his sharp mind. In “A Thousand and One” (2023) and “King Richard” (2021), Josiah Cross portrayed 17-year-old Terry and TD, respectively. He will also appear in the television adaptation of Laura Lippman’s novel, “Lady in the Lake.”
Summary
Donald L. Miller’s novel, this nine-part series, streaming exclusively on Apple TV+, delves into the gripping tales of the brave men who flew the B17 bombers. Assembling a stellar cast, casting director Lucy Bevan, handpicked actors like Austin Butler, Callum Turner, Anthony Boyle, Barry Keoghan, Rafferty Law, Nate Mann, Ncuti Gatwa, Branden Cook, and Josiah Cross to bring the characters to life.
Get ready to witness the highs and lows of Major Gale “Buck” Cleven, Major John “Bucky” Egan, Lieutenant Harry Crosby, Lieutenant Curtis Biddick, Sergeant Ken Lemmons, Major Robert “Rosie” Rosenthal, 2nd Lieutenant Robert H. Daniels, 2nd Lieutenant Alexander Jefferson, and 2nd Lieutenant Richard D. Macon. With an ensemble cast reflecting the diverse roles within the Eighth Air Force, this series promises a gripping narrative intertwined with historical accuracy.